APOTHECARY, by derivation, a warehouseman (Coroz,ipcn, a store or repository). During the middle ages the application of the term became restricted to those who prepared and sold drugs, and is employed in that sense to day in America, Scotland and on the Continent. In England, how ever, the apothecary has become a general medical practitioner. The . Apothecaries' Society of London by royal charters and acts of parliament exercises the power of granting licences to practise medicine.
From early records we learn that the different branches of the medical profession were not reg ularly distinguished in England till the 16th century when sepa rate duties were assigned to them, a n d peculiar privileges were granted to each. In 1518 the physicians of London were incorpo rated, and the Company of Bar ber-Surgeons incorporated originally in 1461 but without disciplin ary powers, were reincorporated in 1540 and given these powers. But, independently of the physicians and surgeons, there were a great number of irregular practitioners, who were more or less molested by their legitimate rivals, and it became neces sary to pass an Act in 1543 for their protection and tolera tion. As many of these practitioners kept shops for the sale of medicines, the term "apothecary" was used to designate their calling.
For the next two centuries the status of apothecaries underwent gradual consolidation and they acquired additional powers until in 1815 the Society of Apothecaries was given powers of exami nation by act of Parliament. Armed with these the society in sisted on courses of medical study in candidates for its licence to practise. In common with all other licensing bodies the curricu lum it imposes and the examinations it conducts are subject to scrutiny and approval by the General Medical Council.
The Apothecaries' Society is governed by a master, two ward ens and 21 assistants. The members are divided into three grades, yeomanry or freemen, the livery, and the court. The hall of the society, situated in Water Lane, London, and covering about three quarters of an acre, was acquired in 1632. It was destroyed by the Great Fire, but was rebuilt about ten years later, and enlarged in 1786. This is the only property possessed by the society. In 1673, the society established a botanic and physic garden at Chel sea, and in 1722 Sir Hans Sloane, who had become the ground owner, gave it to the society on the condition of presenting annu ally to the Royal Society 5o dried specimens of plants till the number should reach 2,000. This condition was fulfilled in Owing to the heavy cost of maintenance and other reasons, the "physic garden" was handed over in 1902, with the consent of the Charity Commissioners, to a committee of management, to be maintained in the interests of botanical study and research. See C. R. B. Barrett, The History of the Society of Apothecaries of London (19o5) .