Am.  Jour.  Pharm , \ 
September,  1905.  J 
A  Retrospect  of  Pharmacy. 
429 
In  1823  Samuel  F.  Troth  entered  the  firm,  and  in  1826  he  bought 
the  interest  of  Edward  Needles  and  the  business  was  continued  as 
Henry  Troth  &  Co.  In  1836  they  built  upon  the  lot  adjoining 
westward,  a  five-story  building,  the  highest  at  that  time  occupied 
by  any  single  firm  on  Market  Street.  The  ground  was  bought  from 
Moses  Cox  and  was  part  of  the  old  Hilzheimer  property.  The 
vacated  building,  No.  222,  was  bought  by  William  Weightman  and 
occupied  by  George  Miller,  confectioner. 
In  the  new  quarters,  No.  224,  the  business  was  enlarged,  employ- 
ing an  unusual  number  of  apprentices  for  the  times,  and,  venturing 
larger  operations,  soon  attained  front  rank  in  the  wholesale  trade  of 
Philadelphia.  By  care  in  selection  and  manufacture  they  were  en- 
abled to  maintain  the  reputation  which  had  been  their  aim  from  the 
beginning,  of  dealing  in  none  but  unadulterated  drugs  of  the  best 
quality  'in  the  market,  unaided  by  false  statement  or  exaggerated 
praise.  In  this  they  were  also  particularly  fortunate  in  the  friend- 
ship of  Mr.  George  D.  Rosengarten,  the  celebrated  chemist,  whose 
noted  chemical  preparations  were  in  constant  demand  and  com- 
manded the  highest  prices,  so  that  the  Troth  label  became  a  mark 
of  integrity  wherever  their  goods  were  offered  for  sale. 
In  1842  the  senior  partner  died  and  the  firm  was  changed  to 
Saml.  F.  Troth  &  Co.  by  the  association  of  Wm.  P.  Troth,  the  eld- 
est son  of  Henry,  with  his  uncle. 
In  1853  Saml.  F.  Troth  retired  and  the  business  was  continued  as 
Wm.  P.  Troth  &  Co.  in  connection  with  a  younger  brother,  Henry 
M.  Troth,  who  had  graduated  from  the  College  of  Pharmacy  in 
1851. 
In  the  early  days  the  wholesale  druggists  compounded  many  of 
the  officinal  articles  now  turned  out  from  large  factories,  upon  which 
the  apprentices  were  kept  busy  in  the  shop.  In  a  shed  back  of  the 
old  store,  No.  224  Market  Street,  was  a  large  stone  mortar,  in  which 
the  mercurial  ointment  was  made  by  the  comminution  of  the  mer- 
cury by  a  long-handled  heavy  pestle,  the  top  steadied  by  a  cross- 
bar with  a  collar,  while  the  pestle  was  moved  by  hand-power,  and 
after  a  day's  work  with  the  mercury,  lard  and  tallow,  about  25 
pounds  of  the  combination  was  completed. 
A  large  cask  also  stood  in  the  shed  with  the  ingredients  of  sul- 
phate of  iron,  nut  galls,  gum  arabic,  extract  of  logwood,  vinegar  and 
water  to  form  a  first-class  writing  ink. 
