SCIENTIST TODAY WE USE ALL OF A.H. RIISE’S V A S T K N O W L E D G E A N D EX P E R T I S E
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A.H. Riise the scientist ×××
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.H. Riise’s success with rum and bitters is closely connected to his extensive travels. Several of his travels were scientific expeditions, where he journeyed remarkably far afield to gather pleasant-smelling and great-tasting herbs and spices to use in the ongoing manufacture of his alcoholic beverages.
Copy of one of the original advertising posters promoting A.H. Riise’s pharmacy, or ‘Druggist and Apothecary’ as it is called here. These posters would not have been purely for promotion on the island of Saint Thomas, but would have been posted on islands throughout the Caribbean.
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As a trained pharmacist and scientist, Riise used his knowledge to systematically develop his liquors and rums. His desire for discovery was far greater, however; his vast collection of herbs, plants and conches can be found to this day in the Danish museums. The pharmacy was rebuilt after the fire of 1895, now as a two story building. On the top shelves can be seen white porcelain mugs and bottles and jars, all of German origin.
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A teenager with grand dreams ×××
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t the age of 14, Riise became an apprentice to a local pharmacist, Johan Bøving. With a methodical and scientific approach to flora and fauna at the pharmacies in Ærøskøbing and in Faaborg, Johan Bøving enjoyed a blossoming business cultivating and selling medicinal herbs for himself and other pharmacists.
Bøving was an immensely enterprising businessman who also ran a farm and conducted trade. In him, Riise had a role model for his later success in the Caribbean; just imagine Bøving taking a disciple like Riise with him when he went off on his botanical expeditions.
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Riise acknowledged by science legend, H.C. Ørsted
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ultitalented Riise passed his Master’s Degree in 1832 with the highest possible grades. From the start, he was acknowledged by one of Europe’s greatest scientists. Riise’s exam certificate was signed by no less than Hans Christian Ørsted, professor of physics and chemistry and the discoverer of electromagnetism and the inventor of aluminium.
Albert H. Riises exam certificate, dated 21 October 1832. Among the signatures is that of Professor H.C. Ørsted, who has been credited with the discovery of electro magnetism and was the first person to isolate the element aluminium.
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Taking a big gamble on the West Indies ×××
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fter graduating, A.H. Riise was employed as a pharmacist at Vajsenshus Apotek in Copenhagen, which still exists today. When not working in the pharmacy he also began studying botany, zoology and chemistry.
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The studies must have planted a dream in Riise to travel to more exotic and far-flung places, because in 1834 he applied to the Danish Kancelli (upper central administration and government agency in Denmark until 1848) to be allowed to open a pharmacy on St. Thomas. In 1838 he received the permit, with the journey St. Thomas taking a gruelling six weeks. The Danish West India Guinea Company annexed the uninhabited island of Saint Thomas in 1672 and St. John in 1675. In 1733, Saint Croix was purchased from the French West India Company.
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Riise had a scientific predecessor in the West Indies ×××
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iise had brought with him the complete works of Shakespeare to keep his mind occupied during the long journey to the Danish West Indies. He was, however, in poor health when he arrived in Sankt Croix, before starting to explore the island and gather plants. His host, the pharmacist Peter Benzon, had been tasked with collecting natural, living artefacts for the Museum of Natural History
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in Copenhagen. It was an activity which Riise would later resume with great passion. On St. Thomas, Riise established his pharmacy in a sprawling building with three floors, housing production facilities for spirits and cosmetics. The building even had its own train tracks to the harbour. Original prescription envelope from St. Thomas. Apoth ecary Hall established 1838, the Danish West Indies. Charlotte Amalie, Dronningens Gade. From The Royal Danish Library’s picture collection.
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In 1832, Albert H. Riise earned his Master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences. In the years after, he worked at a pharmacy while studying botany, zoology and chemistry.
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An extremely enterprising young man
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iise often began his days with long trips around the island before the pharmacy opened at 9 am. Riise loved to make a difference. In his bid to conquer his chosen field he combined business trips with research for the Copenhagen museums that would later become the National Museum and the National History Museum of Denmark. From both North and South America he sent home conches, a two-metre-long sea turtle and stuffed birds. He also collected rare plants, which became useful in his continuing production after having been replanted on St. Thomas.
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The Natural History Museum of Denmark; a donation of bird skins noted on 7th June, including this belted kingfisher. Photo @Marcus Krag. Natural History Museum of Denmark
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Riise’s collections still in museums
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s a result of Riise’s systematic collecting he was in constant discussion with leading scientists. Not only were flora and fauna named after him but in fact most of these finds – still with Riise’s name on the labels – can also be seen to this day in Danish museums.
The Museum of Natural Medicine in Copenhagen still has a collection of about 300 glasses standing with plants found by A.H. Riise. In the Natural History Museum there are 236 of Riise’s finds – bird skins, eggs, amphibians, reptiles and vertebrates.
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And if that is not enough, there is also a collection of stone figures and stone tools from A.H. Riise in the National Museum’s ethnographic collection.
A group of donations to the National Museum of Denmark, stone tools from the West Indies donated in 1861 by A.H. Riise. Photo @Marcus Krag. Natural History Museum of Denmark
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A.H. Riise made donations to many of the schools his children went to, including Sorø Academy, where Albert Riise was a student from 1856-1860. Photo @Marcus Krag. Natural History Museum of Denmark
Opbiocome RIISI Lütken (St. Thomas) and Chypeaster RIISE Lütken (Panama). Photo @Marcus Krag. Natural History Museum of Denmark
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Riise’s weird and wonderful creatures
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pecifically, the following creatures are named after the Danish scientist and pharmacist:
Hylodes RIISEI, or yellow mottled coqui, to give it its English name, is a mottled yellow frog, which Riise and Lütken had registered on St. Thomas in 1863. Its present status is now somewhat threatened due to loss of its habitat. Brachioteuthis RIISEI is a small, colourless, fairly common squid found in the West Indian Isles. It was registered by the renowned zoologist, Professor Johannes Steenstrup, in 1882.
Clypeaster RIISEI LÜTKEN is a small sea urchin that was found around Panama and described by Dr. Lütken in scientific papers from the Danish Natural History Society in Copenhagen in 1863.
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Ameiva RIISEI is a small lizard found on many islands in the West Indies. Copenhagen Zoological Museum’s example was collected on 30 August, 1866 and registered on 1 September, 1871. Elaps RIISEI, or the circled coral snake, is a 35-cm-long, colourfully decorated snake with a life-threatening bite: Found in 1858 on St. Jan. Corynopoma RIISEI, or swordtail characin, is a special species of freshwater fish which is well suited to aquariums. It was found in Trinidad and named by Theodore Gill in 1858.
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Ophiocoma RIISEI is a type of brittle star found on St. Thomas. The brittle stars filter plankton from seawater or feed off carrion. They are described by Dr. Lütken in scientific papers from the Danish Natural History Society in Copenhagen in 1856.
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The pharmacies made use of the local workforce; pic tured here is Theodore Bolling, who assisted with serving customers and filling up the bottles and jars.
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Honoured by the king
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eside all the animals and plants named after Riise, he was also given the highest honour for his commitment to the scientific research. The Danish king appointed Riise as chairman of the Colonial Council on St. Thomas and in 1860 awarded him a personal honour with the Order of the Dannebrog and its accompanying coat of arms. In 1878 he was made a Councillor of State.
In 1873, Riise was awarded the title of Knight of the Roy al Order of Vasa, a Swedish title “He supplied the Royal Karolinska Institute an exquisite collection of West Indian medicinal herbs.”
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The science of excellent rum ×××
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iise used his flair for pleasant-tasting herbs and his unique pharmaceutical insight in the production of spirits.
The commercial aspect of A.H. Riise’s business is clearly demonstrated here. The phar macy laboratory with steam distillation apparatus.
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Photograph of one of 1888 A.H. Riise’s exhibition stands at the Nordic Exhibition of Industry, Agriculture and Art, which was held in Copenhagen in 1888, and which was attended by over 1.3 million people.
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When you sit back today with a good glass of your favourite from A.H. Riise, you might not think all that much about all the work that has gone into the sweet, golden drink.
Behind the scenes at Riise’s pharmacy in Charlotte Amalie — the capital of the Former Danish West Indies now U.S Virgin Islands. Aprox 1865.
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And nor should you, because it is about enjoyment, and enjoyment is precisely what A.H. Riise Spirits are created for. But rest assured that we today use all of A.H. Riise knowledge to create the best possible experience for your enjoyment.
The Pharmacy building on Dronningensgade in Charlotte Amalie, with three stories as it looked before the fire in 1895.
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LEARN MORE
THE ST. THOMAS APOTHECARY LIVES ON IN DENMARK The book is written in Danish. It includes an extensive sum mary in English, and tells the story of A.H. Riise’s upbringing. His struggles with the authorities and the local doctors to be permitted to set up a pharmacy on St. Thomas. His flourishing business, which aside from the pharmacy branch also produced cosmetics and rum. The collection of animals and plants. His successors; When A.H. grew older, he settled in Villa St. Thom as in Copenhagen. Two of his sons were pharmacists and joint ly took over the operations of the St. Thomas pharmacy.
order direct from publisher
www.farmacihistorie.dk/ah-riises-apotek-paa-st-thomas-og-i-vejle-english