Samuel Brubaker Hartman

Half Our Ills-are Catarrhal in Nature

Peruna Manufacturing Company

Hartman Hotel from southeast

Hartman Building and Theater crop

Samuel B. Hartman's Surgical Hotel

Samuel Brubaker Hartman (1830–1918) was a prominent American physician and businessman, best known for his development and promotion of the patent medicine known as Peruna. Hartman's career spanned the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when the American medical landscape was undergoing significant changes, including the rise of proprietary medicines and the beginnings of regulatory reform.

Early Life and Education

Samuel Brubaker Hartman was born in 1830 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Little is documented about his early life and education, but it is known that he pursued a career in medicine, a common profession for individuals seeking to make a name for themselves in the burgeoning field of health care during that era.

Career

Hartman began his medical career practicing conventional medicine but soon shifted his focus towards the development and sale of patent medicines. In the late 19th century, the lack of strict regulations allowed for the flourishing of patent medicines, which were often marketed as cure-alls for a wide range of ailments.

One of Hartman's most notable contributions to the field was the creation of Peruna, a patent medicine he claimed could cure a variety of illnesses, including the common cold, flu, and even more serious conditions. Peruna became one of the most popular and best-selling patent medicines of its time, largely due to Hartman's aggressive marketing strategies. He utilized testimonials, advertising in newspapers and on billboards, and even the distribution of almanacs to promote Peruna.

Despite its popularity, Peruna, like many patent medicines of the era, was later criticized for its lack of efficacy and the potentially harmful effects of its ingredients. The active ingredient in Peruna was originally a high percentage of alcohol, a common characteristic of many patent medicines before the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906.

Impact and Legacy

Hartman's work with Peruna placed him at the center of the debate over the regulation of patent medicines in the United States. His success highlighted the need for stricter controls over the marketing and composition of over-the-counter medicines, leading to increased public and governmental scrutiny.

The legacy of Samuel Brubaker Hartman is a complex one. On one hand, he was a pioneer in the field of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical marketing, and his entrepreneurial spirit was undeniable. On the other hand, his promotion of a product that was later deemed to be of questionable medicinal value reflects the darker side of the patent medicine era.

Death and Memorials

Samuel Brubaker Hartman died in 1918. While there are no significant memorials dedicated to him, his impact on the pharmaceutical industry and the regulation of medicines in the United States is remembered as part of the broader history of American medicine.

See Also

• Patent medicine
• Pure Food and Drug Act
• History of medicine in the United States