What is a “Squibb Pannier.”

A compact medical chest. Edward Robinson Squibb (1819-1900) was a Navy doctor who saw the need to improve the quality of medicines available on ships during the Mexican War. In 1858 he founded his own pharmaceutical laboratory to produce uniform, high-quality medicines. /p> Squibb made these medicines available to the Union Army during the Civil War with the invention of the Squibb pannier which was filled with some 50 medicines to enable doctors to treat casualties on the battlefield. It sold for about $100, and included ether, chloroform, quinine, whiskey, and herbal treatments for dysentery. The chest included a chart glued to the inside lid which showed where each of the numbered medicines was located in the box.

Yeah, it’s the same Squibb as today’s Bristol-Myers-Squibb, just in case you wondered.

Now you know!