Apothecary

Birth of the profession

To the beginning of the XIIe century, the preparation of the Médicament S did not correspond to a particular trade. Medicine and always confused Pharmacie was exerted as well by Laïc S as of the religious. In XIIe century, the Commerce made remarkable great strides, fairs and markets were created downtown many of Europe. The salesmen of remedies and spices called speciarii, piperarri, aromaterii, apothecarii appeared thus that the Charlatan S, Colporteur S, Bateleur S, which were going from city downtown to propose mysterious Drogue S curing all the evils. To the same time, the exercise of medicine and pharmacy by the Clergé were called in question, of many Concile S prohibited to the monks the trade and the medical art. They were not immediately followed an effect but they announced the future laicization of the pharmaceutical exercise. Pharmacy separated little by little from medicine since the doctor became agent of a knowledge officialized by the introduction of the medical studies into the Université S, in 1220 in Paris and 1272 in Montpellier. It thus had to be released from the tasks considered to be constraining, the such handling of the rammer and the mortar.

Apothecaries with the Middle Ages

To the the Middle Ages, ancient pharmaceutical knowledge is transmitted to the Occident, thanks to the Arab Médecin S. Among them, Avicenne is the author of a Canon of medicine. In addition to general information on the Science, the work treats various diseases, but also of many pharmaceutical preparations: decoctions, syrups, powders, thériaques. Abundantly translated during all Middle Ages, Canon is decorated miniatures which put in scene doctors and apothecaries.

The feudal company underwent important social transformations. The merchants and craftsmen of certain trades had taken the practice to group in associations heiresses of the Scandinavian guilds, known under the name of corporations. Only the apothecaries sold Sucre and they belonged to the corporation of the grocers. The training of the apothecary was, in his beginnings, exclusively practical, consistent in a long training of dexterities necessary to make a success of the preparations. The Masters apothecaries undertook, in their pharmacy, of the instruction of the candidates to the control. The apprentice was to have concepts of Latin and Grammaire in order to read the Formulaire S and the ordinance S of the doctors. After ten years of Training and Trade-guild, the pupil could reach the control following multiple tests of which clothes industry of a chief of work. Communities of apothecaries constituted themselves. They are at the origin of the regulated character that pharmacy preserves today. The first statutes were established in the South of France in Arles, Avignon and with Montpellier. In 1258, Saint-Louis gave a statute to the apothecaries, confirmed by Philippe Beautiful the and King Jean the Good in 1339. In 1484, Charles VIII promulgated an ordinance stipulating that doresnavant no espicier of nostre town of Paris dictates may not be of it mesler of the fact and vacation of apothicairie if says it espicier is not itself apothecary . New functions fell to the apothecaries thus gradually, controls goods and monitoring of the weights and measures. Consequence undoubtedly natural of corporative mode, of many conflicts rose between the various trade associations: the apothecaries were with the catches with the Charlatan S, the Mercier S and the Chirurgie NS barbers. Jealous of his prerogatives, conscious of the nobility of his art, taking care to be distinguished from other professionals, member of an influential corporation and holder of rare and prestigious drugs, the apothecary of the XVIe century was regarded as a notable middle-class man. For example, the sale of the Tobacco, in the form of powder, is reserved to the apothecaries.

Of the apothecary to the pharmacist

In 1777, following a decree of Louis XVI replacing the garden of the apothecaries by the College of pharmacy, the apothecaries takes the name of pharmacists and obtains, after many quarrels with the Médecin S, the surgeons and especially the espiciers , the exclusiveness in the preparation of the remedies. This declaration separated the corporations from apothecaries and grocers thus recognizing the monopoly from the sale from the Médicament S with the only members from the royal College from pharmacy. It officialized pharmacy thus as a branch of the Médecine requiring thorough studies and knowledge.

The Loi of the 31 germinal year XI (April 11th 1803) will govern the exercise of pharmacy. It prohibits the grocer-general storekeepers from selling simple drugs with the medicinal weight. Before this law, pharmacy was governed by no regular legislation; there was however a crowd of edict S which related to it. The modern organization of pharmacy goes back to this time and during this period the word apothecary disappeared with the profit from that from Pharmacien.

In Germany, nowadays, one always speaks about Apotheker to appoint a pharmacist, and about Apotheke to indicate a pharmacy.

Random links: