subject: Famous Pharmacists [print this page] 1. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Benjamin worked as a clerk in a neighbourhood store, he dispensed medicines, herbs and various curatives. Benjamin was better known for being one of the founding fathers of the United States and also known for famously stating that, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" knew what he was talking about.
2. Henrik Ibsen (18281906) a Norwegian playwright, theatre director and poet but originally started his career as a pharmacist. Having left home at 15 he moved to Grimstad where he became an assistant pharmacist. Ibsen later continued his studies and went onto study as a physician but later decided against it. Henrik is better known as one of the truly great playwrights in the European tradition, alongside Shakespeare.
3. Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) Dante to further his political career studied to become a pharmacist at that time it was required that people involved in local politics be a member of a guild and his membership in the apothecaries more than met this criteria. At that time books were sold in apothecaries which gave Dante the opportunity to sell books. Dante was better known as the author of "the Devine Comedy" and a great Italian poet.
4. Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727). Isaac started his life as an apprentice apothecary in Grantham, England. He left Grantham to study at Cambridge, where he began his path onto what he is better known for; his theory of gravity. He carried his career forward learning about physics and mathematics.
5. O. Henry (18621910) O Henry was his pen name he was also known as William Sydney Porter. William worked in his uncle's drugstore as a teenager which later led him to became a pharmacist at 19, in the store he also sketched the townsfolk. Later he became known as the brilliant American, after having a number of diverse jobs and life situations he became a successful writer. He wrote "The Gift of the Magi."
6. Hubert H. Humphrey (19111978) was better known as a United States Senator although he originally worked for his father as a pharmacist. He was privileged for his hard work and was honored in 1966 being named Pharmacist of the Year by the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Later in life Hubert went onto politics and serving as mayor of Minneapolis, a U. S. senator and, of course, Vice President of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
7. Charles Walgreen (18731939) after an accident with his finger took advice and guidance of his doctor and after he recovered he took on an apprentership with a local druggist. Charles decided to further his career and later studied in Chicago and became a pharmacist. He worked in Chicago, eventually buying the store from the owner when he retired, adding more stores as he became more successful.
8. George F. Archambault (19092001) was the first pharmacy liaison officer for the United States Public Health Service. George was also considered the "father of consultant pharmacy" his ethos and consultancy style is still widely adopted in pharmacies today.
9. John Pemberton (18311888). John was the inventor of what we know today as Coca Cola, although the formula has changed slight to remove the cocaine content John created the formula to reduce headaches and nervousness, in its missed form carbonated with water it was a morphine addiction cure.
