A B Hashmall: A Document Analysis

My late great-great-grandfather was the first known Jewish pharmacist in the city of Toronto during the 1910’s. He died at the young age of 42 during one of Toronto’s influenza outbreaks. The artifact I have chosen to present is an embossed druggist bottle from his pharmacy. The name printed on the bottle is my great-great-grandfathers name, A B Hashmall, which is short for Ainsley Benjamin Hashmall. He immigrated to Canada in 1903, but only began working as a pharmacist in 1913, when he set up his own store at 119 Agnes Street. Ainsley remained at his store on Agnes street for only a year before moving to 11 St. Patrick St. He was at that location when these bottles were produced. I know that because that exact address is embossed onto the glass bottles.

They show the first generations of my family in Canada. If my great-great-grandfather were to stay in Romania, where he is originally from, I would never be here today. A lot as changed since these bottles were produced. Since the time when my great-great-grandfather was alive, these types of bottles have become obsolete. Nowadays, the only types of medicine bottles used are the plastic ones with the childproof lid and stick on labels. Over the past 100 years, the world has become more aware of how dangerous certain prescription drugs can be if they are not used for the intended purpose. Consequently, that is why all medications this day and age have childproof lids. It is much easier for a child to open a glass bottle with a normal lid, than a childproofed lid on a plastic bottle. Glass bottles were common practice amongst druggists back then because paper labels were easily stained and washed