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In 1963, Dr. Forrest M. Smith Jr. M.D., a longtime pediatrician in San Antonio, Texas, was dissatisfied with the length of time it was taking for
his patient's diaper rash to heal. He was bothered by the distress the rash was causing his patient's and their parents. The doctor considered
his patients to be family and he wanted to provide for them faster relief. He teamed up with two pharmacists, Martin Rubin and Erwin Batha,
owners of Royal Pharmacy, to create a more effective diaper ointment. The pharmacists, also valuing impeccable customer service and thriving in
the old tradition of the apothecary and soda fountains were a natural match to the values and goals of Dr. Smith.
The pharmacists began the arduous task of compounding ingredients to create a creamy, fast absorbing, pleasant smelling, fast acting diaper
ointment. Batch after batch of the the product, then just called "the diaper ointment" was created by the pharmacists and forwarded to Dr. Smith
in small round tins. When a child with diaper rash was seen by Dr. Smith, he would offer a couple of the tins to the child's mom. The tins
contained different variations of the ointment. The mom would give suggestions on which version worked best for her child, which texture she
liked, which version absorbed most easily, etc. Thus, it was with the direct input of mothers and fathers that the product was refined and
perfected. After several years, countless suggestions, and many formulations, the ingredients were established, the proportions were balanced,
and Dr. Smith's Diaper Ointment was born!
For some time thereafter, Dr. Smith's Diaper Ointment was produced at Royal Pharmacy, by hand, one batch at a time. News of the amazing
effectiveness and gentleness of Dr. Smith's spread by word of mouth, mom to mom. The small tins were replaced by larger jars. Locals began to
buy multiple jars to ship to friends and family across state lines. The demand for the ointment soon outweighed the pharmacist's ability to
produce the product with mortar and pestle.
Today, Dr. Smith's is produced, marketed, and distributed on a larger scale. Dr. Smith's Baby Care line currently includes the famous Dr. Smith's
Diaper Ointment in 2 ounze jars and new a 3 ounze tube as well.
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