What is an apothecary called today?
The mainstay of an apothecary, in addition to offering medical advice and treatments to the public, is the custom mixing of herbs and drugs by a healthcare professional, now referred to as a chemist or pharmacist (Anilkumar, 2019). The role of the pharmacist, or chemist, is like that of the apothecary. The modern terms pharmacist and, in British English, chemist have taken over this role. In some languages and regions, terms similar to apothecary have survived and denote modern pharmacies or pharmacists.The modern terms pharmacist and, in British English, chemist have taken over this role. An apothecary in the 15th century.Pharmacist is a more common synonym for apothecary. Some contemporary companies and drugstore owners use the old-fashioned charm of the term apothecary to label products they sell.
Why is it called apothecary?
The word ‘apothecary’ is derived from apotheca, meaning a place where wine, spices and herbs were stored. During the thirteenth century it came into use in this country to describe a person who kept a stock of these commodities, which he sold from his shop or street stall. Apothecary shops sold ingredients and the medicines they prepared wholesale to other medical practitioners, as well as dispensing them to patients. In 17th-century England, they also controlled the trade in tobacco, which was imported as a medicine.