PacificaVette
Well-known member
I found this tool at a flea market and bought it for $20. I didn't know what it was, and neither did the seller. It seemed to be a precision machine---the wheel turned smoothly, and it had a heavy sold feel to it. The whole thing, along with the brass mold inserts weighs about 25 pounds. I initially thought it might be used for reloading rounds, but the molds didn't seem quite right for that.
So, feeling intrigued, I brought it home and examined it more closely. First, the box with the extra brass molds had an mailing address. It was mailed to "Fort Bragg Pha...", which I assumed would be a pharmacy. Wow, I thought. It must be some kind of pill-making machine.
The base of the machine had some well-worn painted lettering, of which I could read "Whitall______York". Googling these terms showed that Whitall Tatum was a company that made pharmacy supplies and equipment---mostly glass bottles. They later began to produce electrical insulators. They were in business from 1801 until 1938, at which time they were acquired by Armstrong Cork Co. I had to search much further to find any information about my machine, as most posts on various websites were about glass. It turns out to be...
A SUPPOSITORY MAKER
I guess I probably won't be using it in my garage.
I was able to find a old advertising drawing, as well as the following description:
" Patented in 1895, the Whitall Tatum Suppository Machine does away with the old method of melting the ingredients used in making suppositories. After thoroughly mixing the mass and placing it in the cylinder of the machine, a few turns of the wheel delivers solid smooth suppositories formed by cold compression.
Each machine is furnished with a set of molds for making conical tipped suppositories of 3 sizes — 15 grains, 30 grain, and vaginal — and with six molds for making bougies or forming pill mass into rods. The original price of the complete outfit with nine molds was $13."
Now I wonder what I should do with it. I may donate it to a School of Pharmacy to put it in their library, or something. Any suggestions? (Please be kind--I "unknowingly" bought a suppository maker)
So, feeling intrigued, I brought it home and examined it more closely. First, the box with the extra brass molds had an mailing address. It was mailed to "Fort Bragg Pha...", which I assumed would be a pharmacy. Wow, I thought. It must be some kind of pill-making machine.
The base of the machine had some well-worn painted lettering, of which I could read "Whitall______York". Googling these terms showed that Whitall Tatum was a company that made pharmacy supplies and equipment---mostly glass bottles. They later began to produce electrical insulators. They were in business from 1801 until 1938, at which time they were acquired by Armstrong Cork Co. I had to search much further to find any information about my machine, as most posts on various websites were about glass. It turns out to be...
A SUPPOSITORY MAKER
I guess I probably won't be using it in my garage.
I was able to find a old advertising drawing, as well as the following description:
" Patented in 1895, the Whitall Tatum Suppository Machine does away with the old method of melting the ingredients used in making suppositories. After thoroughly mixing the mass and placing it in the cylinder of the machine, a few turns of the wheel delivers solid smooth suppositories formed by cold compression.
Each machine is furnished with a set of molds for making conical tipped suppositories of 3 sizes — 15 grains, 30 grain, and vaginal — and with six molds for making bougies or forming pill mass into rods. The original price of the complete outfit with nine molds was $13."
Now I wonder what I should do with it. I may donate it to a School of Pharmacy to put it in their library, or something. Any suggestions? (Please be kind--I "unknowingly" bought a suppository maker)
