THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 51 



Thomas Penrose Cook became a member of this College October 

 22, 1896, qualifying as life member March 7, 1907. 



Thomas Penrose Cook was born in Philadelphia and left an 

 orphan at the age of six years. He was brought up Idv his maternal 

 grandfather. Thomas X'. Penrose, an apothecary of that city, in whose 

 store he subsequently became an apprentice and clerk. He received his 

 education in the public schools of Philadelphia, his time when out of 

 scliool being spent in his grandfather's drug store, where he early 

 learned the rudiments of the drug business which in those days con- 

 sisted largely in the handling of vegetable drugs and pre])aring them 

 by means of the i)estle and mortar and the hand drug mill for their 

 ultimate uses, his practical work in the drug store being supplemented 

 b}- a course of instruction at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. 



At the end of his apprenticeship and having served his grand- 

 father for a time as clerk, he secured a position with J. William 

 Jones & Co., dealers in heavy chemicals and dye stuffs, where he was 

 brought in contact with buyers of drugs and chemicals for use in the 

 arts, and later when in the employ of John C. Hurtt, of Philadelphia, 

 he learned the details of the jobbing drug business and demonstrated 

 his abilitv as a salesman. 



In 1 87 1 he accepted a position with Powers & Weightman, con- 

 sidered at that time the leading manufacturers of fine chemicals in the 

 United States, where he was put in charge of a new department formed 

 to exhibit goods of the company's manufacture at trade meetings of 

 manufacturers, and conventions of medical and pharmaceutical asso- 

 ciations. He showed marked ability in this line of work, his exhibits 

 being tastefully designed to attract and hold attention, while his inti- 

 mate knowledge of the goods shown and pleasing manner of presenting 

 their merits made friends for himself and the firm he represented. 



Mr. Cook had charge of the Powers & Weightman display at 

 the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876, the first World's Fair held in the 

 United States, where he came in contact with manufacturers of and 

 dealers in chemicals from other countries and formed acquaintances 

 with leading men in the chemical trade from all parts of the world. 



For 18 years Mr. Cook continued this work which took him into 

 all sections of the country and gave him a favorable acquaintance 

 which, in many cases, ripened into warm friendship with the prominent 

 physicians, pharmacists, chemists and manufacturers using chemicals 

 throughout the United States. This acquaintance was invaluable to 

 Mr. Cook in .some special work he did in 1889 for Eli Lilly & Co., then 



