manufacturing process, including the automation of capsule production. Over the next few years, the company annually created tens of millions of capsules and pills. Although there were many other small pharmaceutical companies in the United States, Eli Lilly and Company distinguished itself from the others by having a permanent research staff, inventing superior techniques for the mass production of medicinal drugs, and focusing on quality. At first, Lilly was the company's only researcher, but as the business grew, he established a research laboratory and employed others who were dedicated to creating new drugs. Lilly hired his first full-time research chemist, Ernest G. Eberhards, and botanist, Walter H. Evans, in 1886. The department's methods of research were based on Lilly's. He insisted on quality assurance and instituted mechanisms to ensure that the drugs being produced would be effective and perform as advertised, had the correct combination of ingredients, and had the correct dosages of medicines in each pill. He was aware of the addictive and dangerous nature of some of his drugs, and pioneered the concept of giving such drugs only to people who had first seen a physician to determine if they needed the medicine. Later life By the time of his retirement from his business, around 1890, Lilly was a millionaire who had been involved in civic affairs for several years. Later in life he had become increasingly more philanthropic, granting funds to charitable groups in the city. Philanthropy In 1879, with a group of twenty-five other businessmen, Lilly began sponsoring the Charity Organization Society and soon became the primary patron of its Indiana chapter. The society merged with other charitable organizations to form the Family Welfare Society of Indianapolis, a forerunner to the Family Service Association of Central Indiana and the United Way. The associated group organized charitable groups under a central leadership structure that allowed them to easily interact and better assist people by coordinating their efforts and identifying areas with the greatest need. Lilly was especially interested in encouraging economic growth and general development in Indianapolis. He attempted to achieve those goals by supporting local commercial organizations financially and through his personal advocacy and promotion. In 1879 he made a proposal for a public water company to meet the needs of the city, which lead to the formation of the Indianapolis Water Company. In 1890, Lilly and other civic leaders founded the Commercial Club; Lilly was