Numerous botanicals indigenous to the Colonies were widely employed in medicine of the period, and certain ones such as snakeroot (seneka), which was widely found growing in Virginia, would have been very scarce had not an adequate supply been immediately at hand. However, attempts to substitute other indigenous plants for scarce drugs like Peruvian bark were largely unsuccessful. There is no indication that hysop, wormwood, and mallows called for during the New York crisis were ever found to be suitable replacements for any of the capital articles. Wine apparently was more useful as a substitute for bark than the bark of butternut recommended by the Lititz Pharmacopoeia. Peruvian bark, jalap, ipecac, camphor, opium, cantharides—these are the drugs which the American army physicians wanted, and these constituted the most serious shortage problems.
The medical supply problem was placed on relatively firm ground by the summer of 1778, having been established on the principles proven in the Northern Department under the guidance of Drs. Potts and Craigie. Furthermore, the turning point in the war had been reached. Even before Washington's forces went into winter quarters at Valley Forge, Burgoyne[153] had surrendered at Saratoga, on October 17, 1777; and, before the cold bleak winter at Valley Forge was over, the treaty of French alliance was signed on February 6, 1778. The torments at Valley Forge proved to be the birth of a new Continental Army.
The War was still a long way from being over, and a variety of problems were yet to face the Continental Army. Inflation was yet to deal its hardest blow to the supply problem, but not even this could produce the chaos of 1776. The worst of the drug supply problem was over.
Contents of Army Medicine Chests
The following listing is an example of the contents of medicine chests ordered by the Continental Congress. The chest for the Pennsylvania 4th Battalion was filled for "Samuel Kennedy Surgeon" by the pharmacy of Christopher Jr. and Charles Marshall of Philadelphia in May 1776. The medicines are listed on an invoice in the Marshalls' waste book in the possession of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The contents of the Northern Department chest, compiled in the Northern Department's "Medicinal Store" for "Thos. Tillotson Esq. Surgeon & Physician General to the Army," probably was filled by Andrew Craigie at Fort George in 1778. (Italics denote capital article; asterisk indicates that the drug is mentioned in Lititz Pharmacopoeia. Contemporary English names are in parentheses following the Latin listings.)
| Pennsylvania 4th Battalion Chest | Northern Department Chest | |
| Botanicals | ||
| *Cort[ex] Peruv[ianum] (Peruvian bark; Jesuits' bark; or bark) | 4 lb. | |
| *Pulv[is] Cort[icis] Peruv[iani] (Powdered Peruvian bark) | 2 lb. Opt.; 2 lb. 2nd | 6 lb. |
| *Pulvis Rad[ix] Jalapii (Powdered jalap) | 2 lb. | 2 lb. |
| *Pulv[is] Rad[ix] Ipecacuan[hae] (Powdered ipecac) | 8 oz. | 12 oz. |
| *Pulv[is] Rad[ix] Rhaei (Powdered rhubarb) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | 4 lb. |
| Rad[ix] Rhaei (Rhubarb root) | 2 lb. | |
| *Fol[ia] Sennae (Sennae or sena) | 2 lb. | |
| *Rad[ix] Gentian[ae] (Gentian root) | 1 lb. | 2½ lb. |
| *Rad[ix] Seneka (Senega; rattlesnake root; or snake root) | 1 lb. | |
| *Rad[ix] Scillae Sict. (Squill; or sea-onion) | 6 oz. | |
| Cinnamomi (Cinnamon) | 1 lb. | |
| Cort[ex] Aurant[orium] (Orange peel) | 3 lb. | |
| Fl[ores] Chamom[eli] (Camomile flower) | 2 oz. | |
| Mellisa[e Folia] (Balm) | ½ lb. | |
| *Gum[mi] Camphor[a] (Camphor; or camphire) | 10 oz. | 2½ lb. |
| *Gum[mi] Opium [also] Opii (Opium) | 8 oz. | 1 lb. |
| *Gum[mi] Arabic[um] (Gum Arabic) | 2 lb. Opt. | 2 lb. |
| *Gum[mi] Aloe Socotr[ina] (Aloe; or aloes) | 8 oz. | 1 lb. |
| Gum[mi] Aloe Hepat[ica] (Aloe; or aloes) | 1 lb. | |
| *Gum[mi] Ammon[iacum] (Gum ammoniac) | 12 oz. | |
| *Gum[mi] Guaiac[um] (Gum guaiac) | 8 oz. | ¾ lb. |
| *Gum[mi] Myrrh[ae] (Myrrh) | 4 oz. | 2 oz. |
| *Bals[amum] Capivi (Balsam of copaiba) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | 2 lb. |
| *Bals[amum] Peruvian[um] (Balsam of Peru) | 3 oz. | |
| Bals[amum] Tolu[tanum] (Balsam of tolu) | 8 oz. | |
| *Ol[eum] Olivar[um] (Olive oil) | 2½ lb. | |
| *Ol[eum] Ricini (Castor oil) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | 2 lb. |
| Drugs of animal origin | ||
| *Cantharides (Spanish flies; or flies) | 4 oz. | ¾ lb. |
| *Cera Flav[a] (Yellow beeswax) | 1 lb. | 4 lb. |
| *Mel[lis] Com[munis] (Honey) | 3 lb. | |
| Pul[vis] Oc[uli] Canc[orum] (Powdered crabs' eyes) | 1 lb. | |
| *Sperm[atis] Ceti (Spermaceti) | 3 lb. | |
| Chemicals | ||
| *Alum[en] Com[munis] or Credem (Alum or rock alum) | 1 lb. | |
| *Creta ppt [precipitated or praeparata] (Chalk) | 6 lb. | |
| *Pulv[is] Crem[or] Tartar[i] (Cream of tartar) | 4 lb. | 2 lb. |
| *Tart[arus] Emetic[um] (Tartar emetic) | 6 oz. | ½ lb. |
| *Sal Nitri [or] Nitrum (Nitre or saltpetre) | 4 lb. | 4 lb. |
| Sal Absinthii (Salt of wormwood) | 8 oz. | |
| *Sal Cath[articus] Amar[us] (Epsom salts; bitter purging salts; or bitter cathartic salts) | 10 lb. | |
| *Sal Cath[articus] Glauber[i] [or] Sal Mirabile Glauberi (Glauber's salts; Glauber's purging salts; or Glauber's wonderful salts). | 10 lb. | |
| *Sal Tartar[isatus] (Salt of tartar) | 2 lb. | |
| *Sal Amm[oniacum] (Sal ammoniac) | ½ lb. Cd. | |
| *Merc[urius] Corros[ivus] Sublim[atus] (Corrosive sublimate of mercury) | 2 oz. | 2 oz. |
| *Merc[urius] Praecip[itatus] Rub[er] (Red precipitate of mercury) | 4 oz. | 2 oz. |
| *Merc[urius] Dulc[is] Ppt. (Calomel) | 8 oz. | |
| Flor[es] Sulphur[is] (Flowers of sulphur) | 4 lb. | 2 lb. |
| *Ol[eum] Vitriol[um] (Oil of vitriol) | 6 oz. | |
| Ol[eum] Tereb[inthinae] (Oil of turpentine) | 1½ lb. | |
| Tereb[inthina] Venet[ian] (Turpentine) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | |
| *Vitriol[um] Alb[um] (White vitriol) | 4 oz. | 2 oz. |
| *Elix[ir] Vitriol (Elixir of vitriol) | 3 lb. | 2 lb. |
| Vitriol[um] Rom[anum] (Roman vitriol) | 4 oz. | |
| Sacch[arum] Saturni (Sugar of lead) | 4 oz. | |
| Vitr[um] Antomon[ii] Cerat[um] (Cerated glass of antimony) | 3 oz. | |
| *Extr[actum] Saturni [also] Acetum Lithargyrites (Litharge of lead; litharge vinegar; or extract of Saturn). | 11 oz. | |
| Tinctures | ||
| *Tinc[tura] Thebaic[a] [or] Tinctura Opii [or] Laudani Liquidi (Tincture of opium; thebaic tincture; liquid laudanum; and Sydenham's laudanam). | 12 oz. | 2 lb. |
| *Tinct[ura] Myrrh[ae] & Aloes (Tincture of myrrh and aloes). | 1 lb. 12 oz. | |
| Tinct[ura] Cinnam[omi] (Tincture of cinnamon) | 2 lb. | |
| Spirits | ||
| Sp[iritus] Sal[is] Ammon[iaci] (Spirit of sal ammoniac) | 1 lb. 5 oz. | |
| Sp[iritus] Nitri Dulc[is] [also] Sal[is] Vol[atilis] (Sweet spirit of nitre) | 2½ lb. | 1 lb. 12 oz. |
| Sp[iritus] Lavend[ula] Co[mpositus] (Compound spirit of lavender) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | 1½ lb. |
| Sp[iritus] Vini Rect[ificatus] (Rectified spirit of wine) | 1 lb. 4 oz. | |
| Miscellaneous preparations | ||
| *Cons[erva] Rosar[um] Rub[rarum] (Conserves of red roses) | 1 lb. | |
| Conf[ectio] Cardiac[a] (Cordial confection) | 1 lb. | |
| Elect[uarium] Asthmatic[um] (Asthmatic electuary) | 1 lb. 1 oz. | |
| *Elix[ir] Paregor[icum] (Paregoric elixir) | 2 lb. | |
| Pill[ulae] Purgant (Purgative pills) | 8 oz. | |
| Pulv[is] e Bol[o Compositus] (Compound powder of bole with opium) | 2 lb. | |
| Linim[entum] Sapo[naceum] (Soap liniment) | 3½ lb. | |
| Sapo[nis] Venet[ian] (Venetian soap) | 2 lb. | 6 lb. |
| Ointments | ||
| *Ung[euntum] Lap[ide] Calamin[ari] (Ointment from calamine stone) | 10 lb. | 4 lb. |
| *Ung[uentum] Basilic[um] Flav[um] (Yellow basilicon ointment) | 10 lb. | |
| *Ung[uentum] Merc[urale] Fort[is] (Strong mercurial ointment) | 6 lb. | |
| Ung[uentum] e Gum[mi] Elemi (Ointment of gum elemi) | 3 lb. | |
| Ung[uentum] Alb[um] Camp[horatum] (Camphorated white ointment) | 3 lb. | |
| Plasters | ||
| *Emp[lastrum] Adhesiv[um] (Adhesive plaster) | 6 lb. | |
| Emp[lastrum] Diach[ylon] (Simple diachylon plaster) | 6 lb. | 2 lb. |
| Emp[lastrum] Diach[ylon] c[um] G[ummi] (Diachylon plaster with gum) | 1 lb. | |
| *Emp[lastrum] Epispast[icum] [also] Epithema Vesicatorium (Blistering plaster; vesicatory plaster). | 1 lb. | |
| Emp[lastrum] Stomach[icum] Majest. (Stomach plaster) | 1 lb. | |
| Surgical dressings, etc. | ||
| *Linteum Praeparatum (Lint) | 1 lb. fine | |
| Tow | 12 lb. fine | |
| Sponge | 4 oz. fine | |
| Twine | 1 lb. fine | ½ lb. |
| Tape | 1 piece | 2 pieces |
| Fracture pillows | 2 | |
| Splints | 2 p. Sharps 34 doz. | |
| Thread | 4 oz. | |
| Needles | 7 common | |
| Pins | ½ thousand | |
| Compresses | 6 doz. | |
| Bandages | 700 | |
| Flannel | 6 yds. | |
| Shears | 2 pr. | |
| Rags | 1 bundle | |