I can find no mention of such a sign in "The History of The Society of Apothecaries", Penelope Hunting, 1998. What is apparent is that there was nothing less than warfare between the Surgeons, physicians and the apothecaries during the 17th Century. This continued for a considerable period, until in 1858 there were no less than nineteen different licensing corporations in England. Scotland and Ireland also had its own oddities. In earlier times licences to practice medicine could be obtained from the Church and there are still lists of those licensed to practice medicine to be found in the records various Archdeaconries. By the late 1800s it was possible to obtain the qualification of LSA (Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries). This allowed apothecaries to practice medicine, but not to charge for it. They could only charge for medicines that they dispensed. Non the less these practitioners were usually referred to as Doctor. All in all the history of medicine in the UK is one of immense complication, containing political overtones and the taking over of the apothecaries role by the emerging pharmaceutical giants. Money was clearly the objective and I detect that this attitude still persists to this day. Peter Amsden, Argyll, Scotland Researching Amsden World Wide Outline History: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~amsden Amsden Forum: http://www.genforum.com/amsden Books I have written: http://www.btinternet.com/~amsden AllExperts: http://www.allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=38044 Never dump originals - they may be all that is left after the computer age.

In many ways the apothecaries were the forerunners of the GPs. They were grandfathered into the medical profession when the medical acts were passed in the 19th century. This was when the GMC was set up. You are right about money being behind many medical practices. For instance an major reason why you can't see a consultant except through a GP was to protect the income of GPs - why see a GP if you can go straight to a physician. (There can also be advantages in this restriction on trading because it can be disastrous if you get into the hands of the wrong specialist - a good GP will usually be able to steer you in the right direction.) Christopher Richards (I stopped being a GP in 1990) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Amsden" <amsden@btinternet.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2004 6:37 PM Subject: [OEL] Apothecaries Rhinocerous >I can find no mention of such a sign in "The History of The Society of > Apothecaries", Penelope Hunting, 1998. > > What is apparent is that there was nothing less than warfare between the > Surgeons, physicians and the apothecaries during the 17th Century. This > continued for a considerable period, until in 1858 there were no less than > nineteen different licensing corporations in England. Scotland and Ireland > also had its own oddities. > > In earlier times licences to practice medicine could be obtained from the > Church and there are still lists of those licensed to practice medicine to > be found in the records various Archdeaconries. > > By the late 1800s it was possible to obtain the qualification of LSA > (Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries). This allowed apothecaries to > practice medicine, but not to charge for it. They could only charge for > medicines that they dispensed. Non the less these practitioners were > usually > referred to as Doctor. > > All in all the history of medicine in the UK is one of immense > complication, > containing political overtones and the taking over of the apothecaries > role > by the emerging pharmaceutical giants. Money was clearly the objective and > I > detect that this attitude still persists to this day. > > > Peter Amsden, > Argyll, Scotland > > Researching Amsden World Wide > Outline History: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~amsden > Amsden Forum: http://www.genforum.com/amsden > Books I have written: http://www.btinternet.com/~amsden > AllExperts: http://www.allexperts.com/displayExpert.asp?Expert=38044 > > Never dump originals - they may be all that is left after the computer > age. > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > THREADED archives for OLD-ENGLISH: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=OLD-ENGLISH > > >