Azor Thurston
Excerpted from Grand Rapids, Ohio, A Souvenir of the Past and Present. July 1897
Azor Thurston was born on the farm, in Oxford township, Erie county, Ohio, January 6, 1861, son of Asher and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. Shortly after his birth the family removed to Wood county, and soon after purchased land in section 10 of what is now Grand Rapids township. Our subject worked on the farm in summer and attended the district school in winter until he was fourteen, when he came to the "Rapids" and took a 4 years course in the graded schools. In 1879 he entered the Ohio State University, Columbus, and took a course in chemistry. In 1883 he entered the University of Michigan, where he took the course in pharmacy and continued analytical chemistry.
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alterative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and groved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country, and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning: "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Mater of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A.M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291 O.O.F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I.O.O.F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 25, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston caries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
Excerpted from Grand Rapids, Ohio, A Souvenir of the Past and Present. July 1897
Azor Thurston was born on the farm, in Oxford township, Erie county, Ohio, January 6, 1861, son of Asher and Mahala (Montross) Thurston. Shortly after his birth the family removed to Wood county, and soon after purchased land in section 10 of what is now Grand Rapids township. Our subject worked on the farm in summer and attended the district school in winter until he was fourteen, when he came to the "Rapids" and took a 4 years course in the graded schools. In 1879 he entered the Ohio State University, Columbus, and took a course in chemistry. In 1883 he entered the University of Michigan, where he took the course in pharmacy and continued analytical chemistry.
In 1885 he opened his drug business, in the Rapids, and from that day to this has met with the splendid success which he so richly deserves. On Oct. 14, 1886, Mr. Thurston married Lulu A., daughter of Dr. Justin N. and Ann E. (Ashley) Mead.
In 1888 he formulated the now celebrated Thurston's Pills, his purpose being to produce a mild but efficient substitute for the harsh, drastic, sickening and debilitating mixtures of the official and Standard Formularies. His success is a matter of history, as the Thurston's Pills are today known and appreciated over a large section of the United States and the Dominion of Canada. As a tonic, laxative and alterative they are unequaled; giving tone and vigor to the alimentary tract and to the entire nervous and muscular system. There's no griping, no sickening or debilitating effect. They clear the complexion, brighten the eyes, and impart a general condition of health and vigor.
The wonderful success of the Thurston's Pills induced the formulating and manufacture of the other well known Thurston Remedies.
To those intimately acquainted with Mr. Thurston, the splendid success of his remedies is a foregone conclusion. His thorough knowledge of drugs and their compounds, his mastery of chemistry, organic and inorganic, and his unquestionable integrity could only produce an article of the highest merit. A very fair illustration of the character of Mr. Thurston is found in the construction of his new building, completed in August of last year. He first made up his mind as to what he wanted, and then looked for architects of such standing that there would be certainty of having his ideas executed in the best possible manner. Such architects he found in the well known firm of Geo. F. Barber & Co., of Knoxville, Tenn. The result is the building of which exterior and interior views are herewith given. This building is 30x75 feet, with two stories, 14 and 12 feet, and basement, 8 feet. The foundation is upon the solid rock 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and contains more than fifty cords of stone. The front is of rock-faced, pressed brick of granite shades, from the celebrated Findlay Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. The side walls are of first-class common brick, and 18 inches in thickness. The front windows are of French plate; the front of show window being 6x10 feet, with corresponding half circle above, and the sides are 4x6 feet with corresponding squares above. The floors are all double, the sub floors being tongued and groved the same as the top; the surface floors are of two-inch strip maple, dressed and polished after laying. The vestibules are tiled. The ceiling is of stamped steel, decorated in tints. The furniture is all in quartered oak, and in every part made expressly to Mr. Thurston's order. It is the crowning feature, and attracts the close attention of every admirer of fine work who visits the establishment. The furniture was manufactured by Mr. James Schlappi, of Delta, Ohio, in competition with the leading concerns of Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Toledo, and the designs, execution and finish are a revelation to buyers in more pretentious quarters. The lower story contains sales room, laboratory and library. The laboratory is large in size and complete in every detail. It must be seen and examined by the expert chemist to be appreciated. The library contains one of the largest purely private collections of standard medical, scientific and technical works to be found in the country, and is constantly being added to.
All of which, as we have said, is an illustration of Mr. Thurston's character. Solid, sound, safe; no shams, no guesswork; nothing but the best is good enough. Thus, in purchasing any of the Thurston Chemical Company Remedies you may be sure of tried and proven formularies, pure drugs and expert compounding.
A peculiarity of Mr. Thurston is that every order made by him for drugs bears stamped across its face the warning: "All goods shipped must conform strictly to the Ohio Pure Food Law, or they will be returned at shipper's expense."
We will now mention a few facts which are uncontrovertible evidence of the professional standing of Azor Thurston. The first is that leading physicians in various parts of the country, whose reputations depend upon the unvarying purity and strength of the drugs used, have their fluid extracts specially manufactured by Mr. Thurston. The price is the same, and the name is a guarantee of standard goods. Again, as an analytical chemist, he is consulted upon matters of the greatest importance. As an authority, he has been interrogated by the compilers of the latest standard dictionary as to the definition of certain technical terms pertaining to chemistry. As an author, he is a valued contributor to several of the pharmacal and chemical journals, and his tabular chart of alkaloids and alkaloidal salts, giving physical and chemical properties, physiologic action, doses and antidotes, received the highest commendation, and is to-day in use in leading schools of pharmacy.
Mr. Thurston is an active member of The American Pharmaceutical Association, The Ohio State Pharmaceutical Association and The American Chemical Society. Here, also, we may mention that he is a subscriber to all of the leading pharmacal and chemical journals, such as The Pharmaceutical Era, The Western Druggist, and Merck's Report, of all of which he has complete, bound volumes to date; The American Chemical Society; of which he has a goodly number of complete, bound volumes. He, also, has a complete set, bound, of the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association. In short, he has in these journals alone, a library of goodly proportions and of inestimable value to his profession.
Socially, and as a citizen, Mr. Thurston is held in the highest estimation. He is at this date Mater of Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, F. & A.M., Treasurer of Turkey Foot Lodge No. 5291 O.O.F.; a member of Rapids Encampment I.O.O.F. and 1st Lieutenant of Canton Alpine No. 25, Patriarchs Militant. He is the village treasurer, and has served as such for many years.
For the convenience of his large business, Mr. Thurston caries a balance with the First National Bank of Toledo, and The National Park Bank of New York, which are respectively, West and East, two of the strongest and best managed banking institutions of the United States. He takes advantage of every discount, and is considered good for his wants in every part of the country.
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Though raging fever fills the veins,
Hot with the flux of impure blood,
Until proud reason loose the reins,
Resigns her throne and chaos comes -
Still, let not hope despondent grow,
The antidote may here be found
On careful reading, and the woe
No longer fills the heart with fear.
'Seek, it is said, and though shalt find
Sweet consolidation for thy search;
And health of body, peace of mind,
Rewardeth him who seeks and finds
Such balm, so lightly hidden here,
As healeth blood impurities,
Purgeth the mind of gloomy fear
And maketh life worth living.
Read elsewhere for the full details,
Intently scan each line and word;
Learn that it cures when all else fails;
Learn what it cures, then haste to buy,
And nothing else you'll have to try.
Hot with the flux of impure blood,
Until proud reason loose the reins,
Resigns her throne and chaos comes -
Still, let not hope despondent grow,
The antidote may here be found
On careful reading, and the woe
No longer fills the heart with fear.
'Seek, it is said, and though shalt find
Sweet consolidation for thy search;
And health of body, peace of mind,
Rewardeth him who seeks and finds
Such balm, so lightly hidden here,
As healeth blood impurities,
Purgeth the mind of gloomy fear
And maketh life worth living.
Read elsewhere for the full details,
Intently scan each line and word;
Learn that it cures when all else fails;
Learn what it cures, then haste to buy,
And nothing else you'll have to try.