Pharmacy Fun Fact: August 14

What constipation remedy did Lewis and Clark take on their famed expedition?

Answer: Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills, also known as thunderclappers!

Dr. Benjamin Rush was a signer of the US Declaration of Independence and a physician in Philadelphia. He was also known for creating Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills, which were a combination of calomel, chlorine, and jalap (an herbal laxative). These pills were fondly referred to at the time as “thunderbolts” or “thunderclappers.”

Rush recommended that Lewis and Clark take a supply of thunderclappers on their upcoming expedition across the western United States following the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Rush wrote that constipation “is often a sign of approaching disease,” so when they felt constipated, they should avoid disease and “take one or more of the purging pills.” Additionally, Rush noted that a lack of appetite “is a sign of approaching indisposition and it should be obviated by the same remedy.”

Due to these recommendations, Lewis and Clark brought 600 thunderclappers on their expedition.

REFERENCE

Kang L, Pedersen N. Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything. New York, NY: Workman Publishing; 2017.

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