PHYSICIANS

Apothecaries

Goods that contained pharmaceutically active substances were just some of the commodities that apothecaries¹ sold in the Early Modern period. As the vendors of such wares, they were usually more informed about them than laymen were. Therefore, their advice was sought. The apothecaries had to work around the privileges that the Ecclesiastical Act of 1551 bestowed upon physicians in and around London. The Society of Apothecaries separated from the Grocers Company and was incorporated in 1617.

The Apothecaries Act of 1815 required all apothecaries who wished to practice to register with the Society of Apothecaries. The organisation was only prepared to register those practitioners who had been awarded its Licentiate (L.S.A.). The qualification was awarded as the result of an individual having undertaking medical courses and then passed an examination that was set by the body. The Act bolstered London s domination of medical education in England.

In 1816 the poet John Keats (1795-1821) became a licentiate of the Society.

Location: Apothecaries Hall, 10 Black Friars Lane, EC4V 6ER (blue, red)

Website: www.apothecaries.org www.apothecarieshall.com

¹. Apothecary is derived from an Ancient Greek word for a storehouse .

Surgeons

The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Barbers performed minor operations. In 1540 the Guild of Surgeons was united with the Barbers Company to form the Barber-Surgeons Company.

In 1745 the two elements of the Barber-Surgeons Company separated from one another. The surgeons formed the Company of Surgeons. In 1797 it bought a house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. In 1800 the body became the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Location: 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3PE (orange, brown)

Barber-Surgeons Hall, Monkwell Square, Wood Street, EC2Y 5BL (blue, brown)

Website: www.rcseng.ac.uk

Titles

Within medical establishments, surgeons are traditionally known as Mr . No doubt this is to distinguish them from plain Drs .

See Also: CLASS

David Backhouse 2024