STANDARDS FOR MEDICINES— COOK 439 



of regulations for pharmacists and the setting up of independent 

 pharmacies and guilds governing their practice throughout much of the 

 European world. 



FIRST REAL PHARMACOPOEIA 



In 1498 there was issued in Florence the first real pharmacopoeia. 

 This was compiled by a commission appointed for the purpose. It 

 was made up mostly of the formulas of Galen, Mesne, Avicenna, 

 Rhazes and Nicholas Praepositus. A second pharmacopoeia appeared 

 at Barcelona in 1535. It not only contained formulas, but also the 

 rates at which drugs should be sold. 



In the sixteenth century an "antidotary" appeared in two volumes 

 by John Jacob Wecker. In the second volume, of almost 900 pages, 

 are printed thousands of formulas with the authorities for many, and 

 here are included most of the famous names in medicine for the 

 past 1,200 years. Here the Theriaca formula is attributed to Galen, 

 and it included 60 or more ingredients with a full page of directions of 

 manufacture. Because Theriaca was believed to be a specific cure 

 for the plague, it was largely in demand. Then came the compilation 

 of formulas by Valerius Cordus, published by the order of the city of 

 Nuremberg in 1546. This was more of a dispensatory type than a 

 pharmacopoeia, although it was long looked upon as the first real 

 pharmacopoeia. 



A similar compilation of formulas appeared in 1564, known as the 

 Augsburg Pharmacopoeia, and it also had much influence over later 

 pharmacopoeias. 



LONDON PHARMACOPOEIA 



But now came an outstanding event in pharmacopoeia making — 

 the appearance of the First London Pharmacopoeia in 1618. It had 

 been sponsored by the CoUege of Physicians of London, and special 

 committees were appointed as early as 1589, but these committees had 

 to be reorganized and it finally appeared almost 30 years later. It 

 contained 1,028 simple drugs and 932 preparations and was therefore 

 quite an extensive work. 



It did not depend wholly upon the older formulas handed down for 

 centuries, but included many prescriptions attributed to contemporary 

 authorities. Here are found many familiar medicines of today, such 

 as potassium bitartrate, sulphur, potassium nitrate, calomel, lead 

 acetate, antimony oxide, aloe, calcium hydroxide, scamony and squill. 

 There were also many revolting substances, especially among the 

 animal drugs. 



The appearance of the London Pharmacopoeia stimulated the 

 physicians of many other cities to issue pharmacopoeias. In the list 



