PHARMACY IN RUSSIA. 
503 
greatest consideration, not of Government alone, but also of the public at large. 
The science of “ pharmacy ” is so closely linked up with the science of medicine, 
that it may well be said one cannot effectually exist without the other ; but at 
the same time, it must be understood that these professions, however intimately 
related, must be kept distinctly separate. The branches of science which must 
necessarily be known by the followers of these professions have reached such a 
wide-spread development, that should they continue to progress at the same 
rate, it will soon be impossible for one individual to obtain a thorough know¬ 
ledge of all of them. The fact of medical men possessing a full knowledge of 
their profession, but devoting themselves to the study and practice of special 
diseases only, shows the correctness of the above assertion. This admitted, and 
it becomes evident that either of these professions has in itself sufficient upon 
which a man’s whole energies should be devoted; and considering also the pro¬ 
gress of science, and the necessity for public safety, it cannot be surprising that 
the feeling is daily increasing that pharmacy should be raised to a level with 
other professions, and cease to be a trade. 
On the Continent, the title of “ Apothecary,” and the right of selling medi¬ 
cine, is limited to those only who have obtained the degree of “ Apothecary 
and even these are bound by oath to adhere, under the penalty of being deprived 
of their diploma, to certain laws, the object of which is the safety of the public. 
In Russia, where they have copied from Germany almost all the laws and 
regulations relating to learned institutions, the following system works with the 
greatest and most efficient success. Every one who wishes to become an “ Apo¬ 
thecary ” has to show his certificate of having passed with efficiency through the 
first four classes of the Government school in a certain allotted time, viz. four 
years. During this period the candidate will have been examined in the follow¬ 
ing subjects :—the Latin tongue, the Greek, Russian, German, and French lan¬ 
guages ; arithmetic, mathematics, history, geography, and natural history. 
The candidate is then admitted an apprentice in a “ pharmacy ” or pharma¬ 
ceutical establishment, having been duly registered at the u Medical Police.” 
During his apprenticeship he has ample opportunity of learning practically the 
following subjects:— 
Pharmacopy, pharmacognosy, pharmaceutical chemistry, botany, practical 
dispensing, and the reading of the most abbreviated prescriptions. 
At the expiration of three years he passes, at one of the University Colleges, 
a theoretical and practical examination of the above-named subjects. If found 
efficient, he attains the degree of “ Subject,” which entitles him to the situation 
of assistant. Having registered his new degree with the proper authorities, he 
has to serve another three years in his new post of assistant, and at the end of 
that time he has to study two years as pharmaceutical student in a Russian 
University College, and afterwards pass a very close and minute examination in 
the following subjects :— 
Chemistry, organic and inorganic, analytical and pharmaceutical; botany, 
mineralogy, zoology, natural history, pharmacology, forensic medicine, and 
toxicology. 
This examination entitles the “ Subject” to the degree of “ Provisor,” or ma¬ 
nager of a “ Pharmacy.” If a pro visor writes at his examination a disserta¬ 
tion on some pharmaceutical subject, and is able to defend it before the Board 
of Examiners, he is entitled to the highest degree—that of “ Magister.” This 
degree is optional, and a “ Provisor” is considered by law a pharmaceute, en¬ 
titled to manage or possess a “ pharmacy.” In every town in Russia there is a 
limited number of “pharmacies,” and a “ Pro visor” must take his chance in 
buying the privilege, or undertaking the management of one of these places. In 
Odessa, for instance, a town of about 100,000 inhabitants, the number of 
“ pharmacies ” is limited to eleven, which cannot be exceeded without the sane- 
