One druggist who was little in evidence after the war 

 commenced was back in business advertising within 

 two weeks after the British occupied Philadelphia. 

 It was William Drewet Smith (not to be confused 

 with William Smith) who advised "friends and cus- 

 tomers . . . that they can be supplied with Medi- 

 cine and Drugs as usual, at his shop in Second-Street." 

 To indicate that he was expecting an active business, 

 Smith also advertised for "a person who can be well 

 recommended for honesty and soljricty ... to 

 attend a Druggist's Shop." '" 



During the British occupation there was a large 

 number of thefts and losses — perhaps aided by the 

 American patriots who remained in Philadelphia — 

 that included drugs and surgical instruments. In 

 November an advertisement reported the loss of "a 

 sett of Surgeons Pocket instruments in a crimson 

 chequered covering, with a silver clasp. Whoever 

 will l)ring them to the bar of the coffee-house or to 

 Mr. Allman, surgeons mate of the Royal Artillery, 

 shall have a Guinea reward, and no questions asked." 

 In April an unidentified druggist advertised: "Stolen 

 yesterday afternoon out of an apothecary's shop Three 

 Specie Glasses, with brass caps; one contained two 

 pounds of native cinnabar. Whoever discovers the 

 thief and goods shall have Twenty Shillings reward 

 from the printer." '-" 



A sign of the times is evident from the advertisement 

 by Dr. Anthony Yeldall, who offered his "Anti- 

 Venereal Essence at only Two Dollars." This 

 nostrum, it was claimed, would not only cure the 

 disea.se, but would "absolutely prevent catching the 

 infection." Each bottle came with printed instruc- 

 tions "so that no questions need be asked." The fact 

 that the advertisement appeared no less than 10 

 times from January through April speaks for its 

 success. '-" It is interesting to note that, after the 

 British evacuated Philadelphia, "Anthony Yeldall, 

 Surgeon, late of the city of Philadelphia," was included 

 among those who were charged as having "knowingly 

 and willingly aided and assisted the enemies" and who 



'-■^ Pennsylvatiia Leilgtr, October 10, 1777; Pcnrnvliririui Etening 

 Post, October 14, 18, 1777. 



^''^Pennsylvania Evening Post, November 1, 8, 13, 1777, April 

 29, 1778. (A large number of advertisements announring 

 thefts appeared during the British occupation.) 



'2' Pennsylvania Evening Post, January 10 through April 20, 

 1778, and Pennsylvania Ledger, April 4, 15, 1778. [Yeldall 

 advertised his "Anti-Venereal E.s.sence"' only once under 

 American occupation, but at $4.00 per bottle {Pennsylvania 

 Evening Post, .August 26, 1777).] 



would be brought to trial for high treason. '-* 



While the British forces rested, well nourished, 

 warm, and relatively secure in Philadelphia, Wash- 

 ington's troops, hardly more than 20 miles away, 

 were tortured by cold, hunger, and disease. On 

 December 23 there were 2,898 men at Valley Forge 

 reported sick or unfit for duty because of lack of 

 clothing. '^^ Even so, the lack of medical supplies 

 was nowhere near as bad as the conditions that 

 existed in '76. Under the command of Director 

 General Shippen and Purveyor General Potts, '^^ the 

 medical department operated a series of hospitals in 

 such Pennsylvania communities as Easton, Bethlehem, 

 Lancaster, Ephrata, and Lititz. The principal hos- 

 pital for Valley Forge was established 10 miles away 

 at Yellow Springs (now Chester Springs). 



The largest drain on medical supplies appears not 

 to have been during the height of winter but rather 

 in the early spring when the medicine chests of 

 various regiments and hospitals were being restocked 

 for the expected spring offensive. The first step was 

 to supplement the supply of medical supplies on hand. 

 In late February or early March, Dr. William Brown 

 sent Purveyor General Potts a list of needs of the en- 

 tire medical department that included £20,000 worth 

 of medicines, vials, corks, etc. '^' Dr. Brown sup- 

 plemented this list with a letter to Potts dated March 

 11 in which he itemized the following equipment: '^^ 



3 doz. Bo.xcs Small .\pothecary"s Weights & Scales 



3 doz. Bolus knives 



3 doz. Pot Spathulae 



2 doz. Marble Mortars, of one pint, & Pestles 



2 doz. Setts Measures, from ]i ounce to i [pint?] 



6 doz. Earthen Vessels (deep) with handles — of different 

 sizes, from 2 quarts to 2 galls, for boiling Decoctions, or 

 2 doz. copper Do. of one gallon — for that piupose. 



6 doz. Delft Ware Tiles, for mixing Boluses &c. on. 



While Dr. Brown was completing his report on 

 medical supplies, he was also concluding his compila- 



'21* Pennsylvania Evening Post, Jime 25, 1777. 



'29 Gibson, op. eit. (footnote 2), p. 149. 



'30 It was in February 1778 that Dr. Potts assumed his office 

 as purveyor general for the hospital department of the 

 Continental Army with the duty of purchasing and distributing 

 all supplies and medicines {ibid., p. 154). 



'3' Potts Papers, vol. 1, folio 24. (This apparently is the list 

 prepared by Brown, even though it is not signed by him. The 

 item "Medicines, Vials, Cork &c £20,000" was added with 

 the statement "The above enumerated articles should be 

 purchased immediately," and both were in the handwriting 

 of "W. .Shippen, D.G." The document is undated.) 



'3- Ibid., vol. 4, folio 419; Brown to Potts, March 11, 1778. 



126 



BULLETIN 22.S: CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY 



