The Forgotten Drug Store of Dr. Oscar Burger

As a Spanish colony, the Philippines has always been a recipient of foreign immigrants from all corners of the mother country. Yet, there seems to be


As a Spanish colony, the Philippines has always been a recipient of foreign immigrants from all corners of the mother country. Yet, there seems to be little information on other foreign nationals who ended up settling in the country during three centuries of their rule and even during the Americans' turn to rule over the archipelago. But in the latter half of the 19th century, there was an influx of German immigrants looking for new life and perhaps, colonial adventure.

By 1871, the German nation was unified under Prussia after their massive victory against France in a brief war with Napoleon III. As a result, Germany has become one and strong industrial nation with ambitions for colonies left for grabs with the British Empire, France, and Spain still controlling vast colonies around the globe. Germany eventually settled on fringe African outposts, sparsely inhabited Pacific islands, untamed parts of New Guinea, and small concessions in China. There was also a large diaspora of Germans overseas in search of better fortune (especially the Jews).

The German Diaspora

To boost the European population in the colonies and attracting young men adventurous enough to make a name for themselves in distant lands, Spain has encouraged its citizens and even some Europeans to move into the Philippines. For us, we never thought Germans would come into the picture. Interestingly, Germans have played a big role in society at that time since most of the best doctors, chemists, and entrepreneurs in Manila and Cebu were them. Jose Rizal was even a product of German knowledge and know-how during his European stay.

By the time the Suez Canal opened in 1869, the journals of German ethnographer Fedor Jagor was the only first-hand account of the Philippines at that time. The eventual influx of German immigrants in Manila, Vigan, and even Cebu opened up new opportunities for them. The reputation of German medicine brought chemists, pharmacists, and even doctors to the colony.


In a memoir by Dr. Heinrich "Enrique" Rothdauscher, it mentioned them setting up their pharmacy businesses in the country. The first established pharmacy, a century before we have the Rose Pharmacy chain, was the famous Botica Boie established by Reinhold Boie. Among other prominent players in the industry were Paul "Pablo" Sartorius, Willem "Guillermo" Suhm, Paul "Pablo" Schuster, and Otto Koch. Established later were Botica Sartorius and Botica Schuster.



Apart from their business, they were also keen explorers like Jagor. They recorded their experiences in these far-flung islands.

La Botica de Don Oscar Burger

While most of the German community was concentrated in Manila, especially in the Escolta district, and others took root up north in Ilocos, another German set up his own pharmacy business and his name was Oscar Burger. Not much is known about him but he soon established his reputation as a pre-eminent German Apotheker in the city. He brought in the latest medicines from Germany especially those manufactured by the top pharmaceutical firms like Bayer.

What started as a small business soon became a large operation as he ended up supplying medicine and other medical supplies to the local elites and significant foreign expatriate community. He eventually established a large pharmacy with two caruajes providing delivery of supplies to his clients and other practicing doctors in the city.

Fellow compatriot Rothdauscher eventually moved into Cebu to head to another pharmacy there. It's not clear if he lent a hand to Burger but it would be likely that they would have collaborated since they were probably the most prominent Germans in town.


And just like any European expatriates, they get the proper treatment with all the workers taking care of the dirty business of moving in the goods from the docks to the warehouse. Some probably have to ensure that both Rothdauscher and Burger are well taken care of. By the time Rothdauscher left Cebu in 1881, the city was already ravaged by a cholera epidemic. The demand for quality drugs to combat such an epidemic went to an all-time high. As the revolution later began in 1896, the pharmacy business was at the crossroads of whether to provide medicine for the colonial authorities or support the revolutionaries. Either way, it's bad for business for Burger and his business partners.

Burger's Vigan pharmacy was sold to Sartorius thus became Botica Sartorius. Another German Apotheker eventually competed with Burger - the Botica Santa Cruz.


Although there were not a lot of Germans in the Philippines, the businesses seemed to grow because of the fact that the German pharmaceutical industry dominated global drug creation from the late nineteenth century to World War I. When the Americans later took the Philippines, some early German immigrants to the United States tried to find a new fortune in the Philippines as well.

However, that soon came to a crashing end when World War I broke out in 1914. All the Germans running Botica Boie, Botica de Oscar Burger, and Botica Santa Cruz were in trouble. The members of the staff were deported to the United States in 1918 along with other German residents. 

Reference:

COMMENTS

Name

100,1,1924 summer olympics,1,1936,1,1949,1,2012 olympics,1,2014 aff suzuki cup,1,2016 olympic basketball,2,2019 fiba world cup,2,adobo,1,adolf,1,aff suzuki cup teams,1,afghanistan,1,aguilas,1,ai art,1,al-andalus,4,alan nacorda,1,albinism,1,alcohol,1,alcoholic,1,alejo santos,1,alibata,1,altered timeline,21,alternate history,35,althistory,23,american,2,ancestry,2,ancient filipino,1,andres bonifacio,2,andres bonifacio family tree,1,andres bonifacio genealogy,1,andres novales,1,ang pasko ay sumapit,1,antonio luna,3,apolinario alcuitas,1,articles,1,artificial intelligence,1,artista,4,artistas,3,asian,1,asian games,1,asians,1,ask me,6,athletes,1,automobiles,1,azkals,9,aztecas,1,bacolod city arena,1,balangiga,1,barato sa unang panahon,1,barcelona,1,basketball,11,bayanihan,1,baybayin,1,beauty,1,bells,1,benjie paras family tree,1,berlin,1,beverage,1,biases,1,bill hoyt,1,billy ray bates,1,biopic,1,bisaya,1,black and white,2,black superman,1,bombs,1,border,1,boyfriend-girlfriend,1,brain drain,2,Brazil,1,british,1,british empire,1,brown,1,burger,1,butterfly effect,21,calvin abueva,1,calvin abueva family tree,1,calvin abueva genealogy,1,calvin sweeney,1,campaign ads,1,canonigo family,3,canonigo family history,2,canonigo family tree,4,canonigo genealogy,4,canonigo surname,2,carcar,1,cartago delenda est,1,carthage,1,carthagiensis victoriae,1,cartographic history,1,cat meat,1,catfish,1,ceboom,1,cebu,11,cebu arenas,1,cebu brt system,1,Cebu cinema,1,cebu city,9,cebu coliseum,1,cebu developments,1,cebu hauntings,2,cebu heritage,7,cebu history,33,cebu masterplan,1,cebu megadome,2,cebu mrt system,1,cebu railways,1,cebu shopping malls,3,cebu sports facilities,1,cebu stadiums,1,cebu streets,1,Cebu theaters,1,cebu tourism,1,cebuano,3,cebuano spy,1,cebuano television show,1,celebrity gossip,2,characters,1,chika minute,1,china,2,chinese,4,chinese ancestors,2,chiong veloso family,1,chismis,1,christianity,2,christmas,2,christmas carols,1,christmas in the philippines,3,chronicles,4,Civil War,2,claudio,1,coke go for goal,1,colon obelisk,1,colon street,1,colorized old photographs,3,comic book,2,comic books,1,comics,1,comparison,1,conrado tudtud,1,controversy,1,corrupt politicians,5,costliest typhoons,2,covid-19,1,cuisine,5,culinary trip,2,cultural,1,cultural cringe,1,culture,1,curse,1,dall e,1,dancing sun,1,dante guidetti,1,darna,2,darna ajaib,1,darth vader family tree,1,davao basketball arena,1,davao sports venue,1,david nepomuceno,1,deadliest firecrackers,1,deadliest typhoons,2,december,1,december 7 1941,1,delenda est,1,department stores,1,developments,1,disaster relief,1,disinformation,1,disputed islands,1,dna test,1,dongmakgol,1,download mba2k,1,download mba2k17,1,drinking culture,1,dutch,1,dynamites,1,dynasty,1,eddie gil,1,election,4,election ads,2,election campaign,4,electioneering,5,elections,6,eleksyon 2016,1,eleksyon 49,1,elena jurado,1,elena jurado ancestors,1,elena jurado family tree,1,elena jurado genealogy,1,elpidio,1,emperor novales,1,enrique of malacca,1,entertainment,2,epal,2,epalism,2,exotic cuisine,1,expatriates,1,extra rice,1,fake facebook profiles,1,fake profiles,1,family history,2,family tree,6,famous relatives,1,far eastern games,1,fashion,1,fear,1,fear factor,1,fears,1,feature,6,featured,6,fernando poe jr,1,fiba olympic qualifying tournament,2,fiba world championship,5,fiba world cup,4,fifa world cup,1,fighter wine,1,filipino,5,Filipino architecture,2,filipino celebrities,1,filipino comics,1,filipino culture,3,filipino diaspora,1,filipino films,1,filipino mall culture,1,filipino nationalism,1,filipino spanish,1,filipino-american,1,filipino-american war,7,filipino-indonesian family,1,filipinos,3,films,3,finding their roots,18,firecrackers,1,fireworks,1,first asian actor in hollywood,1,first touch soccer,2,first touch soccer kits,1,food,7,food trip,3,football,5,football history,9,football league structure,2,football legends,2,football tournament,2,foreign relations,3,foreigners,1,fpj,1,france,1,FTS kits,3,fts15,3,fts15 kits,4,future,1,gabe norwood,1,gabe norwood family tree,1,gabe norwood genealogy,1,gabriel daniel norwood,1,game shows,1,gangnam style,1,gastronomy,5,gaudencio bueno,1,genealogy,8,genie,1,genie of the lamp,1,germans,1,germany,4,gilas,1,gilas pilipinas,11,globalization,1,God Save the Queen,1,goliat,1,gomburza,1,good friday,1,good old days,1,goodbye philippines,1,gossips,3,grandfather paradox,3,Guerrillas,1,guest blogging,3,guest post,3,halalan 2016,1,hamburger,1,han,1,han solo family tree,1,Harry Turtledove,2,hawaii,1,headline,13,henry the black,1,hero,2,hero obsession,1,higugmaa ang dios,1,hilario moncado,1,hipodromo,1,hippodrome,1,hispania,4,historical films,2,historical leaders,2,history,48,history of cebuano language,1,hitler,1,holy week,1,hymns,1,identity thieves,1,imperial manila,1,import,1,independence day,1,indonesian darna,1,indonesian family history,1,indonesian family tree,1,infographics,1,inuman,1,invasion,2,iron sky,1,ispageti,1,italian,1,italians,1,jai alai building,1,jai alai in cebu,1,japan,2,japanese,4,japanese bazaars,1,jeepney,1,jersey,1,jersey number,1,jersey numbers,1,jerseys,1,jesus,1,jim olmedo alapag,1,jimmy alapag,1,jimmy alapag family tree,1,jimmy alapag genealogy,1,jorgensen,2,jose rizal,6,jose rizal family tree,3,jose rizal genealogy,3,jose rizal girlfriends,2,josephine bracken,1,julian daan,1,kahadloki ang dios,1,kalayaan,1,kansas history,1,karaang sugbu,18,karen,1,kasadya ning taknaa,1,killing adolf hitler,1,kingdom of humanity,1,kjc king dome,1,kobe paras family tree,1,komics,1,kontrabida,1,korean,4,korean war,2,koreans,3,koreans in the philippines,1,krag,2,kris,2,language,2,lapulapu,3,learning spanish,1,lebron james ancestors,1,lebron james family history,1,lebron james family tree,1,lebron james genealogy,1,lebrons real father,1,leia organa family tree,1,leon kilat,1,lito lapid,1,litratista,1,living in cebu,2,london olympics,1,london riots,1,long distance relationships,1,long lost family,4,los extranjeros,1,los tiradores de la muerte,1,lost ancestors,2,lost landmarks,8,louisiana,1,love on the internet,2,luke skywalker family tree,1,luzon lumber,1,mabolo golden era,1,machine learning,1,mactan,1,maharlika pilipinas basketball league,1,malacañang,3,malaysia,1,malditas,2,mall of asia arena,2,malls,1,mampor,1,manila,2,manila men,1,manila xi,1,maniniyot,1,mariano vestil,1,marie josephine leopoldine bracken,1,marites,1,mars ravelo,1,mass hysteria,1,massacre,1,max joseph,1,mba,1,mba2k,1,medicinal wines,1,medieval christianity,1,megadome project,1,merdeka,1,mes que un club,1,metro cebu,5,metroball,1,metropolitan basketball association,2,mexicans,1,mexico,1,micronations,1,midjourney,1,military food,1,military ration,1,minda mora,1,mindanao,1,ming dynasty,1,missouri history,1,moa arena,1,money,1,Morac-Songhreti-Meads,1,moro,2,mortal kombat,1,movies,3,mtv,1,mugen philippines,1,mugen pilipinas,1,murang bilihin noon,1,muslim,2,national anthems,2,national basketball association,1,national dish,1,natural disasters,1,nazi,1,Nazi victory,2,NBA,3,nba 2k14,1,negros basketball arena,1,netherlands,1,netherlands east indies,1,nev schulman,1,news misreporting,1,nightmare,1,nippon bazar,1,no hablo espanol,1,north korea,1,nuisance candidates,1,occupied Japan,1,ofw,2,old cebu,25,old documentaries,1,old films,1,old parks of cebu,1,old photographs,3,old plazas of cebu,1,Olympic Games,2,olympic gold medals,1,olympics,2,one hundred,1,online relationships,1,operation,1,overseas filipino workers,2,paduka pahala,1,pagkaing pinoy,1,pandemic,1,pangasinan,1,paputok,1,paracel,1,parallel worlds,3,paras family tree,1,paras genealogy,1,pascual racuyal,1,pasko sa sugbu,1,pasta,1,pastor apollo quiboloy,1,paul john dalistan,1,paul lee,1,paul lee family tree,1,paul lee genealogy,1,paulino alcantara,1,pba,6,pba dleague,1,PBA home away format,2,pba players,4,pbl,1,pcbl,1,pearl harbor,1,peftok,1,penitence,1,penitencial practices,1,perrelos,1,personal,2,pesos,1,Philippine architecture,2,philippine arena,3,Philippine basketball,3,philippine basketball association,9,philippine basketball team,8,philippine cinema,2,philippine election,2,philippine expeditionary force,1,philippine football team,13,philippine history,29,philippine movies,6,philippine politics,5,philippine revolution,1,philippine sports stadium,1,philippine television,1,philippine-american war,4,philippines,25,philippines football league,6,philippines in the olympics,2,philippines-china relations,2,phobia,1,phobias,1,pilate,1,pinoy food,4,pinoys,1,point of divergence,11,political,4,political corruption,6,politics,6,pontius,1,pop culture,3,Portugal,1,portuguese,1,prejudices,2,presidentiables,2,presidential,2,presidential election 2016,2,presidents,4,princess,1,private,1,public transportation,1,pulutan,1,punic wars,1,quirino,1,race relations,2,racism,3,Red Legs,1,religion,1,republic of cebu,1,Republic of Koneuwe,1,rice consumption,1,rice obsession,1,rizals chinese ancestors,1,Robert Silverberg,1,robinsons galleria cebu,2,Roma Eterna,1,Roman Empire,1,rome,2,royal ancestors,1,rumors,2,russia,1,sabah,1,samahang basketbol ng pilipinas,2,scarborough shoal,2,scripts,1,sea games,1,seaside city arena,1,segunda katigbak ancestors,1,segunda katigbak descendants,1,seven years war,1,shoutout culture,1,showbiz,1,si goot da wanderpol,1,sick man of asia,1,sidekicks,1,silmido,1,sioktong,1,siomai,1,siomai sa tisa,1,siopao,1,skin color,1,skin tone,1,skin whitening,1,sm arena cebu,1,sm city cebu,1,sm malls,1,sm seaside city,4,sm seaside city arena,2,smart gilas,6,soccer,2,social commentary,2,south korea,1,southeast asian games,1,Soviet invasion of Japan,1,spaghetti,1,spain,6,spanish filipino,1,spanish flu,1,spanish in the philippines,1,spanish language,1,spanish-american war,1,speaking spanish,1,sports,4,sports uniform,1,spratly islands,2,spratly islands dispute,2,st malo,1,stable diffusion,1,star wars family tree,1,Star-Spangled Banner,1,Stephen Curry family tree,1,Stephen Curry genealogy,1,stereotypes,2,street fighter,1,street food,2,sulu sultanate,1,summer,1,superheroes,3,superheroine,1,superpowers,2,supporting actors,1,taegukgi,1,taisho bazar,1,team pilipinas,1,teban,1,telenovela,4,teleserye,4,television,4,television programs,6,television shows,6,territorial dispute,3,The Guns of the South,1,things to do,1,three wishes,1,time travel,2,tomas,1,tomas claudio,1,tourist attractions,1,tourist destinations,1,Trans-Mississippi,1,true passion of the nation,1,tv personalities,1,typhoon bopha,1,typhoon haiyan,1,typhoon odette,1,typhoon pablo,1,typhoon rai,1,typhoon yolanda,1,typhoons,2,uk,1,United football league,2,united kingdom,1,united states,4,urban legends,6,urduja,1,us civil war,3,usa,1,valentin santos,1,vehicles,1,vicente rubi,1,video,3,video game,5,video game characters,1,video games,8,villains,1,vino kulafu,1,voc,1,war,8,war in film,1,war movies,1,war on terror,1,warrior princess,1,watusi,1,white,1,white man's burden,1,who do you think you are,9,william grayson,1,willie revillame,1,willing willie,1,wish list,1,women,2,wonder woman,1,world basketball championship,3,world domination,1,world war 2,5,world war one,2,writings,1,written language,1,written scripts,1,ww2,2,wwi,1,wwII,2,
ltr
item
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger: The Forgotten Drug Store of Dr. Oscar Burger
The Forgotten Drug Store of Dr. Oscar Burger
As a Spanish colony, the Philippines has always been a recipient of foreign immigrants from all corners of the mother country. Yet, there seems to be
https://i.imgur.com/thPDfYn.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJiQlK7LF0K1Gsg-QNLy5dD9nrhfpm149IUmnHCHT2NNuVuWlPSSEFhEsweRcL09w2LTzU8fH6Z6mpeXkbKKtDM5DHFIcEV_CR5X4d9vigkq0XJCkgHL5nzqmFqQvrZcS6memfrjyOVEYe/s72-w640-c-h572/germans.JPG
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger
https://www.istoryadista.net/2020/07/the-forgotten-drug-store-of-dr-oscar.html
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/2020/07/the-forgotten-drug-store-of-dr-oscar.html
true
2148827822363692190
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read More Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content