The Wholesale Drug Business

Abstract

the drugmanufacturing business, namely, from the early apothecary shops or drug stores maintained by colonial settlers. These first drug stores imported their botanical drugs and chemicals in bulk mostly from Europe and they manufactured their medicines in their retail stores. Gradually some of them specialized as wholesalers in importing and supplying drugs and chemicals to other retailers. Others specialized in manufacturing while still others continued to function primarily as retailers selling directly to the public. As the years went by, the separation between the functions of drug retailing, drug wholesaling and drug manufacturing became distinct. During early colonial days, merchandise handled by drug wholesalers consisted chiefly of crude botanical drugs, medicines, chemicals, essential oils, fixed oils, toiletries, and soap all bought in bulk packages which were subdivided by the wholesaler, repackaged and sold in smaller amounts, primarily to retail drug stores, partly to industrial users. Today, products handled by the wholesale drug trade consist almost entirely of packaged medicines and toiletry articles, surgical and other health supplies, all ready for consumer use. A limited amount of bulk packaged raw drugs and chemicals are sold by the wholesalers to industrial