A Depression-Era Medicinal Plant Map of the United States

From Slate (by way of the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection and, prior to that, the National Wholseale Druggusts' association), comes this map from 1932, listing one or two important species of medicinal plants in each state. As Slate explains, "At a time when companies were increasingly compounding new pharmaceuticals in labs, pharmacists wanted to emphasize their ability to understand and manipulate the familiar medicinal plants that yielded reliable "vegetable drugs."

The map represents a period of transition in the pharmaceutical industry as the role of pharmacists in directly preparing medicine began to diminish. This map represented an attempt to convey their connection to more 'natural' means of remedy. Fascinating stuff.