Apothecaries Act 1815
Encyclopedia
The Apothecaries Act 1815 was an Act
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
(citation 55 Geo.lll, c.194) with the long title
"An Act for better regulating the Practice of Apothecaries throughout England and Wales
". The Act introduced compulsory apprenticeship and formal qualifications for apothecaries, in modern terms general practitioner
s, under the license of the Society of Apothecaries. It was the beginning of regulation of the medical profession
in the UK. The Act required instruction in anatomy
, botany
, chemistry
, materia medica
and "physic", in addition to six months' practical hospital
experience.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
(citation 55 Geo.lll, c.194) with the long title
Long title
The long title is the formal title appearing at the head of a statute or other legislative instrument...
"An Act for better regulating the Practice of Apothecaries throughout England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
". The Act introduced compulsory apprenticeship and formal qualifications for apothecaries, in modern terms general practitioner
General practitioner
A general practitioner is a medical practitioner who treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities...
s, under the license of the Society of Apothecaries. It was the beginning of regulation of the medical profession
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
in the UK. The Act required instruction in anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, materia medica
Materia medica
Materia medica is a Latin medical term for the body of collected knowledge about the therapeutic properties of any substance used for healing . The term 'materia medica' derived from the title of a work by the Ancient Greek physician Pedanius Dioscorides in the 1st century AD, De materia medica libre...
and "physic", in addition to six months' practical hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
experience.