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The story of Daraprim: from experimental drug to commodity
A 62-year-old pharmaceutical drug developed by the Burroughs Wellcome Co. hit the news recently when the drug company who purchased the US marketing rights and increased the price by 5,000%. Today pyrimethamine (brand name Daraprim) is mainly used to treat… Continue reading
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The changing history of Mill Ponds
The site of the old Wellcome Pharmaceutical Factory at Mill Ponds is now a multi-million pound housing development that comes with 400 years of industrial history. Rewind back to the 19th century when this same 7.59 acre site of the… Continue reading
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Spotlight: Welcome to Wellcomeville
In 1911 Henry Wellcome was at the height of his powers. Burroughs-Wellcome & Co. was trading at a healthy profit and had overtaken Allen & Hanbury’s to become the UK’s leading pharmaceutical firm, with its manufacturing base at Dartford. The… Continue reading
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The Business of Medicine
The relationship between doctors and pharmaceutical manufacturers sometimes raises concerns about the undue influence of companies on the medical choices made by doctors. Dr Claire Jones’ research on 19th and early 20th century trade catalogues in the Burroughs, Wellcome &… Continue reading
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Item of the Month, July 2012: A summer excursion with Burroughs and Wellcome
As thoughts turn to summer holidays and sporting endevaours, we’ve chosen as our Item of the Month for July, an item that ties these two themes together. The archives of the Wellcome Foundation are one of the largest series of… Continue reading
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Easing the way for literature
16th June 1904: a young Dubliner goes on a first date with the woman who will become the mother of his children and (much later) his wife. Eighteen years later – that is, in 1922, ninety years ago – he… Continue reading
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The Statue of Liberty’s sister and S M Burroughs
As well as our own small anniversary, today is also the 125th anniversary of one of the world’s most famous cultural artefacts, as it was on this day in 1876 that the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. Furthermore, there’s a… Continue reading
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The lost world of Snow Hill
The image above captures the popular conception of London’s reaction to the Blitz, which was arguably at its most fearsome during May and June 70 years ago. During the night-time bombings, lives were lost and buildings were destroyed. But come… Continue reading
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New family history sources for 2011
For anyone contemplating work on their family history, January the 1st is a significant day: not merely the day on which one resolves really to get down to it this year, but also the day on which, every year, a… Continue reading
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Wellcome Library Insight: Henry Wellcome – His Life & Work
This week’s free Wellcome Library Insight session – on Thursday 21st October – focuses on our founder, Henry Wellcome. Who was Wellcome and what drove him to collect over a million objects during his lifetime? We will examine his personal… Continue reading