Museum of Vision

In 1902 Dr. Albert Coombs Barnes (1872-1951) founded the company of Barnes & Hille in order to market his patent medicine, Argyrol.  This compound of silver and protein was used as an antimicrobial agent before the advent of anitbiotics. The product dominated the market for the first half of the 20th century even though silver compounds such as Argyrol had significant topical toxicity which limited their use. Sales of Argyrol in 1904 were worth $100,000; by 1907 annual sales reached $250,000 and Barnes was a millionaire at the age of 35.

Dr. Barnes' legacy is not patent medicine, but the finest collection in the world of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings housed today at the Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania.