The H. K. Mulford Company was a pharmaceutical company founded in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The company was founded in the late 1880s by Henry K. Mulford after his purchase of the Old Simes drugstore at 18th and Market Streets. The company was purchased by Sharp & Dohme Corp in 1929.

History

Henry Kendall Mulford (October 10, 1866 – October 15, 1937) was a graduate of the

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since 1 ...

. Soon after purchasing the Old Simes retail pharmacy store, Mulford began producing and selling pharmaceutical preparations. In 1889, he received financial investment to expand operations from Milton Campbell. In 1891, Campbell became president of the company, with Mulford vice president. Milton patented a compressed tablet machine. By 1892 the company had two laboratories, a field office in Chicago, and produced 800 different products. The company opened a laboratory in

Glenolden, Pennsylvania Glenolden is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,153 at the 2010 census, down from 7,476 at the 2000 census. Geography Glenolden is located in eastern Delaware County at (39.898812, −75.292456). I ...

, in 1894 for the production of a

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

antitoxin. In 1895, it became the first commercial producer of diphtheria antitoxin in the United States. The company augmented its scientific research with staff and partnerships from the University of Pennsylvania's medical and veterinary departments. In 1909, the company opened a branch in San Francisco, California. By 1920, the company employed about one thousand employees and had 52 buildings on a 200-acre property in Glenolden and Folcroft, Pennsylvania. The company property was surrounded by pastures for horses and cows which were needed to produce serum and antitoxins. The company also grew gardens of plants for research and products, including acres of the purple foxglove flower for the heart medicine

digitalis ''Digitalis'' ( or ) is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs, and biennials, commonly called foxgloves. ''Digitalis'' is native to Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. The flowers are tubular in sha ...

. In 1929, the company merged with Sharp & Dohme Corp. At this time H. K. Mulford company produced many human and veterinary medicines, including a smallpox vaccine, the rabies vaccine, and

antivenin Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if th ...

References

External links

* The Obituary of Henry K. Mulford (Dec 1937) in the ''North Western Druggist'' * H. K. Mulford, The Preparation of Diphtheria Antitoxic Serum, ''Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association at the Forty-Fourth Annual Meeting, August 1896,'' Baltimore 1896, pp. 227–231 {{Authority control Pharmaceutical companies of the United States Vaccine producers Health care companies based in Pennsylvania Manufacturing companies based in Philadelphia 1929 mergers and acquisitions Merck & Co.

History

See also

References

External links