Pharmacy in History

In the seventeenth century the English apothecaries, newly separated from the Grocers Company, began to practise medicine. Their action brought the wrath of the physicians down upon their heads and the ensuing quarrel is noted for the vituperative literature it engendered. In the nineteenth century when the chemists and druggists organised themselves they were particularly careful not to encroach upon the domain of the physicians and restricted themselves to the sale and dispensing of medicines. In time they were forced, for economic reasons, to expand their business to include items not strictly pharmaceutical. To maintain a balance between the requirements of the profession and the economic necessities of business is a delicate matter and a conflict between the two gently smouldered, occasionally fanned into flame by discussions on pharmaceutical education or professional ethics. The profession has been criticized by pharmacists and laymen alike and it is unfortunate, although by no means unusual, that the critics are frequently ignorant of the problems involved. If we agree with Marc Bloc that 'misunderstanding of the present is the inevitable consequence of ignorance of the past' then any work which sheds light on the development of pharmacy and demonstrates the diversity of its interests is to be welcomed. This new work by Professor Trease is a useful and interesting introduction to the subject. Although a major portion is devoted to the English situation, the growth of pharmacy as a science and profession is clearly outlined. Facts concerning its practice are related to events and developments in general and social history. Data culled from inventories, wills and similar records are used to indicate the status of the apothecary or pharmacist. Lists of pharmaceutical preparations, discoveries in materia medica and developments in the pharmaceutical sciences are carefully recorded and serve to indicate the changes which have taken place in pharmacy as an art and a science. They serve also to indicate the reason for the change from an apprenticeship training to a three year university course involving a variety of scientific disciplines. One regret, in reading this interesting book, is that the author has not always ventured to relate his many facts to general developments. He gives lists of preparations in successive editions of the Pharmacopoeia Londinensis but there is little attempt to indicate how they reflect (or fail to reflect) current trends in therapeutics. 'It were certainly a disgrace .... if pharmacy should longer abound …