Summary Information
Frederick D. and J. Leon Lascoff Papers
1907-1970
- Lascoff, Frederick D., 1900-1970
- Lascoff, J. Leon, 1867-1943
Mss 637
1.4 c.f. (4 archives boxes)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of a prominent New York City pharmacist and his son who were partners in the firm J. Leon Lascoff & Son Apothecary and who were officers in many professional pharmacy organizations. Included are professional correspondence, biographical clippings, and numerous writings, speeches, and radio talks documenting their efforts to enhance the status of the pharmacy profession.
English
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J. Leon Lascoff
J. Leon Lascoff was born in Vilna, Russia, on August 28, 1867, the son of David and Anna (nee Reiser) Lascoff. He was a Russian Jewish immigrant who came to the United States in 1892. Upon Lascoff's arrival in the U.S., he took a position as a chemist and pharmacist with David Hayes & Son from 1892-97 and was in charge of the prescription and tablet department at Merck & Company from 1897 to 1898. Educated in Europe and the United States, Lascoff received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the New Jersey College of Pharmacy in 1914, and his Doctor of Science degree in 1938 from Temple University. Lascoff was to become a highly respected pharmacist who labored in the field for over fifty years. In 1899 he opened a drugstore which eventually became known as J. Lascoff & Son Apothecary on Lexington Avenue in New York City. In 1896 Lascoff married Clara Joachismon and they had one son, Frederick Dudley Lascoff who was born in 1900.
The elder Lascoff earned many professional awards, his greatest achievement being the Remington Medal that was awarded in 1937. Lascoff also served on many pharmaceutical committees and advisory boards. Among his professional affiliations were the New York State Board of Pharmacy (first appointed in 1910, he was reappointed nine times and served several terms as president), the New York County and Local Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association (president in 1911), New York State Pharmaceutical Association (honorary president in 1936), United States Pharmacopoeia Revision Committee, National Association Boards of Pharmacy (honorary president in 1940), U.S.P. and N.F. Propaganda Committee (chairman from 1914-1943), the College of Pharmacy at Columbia University, and the American Pharmaceutical Association (president, 1938-39, and chairman of the recipe committee, 1929-1941), and the National Prescription Plan Board. One of Lascoff's greatest achievements was participation in the founding of the American College of Apothecaries in 1940. His civic affiliations included the Lion's Club, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, the Masons, the Grand Street Boys, the Drug, Chemical and Allied Trades Section of the New York Board of Trade, and the Yorkville Chamber of Commerce.
Both the elder Lascoff and his son devoted their careers to enhancing the professional status of pharmacy. In over 200 speeches J. Leon Lascoff expounded on his professional philosophy (sometimes referred by their series title, “It Can Be Done”) to various schools of pharmacy and other organizations. Lascoff also was the editor of “Prescription Problems” in the Drug Topics section of Pharmacy & Science.
J. Leon Lascoff died May 4, 1943. In 1946 the American College of Apothecaries memorialized him by establishing the J. Leon Lascoff Award.
Frederick D. Lascoff
Frederick Dudley Lascoff was born in New York City on August 21, 1900. After obtaining a B.A. and a B.S. degree in 1921 from Columbia University, he graduated with a Ph.G. degree from the College of Pharmacy at Columbia in 1923. Thereafter he was a partner in his father's pharmacy and for nineteen years a member of the faculty at Columbia. He was also awarded an honorary degree in 1941 from the Connecticut College of Pharmacy. In 1943 Lascoff married Emma Meyer, and they had one son Frederick Dudley Lascoff, Jr.
Like his father, Frederick belonged to many professional organizations and was actively involved in promoting the profession. He was the founder (1938) and one-time president (1940) of the American College of Apothecaries; president of the New York Branch of the American Pharmaceutical Association; and a member of the Advisory Board of the National Pharmaceutical Council, the Advisory Board of Squibb & Sons, the American Pharmaceutical Association, the New York State Board of Pharmacy (1943-54), the New York State Pharmaceutical Association, the New York Veteran Druggists Association, the U.S. Pharmacopeia Revision Committee, the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, and the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD). Professional fraternity affiliations included Zeta Beta Tau, Alpha Zeta Omega and Rho Pi Phi. Civic organizational memberships included the Lions and the alumni associations of Columbia University and the College of Pharmacy at Columbia.
Frederick Lascoff was the prescription editor of La Farmacia from 1943-1945, the New York Physician and of “Prescription Problems” in the Drug Topics section of Pharmacy & Science from 1958 to 1970. Lascoff was an active collector of antique pharmaceutical equipment. He died in 1970.
Scope and Content Note
The Lascoff collection consists of the papers of a father and son who owned and operated J. Leon Lascoff & Son Apothecary in New York City for over sixty years. The collection is void of personal material or records concerning the operation of their pharmacy, although through their articles, speeches, radio interviews, and correspondence the papers do reflect their views and their lifelong committment to the pharmacy profession.
The papers are divided into two sections, one for J. Leon Lascoff and one for Frederick D. Lascoff. The papers of both Lascoffs are similar, however, consisting of biographical clippings, professional correspondence, and speeches and writings.
J. Leon Lascoff's speeches and writings were primarily intended for practicing pharmacists, pharmacy students and organizations. His series, “It Can Be Done,” discussing difficult prescriptions and their preparation, was the basis of a series of speeches and articles. His column in Drug Topics covered similar problems.
Frederick D. Lascoff's speeches and writings were also intended for practicing pharmacists, pharmacy students and organizations. His “Prescription Problems” column in Pharmacy & Science offered advice and a format for sharing information with practicing pharmacists. However, his radio talks were intended for general audiences.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Emmy Lascoff, New York, N.Y. via the American Institute of Pharmacy, 1971. Accession Number: M71-288, M89-203
Processed by Anita Taylor and Carolyn J. Mattern, 1987, and Myrna Williamson, 1997.
Contents List
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Series: J. Leon Lascoff Papers, 1907-1942
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Biographical material
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Speeches
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Box
1
Folder
2
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“It Can Be Done” speech series, 1933-1941
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Box
1
Folder
3-7
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Other speeches, 1937-1942, n.d.
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Writings
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Box
1
Folder
8
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“It Can Be Done” publication series
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Box
1
Folder
9-11
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Other writings, 1907-1941
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Correspondence
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Barbiturate court case, Washington, D.C., 1940-1941
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Box
2
Folder
2
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re Drug Topics column, 1935
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Box
2
Folder
3
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General, 1937-1941
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Series: Frederick D. Lascoff Papers, 1935-1970
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Biographical material
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Box
3
Folder
2-3
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Correspondence, 1940-1965
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Box
3
Folder
4-7
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Speeches, 1938-1967
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Box
4
Folder
1
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Radio talks, 1938-1949
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Writings
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Box
4
Folder
2-4
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“Prescription Problems,” Pharmacy & Science, 1958-1970
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Box
4
Folder
5
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Other writings, 1935-1962
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