Frederick John Blumenschein

He also created products–a medicated hand cream and a poison ivy mixture —that are still sold today. Son-in-law Harry Bonchosky PHA'40 worked at Blumenschein’s drugstore when he was in high school.For him, Blumenschein was a role model who "practiced pharmacy like it should be practiced." Blumenschein never complained about the business or the long hours and believed that "the patient always comes first and that it is the pharmacist’s duty to do all he can to make the patient feel better." Blumenschein’s students and colleagues held him in such high regard, they often traveled to Uniontown to visit him at the drugstore. In 1977 Fred Bonchosky PHA'74, Blumenschein’s grandson, established the Frederick J. Blumenschein Scholarship in memory of his beloved grandfather, who died in 1972, and to commemorate the family’s lineage of pharmacists. Bonchosky said he is pleased that pharmacists are getting back into counseling people, as "Pops" did, in how to stay well. Blumenschein’s two daughters, the late Elsie Catherine PHA'37 and Gertrude PHA'41, MED'50 also graduated from the School of Pharmacy. Harry Bonchosky passed away in 1999.


		Frederick John Blumenschein, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1962, was born in Pittsburgh in 1884 and attended the Pittsburgh Public Schools. He was awarded a Ph.G. degree from the Pittsburgh College of Pharmacy in 1902 and a Pharm.D. degree in 1904. Blumenschein began his career as a lab assistant to Dr. W.J. McAdams in Pharmacognosy and Bacteriology. A year later, he worked as a lab assistant to Dr. James H. Beal in Applied Pharmacy. Blumenschein became an associate professor in 1914 and served as professor from 1923 to 1926. Blumenschein was a member of the Board of Directors of the College of Pharmacy from 1926 to 1948 when the college merged with the University of Pittsburgh. Between 1936 and 1942, Blumenschein served as chairman of the State Board of Pharmacy of Pennsylvania and was conferred an honorary degree of Ph.M. from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1937. In addition to teaching, Blumenschein owned the West End Drug Store in Uniontown, PA, for more than 30 years. One of the pioneers in pharmacy, "Pops," as he was known, often worked from 7a.m. to 11p.m.		He also created products–a medicated hand cream and a poison ivy mixture —that are still sold today. Son-in-law Harry Bonchosky PHA'40 worked at Blumenschein’s drugstore when he was in high school.For him, Blumenschein was a role model who "practiced pharmacy like it should be practiced." Blumenschein never complained about the business or the long hours and believed that "the patient always comes first and that it is the pharmacist’s duty to do all he can to make the patient feel better." Blumenschein’s students and colleagues held him in such high regard, they often traveled to Uniontown to visit him at the drugstore. In 1977 Fred Bonchosky PHA'74, Blumenschein’s grandson, established the Frederick J. Blumenschein Scholarship in memory of his beloved grandfather, who died in 1972, and to commemorate the family’s lineage of pharmacists. Bonchosky said he is pleased that pharmacists are getting back into counseling people, as "Pops" did, in how to stay well. Blumenschein’s two daughters, the late Elsie Catherine PHA'37 and Gertrude PHA'41, MED'50 also graduated from the School of Pharmacy. Harry Bonchosky passed away in 1999.


	FREDERICK JOHN BLUMENSCHEIN, PHAR.D.