Records of William H. Rorer Incorporated

Collection

Identifier: 2003-025

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

For a more detailed inventory, please view this record in our library catalog: https://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1077909~S6

This is fairly comprehensive set of production records detailing William H. Rorer , Inc.'s output of various drugs for the period 1913 to 1989. There is a special concentration upon the over-the-counter antacid medication Maalox which was Rorer's flagship product.

Dates

Creation: 1913-1989

Creator

William H. Rorer, Inc. (Organization)

Language of Materials

Text in English.

Biographical sketch

William H. Rorer founded his pharmaceutical company in Pennsylvania early in the 20th century. In 1950 his son Gerald F. Rorer assumed the presidency of the company and also became the company chairman. In was during Gerald's tenure that the staff chemists at Rorer discovered and developed the popular antacid treatment that came to be known as Maalox. This became a flagship drug for the company and a good source of profit. In 1968 Rorer merged his company with Amchem Products, Inc., a manufacturer of chemicals for agriculture. This move proved to have mixed blessings since Amchem lacked a steady source of income like Maalox and its profitability tended to run in cycles. In 1976 Gerald F. Rorer died and the company passed from family control.

Extent

13.8 Linear Feet (29 boxes)

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection consists of logbooks in which the results of various trials are recorded and formulary cards for individual Rorer products.

Arrangement

Organized into four series: I.1993; II.1994; III.1995 IV.1996. Series

Ownership and Custodial History

Donated by Kim Taeger, Director - Curator, Marvin Samson Center for the History of Pharmacy, University of the Sciences Philadelphia.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--University of the Sciences. Method of acquisition--gift;; Date of acquisition--2003..

General Note

The highpoint of the collection are the formulary cards. These give not only the make-up of the drug, but detailed instructions for producing it in mass quantities and the record of when each batch was manufactured, thus providing a life-cycle record for each Rorer product covered. The collection also contains developmental logs (including one for Rorer's most popular product, the over-the-counter antacid medication Maalox), product catalogs, a custom formulary organized by individual physician and check-out books for the formulary cards.