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History Of Apothecary

Health & Medical Blog

Many people have heard the word "apothecary," but don't actually understand what the word means. This article gives some information about what an apothecary is and was.

Etymology of the word

The word "apothecary" is derived from the Ancient Greek word apotheca which originally meant repository, storehouse, or warehouse. In the 1400's, it came to be used as a title for a person in the profession of formulating and dispensing remedies for diseases and sickness. 

History of the profession

The profession itself can date back as far as 2600 B.C. in Ancient Babylon. Here, clay tablets were found by archaeologists that show medical texts with symptoms, prescriptions for these symptoms, and the directions to create the medicine. 

In Ancient Egypt, around 1500 B.C., there are records known as the Papyrus Ebers, which have over eight-hundred prescriptions coming from over seven-hundred different drugs. 

During the 1600's to the early 1900's, apothecaries practiced as doctors. There were few regulations, until laws were passed in England in the 1800's. 

Herbs and medicines

Many people associate apothecaries with herbs in medicine. While many apothecaries did practice this way, simply because herbs were what was available in that day and age, herbs did not completely encompass the work of apothecaries. They also worked in chemistry, which helped to lead to today's day and age of medicine and prescriptions.

However, in today's day and age, there are still those who call themselves apothecaries. More often than not, they do practice in a more holistic and "natural" approach to healthcare, and they use herbs in their medicines. They cannot call themselves pharmacists, however, simply because they have not gone through the proper schooling that is necessary. It is also important to keep in mind that a regular healthcare professional will often have more knowledge and resources available to help heal the sick.

Blackfriars, London

In 1672, a society was formed, called The Society of Apothecaries. This society manufactured chemical medicines, mainly for prescription medicines. Nearly a hundred and fifty years later, this society was given the responsibility of watching over medical practitioners in England and Wales. This law was called the Apothecaries' Act of 1815. It helped them to protect patients from doctors and apothecaries who weren't practiced in their profession.

The act required that doctors and apothecaries become instructed in botany, anatomy, chemistry, physic, and matieria medica (the study of the origins and properties of those substances that are used in medicine). It also required that the doctors and apothecaries spend six months working in a hospital. Hop over to this site to learn more.

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3 December 2014