Drugstore Bottle - Frequently Asked Questions



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1. What does "3ii" mean?
2. What did drugstore bottles contain?
3. What is "the Rexall Store"?



1. What does "3ii" mean?
    ounce is equal to "OUNCES"
What looks like a "3" is not really the number 3, but it's a symbol that means "ounces". The "ii" that comes after is the roman numeral for "2". So "3ii" means "2 ounces". Likewise "3i" means "1 ounce", "3iii" means "3 ounces", "3iv" means "4 ounces", etc.
If you see "3ss", that means 1/2 ounce, with the "ss" being a latin abbreviation.
    dram_drachm is equal to "DRAMS" (aka "DRACHMAs")
On smaller bottles, you may see a slightly different symbol that looks like a "3" that represents "drams" (one dram = 1/8 of an ounce). So in this case, "3iv" would mean 4 drams, which is 1/2 of an ounce.
Source: Wikipedia (search for "apothecary system" on google)

2. What did drugstore bottles contain?
This is probably not a complete list, but drugstore bottles contained such items as: tinctures, elixirs, potions, talcs, lotions, syrups, teas, paints, cleaning products, food items, wines, and confections.
Source: Pamphlet from the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary museum (Alexandria VA)

3. What is "the Rexall Store"?
The Rexall Store began in 1902 when several drugstores banded together. It became a large chain with as many as 12,000 stores in the US.
Source: Wikipedia (search for "rexall history" on google)




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This page last updated on November 1, 2019.