Apothecaries and their lodgers: their part in the development of the sciences and of medicine

33 Pages·2005·4.87 MB·English

Journal ofthe RoyalSociety ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983 iii
Contents
Introduction 1
Thetitles 'apothecary' and 'pharmacist' 1
Apothecaries andthe foundation ofthe Royal Society 2
FrenchAcademyofScience 4
SomeFellowsoftheRoyal Societyassociatedwithapothecaries 4
Someotherfamouslodgersofapothecaries 6
Chemistryclassesin apothecaries' houses 8
Apothecaries andthebiological sciences 12
Anatomyinapothecaries' houses 12
Apothecaries andearlyhospitals andnursinghomes 13
Apothecaries with privatementalhospitals 18
Apothecaries andinoculatinghospitals 18
Pharmacywithacasualtyward 19
Apprentices lodging with apothecaries 19
EarlyBritish andAmerican pharmacyschools 20
Apothecaries inphysicians' houses 20
Apothecaries advertising aslodging-house keepers 20
Pharmacies as meeting places for scientists 20
Pharmacies as forerunnersofhealth centres 21
Whydidapothecariestakelodgers? 22
Conclusions 23
Appendix 24
References 26
Indextonames andplaces 29
Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983 I
Apothecaries and their lodgers:
their part in the development of the
sciences and of medicine
T D Whittet CBE DSc FPS
Master, Worshipful Society ofApothecaries ofLondon, 1982/83
Introduction common for apothecaries to let off rooms as a
sort of private nursing home', but he does not
In the course ofresearch into apothecaries in the give any examples.
Royal Society and in provincial guilds I found
numerous references to apothecaries having
lodgers in their houses. Some of these were The titles 'apothecary' and 'pharmacist'
famous men who made great contributions to
early science and medicine; for example, the I should mention here that in most countries
Honourable Robert Boyle, Robert Hooke, John except England, Wales and Ireland, the titles
Mayow and Sir Hans Sloane. 'apothecary' and 'pharmacist' are virtually
interchangeable. In those three countries,
I have now found so many examples that it however, the apothecaries gradually changed
seems likely that many such persons must have fromthepracticeofpharmacytothatofmedicine
soughttolivewith apothecaries, probablysoasto betweenthemid-seventeenth andearlyeighteenth
be able to make use of their pharmacies and centuries.
laboratories to pursue their researches.
In England and Wales the apothecaries were
In the seventeenth and early eighteenth originally practitioners of pharmacy but they
centuries there were no public scientific gradually encroached upon medicine over the
laboratories, and teaching in the universities seventeenth and eighteenth centuries (Whittet
tended to be theoretical rather than practical. 1964). In 1704 as a result of the Rose Case they
Apothecaries' shops, therefore, may well have gainedtherighttogivemedicaladvice,andfinally
been the only places available where experiments in 1815 the Apothecaries Act gavethem complete
could be carried out. controlofthegeneralpracticeofmedicineandthe
educationrequiredforit.Thesetheyhelduntilthe
Thereisampleevidencethatinseveralcountries Medical Act of 1858 which recognized the
pharmacies became meeting places for men of Diploma of the Society of Apothecaries as a
science. Earlyclassesinanatomy, materiamedica, medical qualification. The practice of pharmacy
pharmacy and chemistry were frequently held in passed to the chemists and druggists or
the houses ofapothecaries who were also closely pharmacists who founded the Pharmaceutical
involved in the teaching ofbotany. I have found Society ofGreat Britain in 1841.
only one example of an apothecary being also
described as a boarding house owner - Nicholas In Ireland the apothecaries also became
Simpson ofBristol (Sketchley 1775). practitioners of medicine in the late eighteenth
century and the Apothecaries Hall qualification
There are numerous examples of apothecaries was recognized by the Medical Act of 1858. The
having private madhouses or lunatic asylums, as Pharmaceutical SocietyofIreland wasfoundedin
mental hospitals were then called. Others had 1875 and took over the control of pharmacy
inoculation houses in which patients were lodged (Whittet 1966a).
and inoculated with either smallpox or cowpox
In Scotland the apothecaries were closely
matter for the prevention ofthe former disease.
associated with the surgeons, but there too the
Instances of persons dying in or being buried
controlofpharmacypassedtothePharmaceutical
from the houses ofapothecaries are so numerous
Society in 1841 (Whittet 1966b).
that it appears many apothecaries kept private
nursing homes or small hospitals for the care of In all of these countries, however, there was
the sick. Robb-Smith (1970) wrote: 'It was quite considerable overlap between these professions
2 Journal oftheRoyal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983
from the seventeenth through to the early Apothecaries and the foundation
nineteenth century. of the Royal Society
In France the original title for a practitioner of
pharmacywasapothicaire, but that word fell into Probably the most noteworthy examples of
disrepute because of the ridicule heaped on the apothecaries with famous lodgers were those of
apothecaries in plays and cartoons by writers and Oxford inwhosehouseswereheldthemeetingsof
cartoonists such as Moliere and Daumier. The the Oxford group of philosophers who, together
spite and satire were aimed at politicians and with a group from Gresham College, London,
other public figures to whom the apothecaries founded the Royal Society in 1660 (Whittet
weredepicted asgivingenemas, butinevitablythe 1960a).
old title suffered from the association so the The Oxford group met in turn in the houses of
practitioners of pharmacy adopted the title three apothecaries. The first was that of John
pharmacien. Clerk or Clarke, as is shown in the writings of
This change occurred in 1777 when a Royal John Wallis (1678) and Anthony Wood (1891).
Decree changed the Jardin des Apothicaires, the Wallis wrote as follows:
teaching centre of the old apothecaries guild, to
the College de Pharmacie. The change was 'About the year 1648/9 some of our company being
accelerated by the revolution, since the revolu- removed to Oxford (first Dr. Wilkins, then I and soon
after Dr. Goddard) our company divided. Those in
tionaries associated the word apothicairewith the
Londoncontinuedto meetthereasbefore(andwewith
hated feudalism and with the ecclesiastics, and
them when we had theoccasionto bethere), andthose
pharmacien with Hellenistic democracy (Whittet of us at Oxford with Dr. Ward (since Bishop of
1971a). Under French influence similar changes Salisbury). Dr. Ralph Bathurst (now president of
occurred in Italy, Spain and Portugal (Whittet TrinityCollegeinOxford), Dr. Petty(sinceSirWilliam
1962, 1968b, 1969). Petty), Dr. Willis (then an eminent physician in
Inthispaper IhaveusedtheEnglishtranslation Oxford), and divers others, continued meetings in
for the title used at the time, i.e. apothecary for Oxford, and brought those studies into fashion there;
apothicaireand pharmacist forpharmacien. Both meetingfirstatDr. Petty'slodgings(inanapothecarie's
house), becauseoftheconvenienceofinspectingDrugs,
were, of course, practitioners of pharmacy, not
and the like, as there was occasion: and after his
medicine.
removal to Ireland (though not so constantly) at the
In the Scandinavian, Germanic and Slavonic lodgings of Dr Wilkins, then Warden of Wadham
countries, someformofthetitleapothecaryisstill College, and after his removal to Trinity College in
used for the practitioner of pharmacy (Whittet Cambridge, at the lodgings ofthe Honourable Robert
1963). Boyle, then resident for several years in Oxford.'
*:----
Figure 1. Rear of house formerly Figure 2. Present rear of house Figure3.Presentfrontof106High
occupiedbyJohnClerk,early 18th formerly occupied by John Clerk. Street, Oxford. Formerly the
century. (Courtesy Bodleian Now 106 High Street house of John Clerk, then called
Library, Oxford) Bulkley Hall
Journal oftheRoyal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 761983 3
The identity ofPetty's landlord is given bythe
diarist Anthony Wood (1891, p 290) who wrote:
'1649-1659: the Royal Societie at Oxon. and of
Chemistrie. They did in Clerk's house an
apothecaries in St. Marie's Parish exercise
themselves in some chemical extracts, which were
carried on and much improved before the king's
restauration, in so muchthat several scholars had
privat. elaboratories anddidperformthosethings
which the memory ofman could not reach'.
Purver (1967) identified Clerk's house as
Buckley or Bulkley Hall, which now comprises
106and 107 High Street. Therearofthebuilding
has changed little since the eighteenth century:
Figure 1 shows a drawing of that period and
Figure 2 is a modern photograph. The premises
arenowabranch ofWilliams Deacon's Bank and
Figure 3 shows the present frontage. The
basement still contains part of a vaulted
mediaeval cellar.
Thereisampleevidence that Boylelodged with
Figure 4. Crosse's and Tillyard's houses, Oxford.
John Crossor Crosse, amember ofaremarkable
Crosse's house had ladder against it. Tillyard's is next
family ofOxford apothecaries. Gunther (1923, p
but one. The houses were demolished in 1810, and the
12) wrote: 'By June 1654 he was settled in Shelley Memorial isnowonthesite. (Reproduced from
Crosse's rooms on the West side of University Gunther's 'Early Science in Oxford', by kind
College, and there fitted up the laboratory in permission)
which he worked until 1658. Crosse's House,
formerly Deep Hall, was where the Shelley
Memorial now stands, with Stanton Hall it was
pulled down in 1809 and the site was partly havinghadaphysicgarden attachedtothehouse,
occupied bySir Ch. Barry'snewbuildingin 1842. part ofwhich is now incorporated in the Fellows'
After the departure of Dr. Wilkins the Oxford garden of University College (Gunther 1922).
Experimentalists and their friends gravitated to John was also an able botanist and he played a
Boyle's lodgings and to Arthur Tillyard's house, veryactivepartinthesocialandintellectual lifeof
now no. 90 High Street, next door but one. The both the university and the city.
house between was the Three Tuns Inn latelythe In 1675 Wood wrote: 'Mr. Thyn kept (at J.
houseofthe Master ofUniversity College'. These Crosse's) an open table for the Master for aweek
buildings are shown in Figure 4. or ten days', and added: 'Jack Cross, friend of
Gunther (1937, p 78) further stated that he Nat. Story, M.A., DeanofBarking' (Wood 1892,
considered that John Crosse's shop 'which served p 279). This was during the election of a burgher
as a depot ofscientific material and provided the for the city. Wood also mentioned that 'Henry
means of its manipulation, ought to be the most Howard, Duke of Norfolk lodged at Jack
celebrated in Europe, forthereworked Boyle, the Crosse's' (Wood 1894, p 108).
father of Chemistry and Hooke, maker of the Hearne (1884, 1, 306) wrote that Church of
pneumatic engine, the most historic of all air England meetings and services were held at
pumps'. Crosse's house during the Commonwealth.
Later he added: 'It was agreat day for Oxford Why Crosse took lodgers is uncertain. It was
when Boyle accepted the invitation of Wilkins, obviouslynot formoneyashewasaverywealthy
Warden of Wadham, to reside in our city. He man. Hehad propertyinAmpthill, Bedfordshire,
took lodgings in Crosse's House . .. There Boyle andinhiswillof1697hebequeatheditandmoney
seemstohavediscoveredthatspiritsofwinewasa to found the Oxford Hospital and Almshouses,
good preservative for anatomical preparations mainly forthe benefit ofOxford College servants
and there Robert Hooke made the measurements (Meynell 1950). The fine building is still in
onwhich Boyle's Lawoftheexpansion ofgasesis existence (Figure 5).
based' (Gunther 1937, p 304). Arthur Tillyard or Tyllyard was another well-
John Crosse, generally known as Jack, was the known Oxford apothecary who was mentioned
fourth generation of a notable family of numerous times in Wood's diary. He also kept a
apothecaries, allofwhomlivedinthesamehouse. coffeeshop which acted asaclub. Wood (1891, p
His great-grandfather, Henry, is recorded as 460) wroteofit: 'Intheyear 1655, Arth. Tillyard,
4 Journal oftheRoyal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983
Figure 5. John Crosse's Almshouses, Ampthill, Bedfordshire
apothecary and great Royalist sold coffee French Academy of Science
publickly in his house against All Souls Coll. He
was encouraged to do so by some royalists now The Parisian Academy of Science, founded in
living in Oxon. and by others who esteemed 1666, originated from meetings held in the
themselves virtuosi or wits . . .' Dr Marjory pharmacy of the Parisian apothecary Mathieu
Purver has told me that she believes that the Francois Geoffroy, whose sons Etienne Francois
OxfordexperimentalistsdidnotmeetatTillyard's andClaudeJosephbothqualifiedasapothecaries,
as a group but that individual members of the becamefamouschemistsandwereelectedFellows
Club frequented hiscoffeehouse. Gunther(1925, ofthe Royal Society. It later became the French
3, 67), however, reported that on 23 April 1663, Academy (Urdang 1946, p 30).
Lower and Wood began a course of chemistry
with Stahl at Tillyard's. In 1686 several unusual
species were exhibited at a meeting ofthe Philo-
sophical Society there - e.g. a white ouzle or Some Fellows of the Royal Society
blackbird and white mice (Gunther 1925, 4, 99). associated with apothecaries
These three apothecaries, Clerk, Crosse and
Tillyard, andtheirlaboratoriesorhousescanthus Several other Fellows of the Royal Society were
be said to have played an important part in the influencedbytheirassociationswithapothecaries.
development of science in Oxford and in the
events leading up to the foundation ofthe Royal SirIsaac Newton
Society. Sir Isaac Newton - the famous scientist who
became President ofthe Royal Society from 1703
William Ball jr, another Oxford apothecary,
to 1727 - lodged, when a schoolboy, with
had a coffee shop in the parish of St Mary
William Clarke, an apothecary of Grantham,
Magdalene in 1673. His sign was that of a Turk
between 1654 and 1656 whilst he was attending
filling a coffee cup (Salter 1926). This shop may
Grantham Grammar School. Newton's mother
also have been a rendezvous for philosophers.
was a great friend of Miss Storey who became
There are other examples of.Oxford apothe- William Clarke's second wife. A Grantham
caries having lodgers. Wood (1892, p 514) historian recorded thattheyoungNewtonmadea
recorded that in 1681 Peter and Andrew Birch modelwindmillwhichheerected 'uponthehouse-
stayedwith Mr Fulke (John), and Gunther (1925, top where he lodged' and, some years later after
4,62)wrotethatin 1680'theleadingapothecaries Isaac had temporarily left Cambridge owing to
in Oxford were Hazlewood (John) and Crosse the plague and was managing his mother's farm,
who made up prescriptions for Dr. Willis, and his visits to Grantham market were mentioned by
Stephen Toone. Robert Boylelodged with Crosse the samewriter: 'HeoftencametoGranthambut
and John Warde with Toone'. Ward was the after putting up at the Saracen's Head generally
writerofaninterestingdiarywithmanyreferences leftthemantomanagethemarketingsandretired
to apothecaries and the scientists (Severn 1839, instantly to Mr. Clark's garret, where he used to
Frank 1974). lodge, nearwherelayaparcelofoldbooksofMr.
Sir Philip Sydenham lodged with William Ives Clark's, whichheentertained himselfwhilstitwas
in 1711 (Hearne 1884, 3, 10, 117). time to go home again' (Trease 1964, pp 146-7).
Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983 5
These books maywell have been scientific ones was greatly influenced by one of his mother's
and thus William Clarke may have helped to lodgers and by another surgeon-apothecary with
arouse the interest ofyoung Newton in scientific whom he lived for some years.
matters. Davy's fatherdiedwhentheboywas 15 andhis
mother took as a lodger Gregory Watt, son of
SirHans Sloane James Watt theinventorofthesteamengineand,
Newton's successorasPresident, SirHansSloane, to quote his biographer, 'Davy's interest in the
wascloselyassociated with apothecaries. Whenhe formal study of the sciences was immensely
went to study medicine in London in about 1676 quickened by the coming to Penzance ofGregory
he 'lodged in a house adjoining the Apothecaries Watt, James Watt's son by his second marriage.
Hall in Water Lane [now Blackfriars Lane] with Helodgedat Mrs. Davy's and livingasoneofthe
Nicholas Staphorst, a Chemist, who had learned family, became Humphry's friend, supplyingthat
that art under his kinsman Stahl, and had taught intercourse with a trained mind which Humphry,
the subject at Cambridge'. Staphorst was who did not go to a university, would otherwise
Chemical Operator to the Society of Apothe- have lacked' (Treneer 1963, pp 23-4).
caries. With Staphorst, according to Dr Thomas Davy was also influenced by the apothecary-
Birch, Sloane 'acquired a perfect knowledge of surgeon John Tonkin, who had lodged with his
the preparation and uses of most chemical maternal grandparents and had looked after
medicines'. Sloane alsostudied botany at Chelsea Davy's mother when her parents died within six
Physic Garden and attended lectures on anatomy days ofeach other. He took over their house and
and physic at the Hall (Brooks 1954, pp 40-41). brought her up, together with her two sisters.
The two men evidently remained friends, for Of Tonkin, one of Davy's biographers wrote,
Sloane entrusted to Staphorst the translation 'ofthe people other than immediate relatives and
from German of Rauwolf's 'Botanical Travels in schoolmasters who influenced Humphry, the
the Near-East'. Sloane was obviously influenced most important was John Tonkin, who had been
by his association with Staphorst and the Society the adopted father of Grace Millet, and who
ofApothecaries, forin 1722hegavetotheSociety became, as it were, the adopted grandfather of
the freehold ofthe Physic Garden. her eldest son . . . While Humphry went to Mr.
When Sloane visited France in 1683, he Coryton's school helived with Tonkin . . . It was
'travelled by way of Dieppe to Paris, being he who paid for Humphry's schooling at Truro,
entertained by M. Lemery, the elder, an eminent the amount being £27-12-lOd. When Davy was
chemist', towhomhegave fourdifferent kindsof apprenticed to John Bingham Borlase in 1795
phosphorus(Brooks 1954,p42). Nicholas Lemery John Tonkin helped to pay the premium for his
was an apothecary who became a distinguished apprenticeship' (Treneer 1963, pp 13-14).
teacher of chemistry and is said to have been a The Dictionary of National Biography (1908)
good experimenter who possessed a scientific says of Davy: 'In the apothecary's he became a
attitude ofmind in advance ofhistime. When he chemist. A garret in Tonkin's house was the
became interested in chemistry he lodged with source of his earlier chemical operations'.
Christopher Glazer, the apothecary and chemist Elsewhere it is recorded that 'Humphry had the
then demonstrator at the Jardin du Roi, 'to be librariesofJohnTonkinandhisparsonbrotherat
near a good source of experiment and analysis'. his disposal' (Treneer 1963, p 18).
Laterhelodgedwith Verchant, masterapothecary Borlase is said to have been a talented man,
of Montpellier, in whose pharmacy he both disinterested and zealous in his profession and of
worked and gave lessons to his host's students standing among his neighbours, and to have
(Fontenelle 1961, pp 151-2). aroused Davy's interest in chemistry (Treneer
Duringthesamevisitto France, Sloanewentto 1963, p 18). He had been apothecary to Bristol
Montpellierand 'took lodgings inthehouseofM. Royal Infirmary from 1778 to 1779.
Carquetswhohad been apothecarytothe famous
Rivieras as he was then to M. Barbeyrac and to John LockeFRS
the other principal physitians' (De Beer 1953). John Locke FRS, physician, philosopher and
The Carquets were a prolific and prominent diarist, stayed with apothecaries both in England
family of apothecaries of Montpellier. Sloane's and abroad (Dewhurst 1963). It is recorded that
host could have been Isaac, Jean or Samuel David Thomas, an apothecary of Salisbury,
(Dulieu 1973). invited him 'to spend this Winter a fortnight or
three weeks in Sarum wee might, it may be,
HumphryDavy (PRS 1820-27) perform some good operations' (c. 1666)
Yet another President of the Royal Society, Sir (Dewhurst 1963, p 44).
Humphry Davy, the famous chemist, who was Whilst on a visit to France in 1675 he lodged
apprenticedtoasurgeon-apothecaryofPenzance, with M Puesch, where he is said to have gleaned
6 JournaloftheRoyal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983
from hislandlord information on the preparation practised for some time as an apothecary and
and actions of medicines (Dewhurst 1963, pp accoucheur (Peachey 1924, pp 59-62). Smellie
52-3). PierrePueschwasaProtestantapothecary was probably a member of the famous family of
who is said to have had as lodgers numerous obstetricians. Neither Hunter nor Smellie was a
English visitors to Montpellier. He was one of a member of the Society of Apothecaries. Like
family of apothecaries (Dulieu 1973). Cullen and Murraythey were Scots, and may not
When in Paris, Locke lodged with Moise have applied for membership of the Society or
Charas in ruedelaBoucherie near the Faculty of may have been refused it. I have not, however,
Medicine (Dewhurst 1963, p 55). Charas, an found any references to them in the Society's
apothecary who was then demonstrator in minutes.
chemistry at the Jardin des Plantes, was parti- In 1751 the Hunters' sister, Dorothy, lodged
cularly interested in the medicinal properties of with Cullen for a year after the death of their
vipers' fleshandtheeffectoftheirvenoms. Locke mother (Dobson 1969). John Hunter stayed with
witnessed some ofhis experiments. He may have William Jones - sometimes called an apothecary
influenced Charas to come to England when the and at others a chemist and druggist - at his
latterfled fromthereligiouspersecutioninFrance pharmacy at the sign of the Red Cross, Covent
after the revocation ofthe Edict of Nantes. Garden, from 1763 to 1766. Jones' partner, the
In 1675 Locke also stayed in Montpellier with apothecaryThomasTowers,alsolodgedwithhim
M Henri Verchand (Verchant), a Protestant from 1761 to 1765 (Watson 1965, Peachey 1924,
apothecarywhodivided histimebetweenthatcity pp 153, 231).
andParis. Verchandwasthesonofanapothecary
of the same name, who had pharmacies in both
John Winthropjr, FRS
cities where he sold some ofhis own specialities.
John Winthrop was a founder member of the
Verchand must also have practised dentistry, as
Royal Society, who became Governor of
Lockementioned havingteeth filledandscaledby
Connecticut, and although' trained as a- lawyer
him (Dewhurst 1963, p 76). He had a son and
was one of the first persons to act as an apothe-
namesake who was also an apothecary. The M
cary and as a pharmaceutical and chemical
Verchant with whom Sloane and Locke lodged in
manufacturer in the British North American
the late seventeenth century was probably Henri
Colonies. In 1625 he lodged with his uncle,
(11) (Dulieu 1973).
Thomas Fones, at his house by the pharmacy at
the sign of the Three Fawns in the Old Bailey.
Black (1966) wrote: 'John felt strangely drawn to
his bourgeois uncle's calling - its substances,
Some other famous lodgers of apothecaries
apparatus, odors - even its superstitions'.
Thomas Fones was a Charter Member of the
William Cullen
Society of Apothecaries and became its fifth
William Cullen, a Scot who became a surgeon-
Master, serving from 1624 to 1626. His wife was
apothecary, is said to have spent a few months
the sister of John Winthrop sr, who became
with Mr Murray, an apothecary in Henrietta
Governor of Massachusetts and who had also
Street. Cullen practised as a surgeon in
acted asanapothecarywhenhewentto America.
Edinburgh, where he opened a private chemical
The Fones had two daughters, Elizabeth and
laboratory at which Joseph Black was one ofhis
Martha. HenryWinthrop marriedthe formerand
pupils, and later in London in partnership with
his brother, John jr, thelatter. The Fones family
William Hunter (Comrie 1932). Neither Cullen
undoubtedly aroused John Winthrop's interestin
nor Mutray was a member of the Society of
medicine andpharmacy(Black 1966). Elizabeth is
Apothecaries. From his name Murray is likely to
thesubject ofafascinatingnovelbyAnyaSeaton
have been a Scot (Rogers 1911).
(1958) entitled 'The Winthrop Woman', which is
founded on fact.
TheHunter brothers
Dobson (1969) stated that 'William Hunter went
to live with the Cullen family and so began his William Withering
apprenticeship. Hunter's duties at first mostly In 1763 William Withering, the physician who
consisted of no more than running errands, made the first scientific investigation ofdigitalis,
dispensing medicines, accompanying on rounds lodged in York with Thomas Fowler, the apothe-
and keeping records ofcases'. cary who invented the once famous arsenical
William, the elder ofthe two famous brothers, solution known by his name. Fowler showed
whilstamedicalstudentatStGeorge'sHospitalin Withering round thecity and hisguest wrote that
1741, livedwith Mr Smellie, an apothecaryinPall he spent the evenings recording the events ofthe
Mall who taught him midwifery. Later Hunter day and writing home (Peck & Wilkinson 1930).
Journal ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 76 1983 7
James Yonge Dr Lancelot Browne
James Yonge, the naval surgeon, wrote in his In 1607 Dr Lancelot Browne wrote to Lord
journal: 'To London I came the 14th. of June Salisbury soliciting for his son-in-law William
1662 and landed at Queenhythe. Went afoot to Harvey the post of physician to the Tower of
Wapping to see Mr. Clarke an apothecary who London (Keynes 1966). His letter ended: 'I take
had orders from my master toprovide forme. At myleave wishing from mysuite unto yourlds. all
Mr. Clarke'shouseIstayedandworkedveryhard honour and prosperities from an appothecaries'
making upmedicines. I took agreatdealofpains shop in ffanchurch Street. In all haste the 22nd.
but hadgood advantage oflearning howto make ofJuly 1607'. Thiscouldmeanthathehadasuite
compositions. Here IstayeduntilSeptember'. His inan apothecary's housebut as hehadpreviously
host was William Clarke, who became Master of mentioned 'my suite until you on behalf of my
the Society of Apothecaries in 1682/3 and gave sonne Dr. Harvie', hemayonlyhavebeenwriting
the magnificent muniment chest which is still in from there. The shop could have belonged to
the Hall. Yonge visited him again in 1681 either Edward Cooke or William Clapham, both
(Poynter 1965). ofwhom wereCharter Members ofthe Societyof
Apothecaries and were listed at Fenchurch Street
in 1640.
Thomas Secker, Archbishop ofCanterbury
Guy (1982) has shown that Thomas Secker, who
Thomas Stephenson
became Archbishop of Canterbury in the mid-
In a lecture to the British Society for the History
eighteenth century, was originally trained in
of Pharmacy (unpublished), Dr R W M Strain,
medicine. In 1717 he went to live with Mr
speaking of a well-known Irish physician said:
Bakewell, an apothecary at the corner of King
'afterbeinglicensedto preach bythePresbytryof
Street, Cheapside, 'for the advantage of
Temple Patrick he became master in the Church
acquainting himselfwith medicines, prescriptions
of Ireland School at Monaghan. Here he lodged
and practice'. His tutor was John Bakewell, who
fortwo years with an apothecary called Braddock
had served part of his time in Leicester and then
and here he developed his love for medicine'.
with several London apothecaries. He was
admitted to the Society by redemption in 1712.
The Censors of the College of Physicians visited
Assizejudge lodgers
his pharmacy in 1712 and described it as 'very
Trease (1973), in a letter about Ching's Worm
good', and again in 1728 when it was 'very well'.
Lozenges, mentioned that an unknown writer
Guy wrote: 'Bakewell thus gave Secker not only
recorded of the Ching family that 'Their house
guidance in the preparation ofmedicines but also
was where the judges lodged during the assizes'.
some practical experience of dealing with the
The Ching familyplayed an important partinthe
sick'.
life of Launceston, Cornwall. John, inventor of
the Lozengesanddescribedasanapothecary, had
abrother Thomas, called adruggistin 1803and a
Some noble lodgers
chemist in 1824, who had a pharmacy in Broad
In 1745 when the Jacobites under Prince Charles
Street. His son joined him in the pharmacy.
Stuart marched on England, they reached Derby
Thomas was Mayor in 1828, 1834 and 1836 and
where 'Lady Ogilvie, Mrs. Murray (wife of the
John, possibly son and grandson, in 1841, 1853,
Prince's Secretary) and some other persons of
1870 and 1874.
distinction lodged at Mr. Franceys'. The latter
was Henry Francey, apothecary, son of William,
alsoanapothecarywhohadbeen MayorofDerby Sir Thomas Cademan and Sir Thomas Clarges
three times. Henry also became Mayor and was Sir Thomas Cademan, who had been with the
described as 'a great favourite with the apothecary Thomas Cross (Crosse) in themedical
neighbouring gentry'. The pharmacy survived services ofthe army, remained closely associated
into this century (Trease 1964, pp 152-4). with the family and possibly lodged with them.
When Cross died, Cademan married his widow
(Neathercott 1938).
Baldwyn Hameyjr The minutes of the Society of Apothecaries
In the mid-seventeenth century the well-known record that in 1642 Michael Grigough, Dr
physician, Baldwyn Hamey jr, lodged with Cademan's man and Thomas Clarges, 'an unlaw-
Nicholas Rodsby, an apothecary of the Bail, fulworker', livedatMrsCrosse's. Itseemscertain
Lincoln (Keevil 1953), who issued in 1662 atrade that the latter was the person who became Sir
token bearing the arms of the Society of Thomas Clarges and who was mentioned in the
Apothecaries (Williamson 1967, p 463). 'Life and Times of Anthony Wood' on 15
8 Journal ofthe RoyalSociety ofMedicine Supplement No. 2 Volume 761983
February 1670/1 as having been apprenticed to ofMeaux, 'inwhosehousehehadbeenawelcome
'old John Williams an apothecarie in St. Maries guest on his many visits to that city during his
Parish, Oxon'. The latter was prdbably the John student days' (Stock 1961).
Williams who died in 1641.
In May 1642 Clarges was forbidden to set up Antoine Parmentier
shop or use the art of the apothecary within the Parmentier was another famous French
precincts of the (London) Company. In the pharmacist who made notable contributions to
following June, John Rogers agreed to serve Mrs public health and popularized theuseofpotatoes
Crosse as ajourneyman for one year for £10 per as vegetables; whilst a prisoner of war in
annum with board and lodgings. Frankfurt on Main in about 1760 he was lodged
On 10 March 1645/6 Clarges applied for the with Apotheker Meyer, described as achemist of
FreedomoftheLondon Company, statingthathe repute, whoallowedhimtousehislaboratoryand
was already free of the Merchant Taylors' whose daughter he married (Javillier 1953).
Company. He was examined and admitted on 22
April.
Clarges (also called Clargies) appears to have
beenCademan'sprivateapothecaryandmayhave
Chemistry classes in apothecaries' houses
carried on Crosse's pharmacy which was in the
Strand.
Theearliest chemistry was regardedasan adjunct
Scott (1965)wrotethat SirThomas Clarges was
topharmacyandmedicineratherthanasascience
the first to occupy the first house on the site of
initsownright. Itwasnatural, therefore, foritto
No. 79 Pall Mall, built in 1664 or 1665. He also
be taught in the pharmacies or laboratories of
stated that 'Clarges as a young man practised
apothecaries.
medicine, but later worked for General Monck.
HecarriedtoBredaMonck'sinvitationtoCharles
to return as King. Charles upon reading this
England
knighted Clarges on the spot'.
On thedeath ofCademan, Mrs Crosse married The first classes in chemistry in England were
Sir William D'Avenant, poet laureate and almost certainly held in the houses of Oxford
playwright. Her son, Thomas jr, became apothecaries.
D'Avenant's secretary and is mentioned as living Robert Boyleestablished achemical laboratory
under the same roof as Philip Cademan, in Crosse's house, as is shown by the following
presumably Thomas's son. Thomas Crosse sr is comment from Wood (1891, p 290): 'But theone
said to have left a considerable fortune. man that did publicklyteach it [chemistry] to the
scholars was one Peter Sthael . . . brought to
Friedrich W5hler Oxon by that eminent scholar Mr. Robert Boyle
Tilden (1921) wrote of Wohler, the founder of ... andbyhimsettled in thesamehousewherein
organic chemistry: 'Wohler arrived in Lubeck (c. he lived (owned by an apothecary) next on the
1823) to find that he must wait six weeks (for a westsideofUniversityColl. sometimes knownby
ship to Sweden to visit Berzelius) and he wisely the name of Deep Hall'. Later he reported that
occupied the period of waiting in the laboratory Mr Sthaelthen 'translated himselftothehouseof
of an apothecary F. Kindt, with whom he made ArthurTyllyard, an apothecary, thenextdooreto
acquaintance and who proved an enthusiast in that of John Crosse, saving one (which is a
pursuit ofnatural knowledge. Between them they taverne): where he continued teaching till the
produced a considerable amount ofpotassium'. latter endof 1662. Christopher Wren, F.R.S. was
one of his students'; and 'On April 23rd. 1663
Mosander andBerzelius Lower and Wood began acourseofChemistryat
According to Weeks (1956, pp 697-704), Carl Tilliard's the apothecary' (Wood 1891, p 472).
GustavMosander, theapothecarywhodiscovered Peter Sthael, also called Stahl, a German
the rare metals lanthanum and didymium, lived chemist, became Operatortothe Royal Societyin
in the same house as the famous chemist 1665. I have recently found evidence that he may
Berzelius. They had many discussions on also haveworked inthelaboratory ofthe Society
chemistry and Berzelius suggested the names for of Apothecaries. A minute of 15 April 1673
the elements. recorded: "Upon Mr. Samuel Hull's proposal to
this Court touching his carrying on the work of
Ferdinand-Frederic-Henri Moissan the elaboratory ifhee mayhave Mr. Stall to help
The famous pharmacist-chemist Moissan, who him. Ordered that the thanks of this Court be
first isolated fluorine, married in 1882 Leonie given him & he is desired to take care of the
Lugan, theveryyoungdaughter ofanapothecary elaboratory & give an account to the next Court
Journal oftheRoyal Society ofMedicine SupplementNo. 2 Volume 761983 9
upon the tearms Mr. Stall will serve the advertisement for chemical medicines published
Compalny]'. Unfortunately there is no other asabroadsheet in 1686, stated: 'ToallDoctorsof
referencetohim. InmyGideondeLauneLecture Physick, Apothecaries, Chirurgeons and others
(Whittet 1980) I referred to Mr Stall as Mr Hall, Studious or Curious in Chymical Operations. I
but a closer examination of the minute book here offer to your service, the conveniency and
shows Stall to be the correct transcription. use ofmy Laboratory, ifany ofyou shall at any
More (1944) wrote of Boyle's laboratory that timedesireit, theretohaveanyparticularprocess
'He was really the director ofalaboratory rather of your own experimented, paying for the coals
than an individual experimentalist. He employed andglasses andaReasonable Recompenseforthe
ateamofsecretaries, mechanics,glassblowersand use of my Furnaces'. He also offered free
apothecaries to carry out the less exacting tasks demonstrations of the preparation of medicines
under his direction, but worked on equal terms purchased.
with the other virtuosi who wished to make their In 1689Wilsonpublishedhis'CompleatCourse
contribution to the "new" philosophy. His of Chymistry' which contained an advertisement
laboratory was then the mecca of the younger forhistwoseriesoflecturesatafeeof2l2guineas
men, who came to discuss their proposals with for the two. By 1706/7 he had rearranged his
him, andbegantotesttheiragreed list of"titles" syllabus into a single course 'consisting of near
or headings, under which they gathered facts or 100 of the most useful operations'. In another
carried out experiments'. advertisement for his famous 'antirheumatic
Robert Boyle seems to have been well disposed tincture' he was described as 'Chymist in Well-
towards apothecaries. Ambrose Godfrey- Yard near St. Bartholomew's Hospital'. Wilson
Hanckwitz FRS, who had qualified as an had died by 1711 when his widow advertised the
apothecary in Germany, was his operator in the tincture.
early 1680s and later became his partner in a Edward Bright advertised a 'Compleat Course
pharmacy andlaboratory in Southampton Street, inChymistry'inApril 1712,asdidJonathanBead
London. OneofAmbrose's sons, Boyle Godfrey, (also called Pead and Peed) in 1729/30. Like
was named after him. Wilson, they prepared chemical remedies and
Towards the end of his life Boyle lived for 17 demonstrated their preparation (Chemist and
years with another apothecary, Thomas Smith, Druggist 1926).
who was present at his death and became his
executor. Smith had his pharmacy at the sign of John Quincy: In 1722 John Quincy, an
the Boyle's Head in the Strand, opposite apothecary, published a syllabus for a course of
Salisbury Street (Maddison 1957). lectures in pharmacy, and in 1723 the lectures
themselves were published posthumously. These
WilliamJohnson ofFetterLane:Burnby (1980, p included both chemical and galenical pharmacy
219) reported that William Johnson advertised (Chemist andDruggist 1926).
classes at his pharmacy at the sign of the Van
Helmont's Head, Fetter Lane. He was not the Humphrey Jackson FRS: A chymist, with an
person who was chemist to the Royal College of extensive private laboratory and library at his
Physicians in 1665, as the latter died of plague housein Tottenham, JacksonbecameaFellowof
that year. the Royal Society in 1772; he died in 1801 (P J
Wallis, personal communication).
William Dillingham of Red Lion Square,
Holborn: In 1712 William Dillingham gave Frederick Accum, a German apothecary,
lessons in chemistry and pharmacy to Samuel practisedinLondon forsomeyearsinpartnership
Jebb (later MD) on the recommendation of Dr with Alexander Garden under the title of
Mead (Munk 1878). 'Experimental Chemists'. In 1814theyadvertised
the following:
Three early London pharmaceutical chemists: 'Mr. Accum acquaints the Patrons and Amateurs of
Three London men, who called themselves Chemistry that hecontinues togive PrivateCourses of
chymists or chemists, were, like Godfrey- Lectures on Operative and Philosophical Chemistry,
Hanckwitz, among the first true pharmaceutical Practical Pharmacy&theArtofAnalysis,aswellasto
chemists. They advertised courses of chemical take Residential Pupils in his House, andthat hekeeps
lectures and placed their laboratories at the constantly on Sale in as pure a state as possibleall the
disposal of those who wished to do experiments reagents & Articles of Research, made use of in
Experimental Chemistry, together with a compleat
(Chemist-andDruggist 1926).
Collection of Chemical Apparatus and Instruments
George Wilson, philo-chymist at the sign of calculated to Suit- the convenience of different
Hermes Trismegistus in Watling Street, in an Purchasers.