British Drug Houses: Mr. C. A. Hill

Abstract

MR. CHARLES ALEXANDER HILL has retired from his position as chairman and managing director of the British Drug Houses, Ltd. He has been succeeded by Dr. F. H. Carr, who becomes chairman of the company, and Mr. F. C. Oscar Shaw, who becomes managing director. Mr. Hill represents the third generation of a family of wholesale druggists, his grandfather's firm dating back to the reign of George II ; he has done perhaps more than anyone else to establish a sound and progressive fine chemical industry in Great Britain and can look back on a business life of outstanding achievement. He was the moving spirit in an amalgamation of drug firms some thirty-five years ago, thus forming an organization large enough to undertake scientific research which led to the development of the manufacture of fine chemicals in a state of high purity for use in medicine. Hill actively encouraged this development on its scientific side, and among other things introduced during the War of 1914-18 the manufacture of pure reagents for use in analysis, microscopic stains, etc., and went on to supply chemicals of high quality for research purposes, displacing Kahlbaums from the position they had hitherto occupied. For this alone British science owes him a debt of gratitude. Later, the progress in medical science led to the introduction of pure hormones, vitamins and chemotherapeutic products. The production of these by British Drug Houses, Ltd., and the spirit of adventure shown by the firm, have won for it as the leading firm in the fine chemical industry a world-wide reputation.