Charles Henry Phillips


Charles Henry Phillips was an English pharmacist who is universally known for his invention Phillips' Milk of Magnesia.

Early days

He moved to an estate at 666 Glenbrook Rd. in Glenbrook, a section of Stamford, Connecticut and established the Phillips Camphor and Wax Company in that community.

The antacid concept

It was in Stamford that he concocted and received a patent in 1873 for hydrate of magnesia mixed with water which he called Milk of Magnesia.

Final days, achievements and legacy

Phillips produced milk of magnesia as well as other pharmaceuticals at his Glenbrook firm which incorporated in 1885 as the Charles H. Phillips Company. After Phillips' death in 1882, his four sons ran the corporation until 1923, at which time it was acquired by Sterling Drug, Inc. Phillip's Milk of Magnesia is still manufactured today, but the last familiar blue bottle to be filled in Stamford was in 1976 when production at the Glenbrook plant was phased out. It is currently owned by Bayer.