168 
HISTORY  OF  PHARMACY  IN  RUSSIA. 
1778;  the  Pharmacopoeia  rossica  castrensis  appeared  in  1779. 
Among  the  pharmaceutists  of  this  time  was  Lowitz,  who  discover- 
ed the  absorbing  power  of  charcoal,  and  Kirchhoff  who  first 
transformed  starch  into  sugar. 
In  the  present  century,  the  establishment  of  the  Medico-Chi- 
rurgical  Academies  of  St.  Petersburg  and  Moskow  proved  of  great 
advantage  to  the  pharmaceutists,  particularly  since  the  connec- 
tion therewith  of  a  pharmaceutical  department,  where  not  only 
practical  apprentices  and  assistants  were  admitted,  but  also 
pupils  of  higher  schools,  who  could  pass  the  examination,  and 
who  were  thus  instructed  first  theoretically  before  they  could 
acquire  the  requisite  practical  knowledge.  The  University  of 
Dorpat,  where  the  first  distinct  pharmaceutical  institute  was 
founded,  has  the  merit  of  having  educated  the  ablest  Russian 
pharmaceutists.  The  reason  for  this  fact  is,  that  from  the  be- 
ginning at  this  University  the  professorship  of  the  pharmaceuti- 
cal branches  has  been  entrusted  to  practical  men  of  this  pro- 
fession, which  was  never  compelled  to  take  a  subordin  aterank, 
as  is  too  often  the  case  in  the  hands  of  men  otherwise  too  much 
engaged  professionally.  The  following  celebrated  pharmaceutists 
occupied  there  the  chair  of  chemistry  :  Grindel,  Giese,  T.  F. 
Goebel,  Arzt,  Scherer,  Osann,  Siller  and  Charles  Schmidt. 
Scherer  was  the  editor  of  the  Northern  Journal  for  Chemistry, 
and  the  first  president  of  the  Pharmaceutical  Society  of  St. 
Petersburg,  which,  by  his  intercession,  received  the  imperial 
sanction  in  1819.  Not  until  more  recently  did  men  acquire  in 
other  parts  of  Russia  decided  reputation  in  chemistry. 
After  the  opening  of  academies  and  universities,  the  exami- 
nation of  young  pharmaceutists  was  taken  from  the  hands  of 
appointed  physicians  and  entrusted  to  those  institutions.  Under 
Nicolai  Pawlowich  the  regulations  concerning  pharmaceutists 
were  completed.  There  are  now  three  pharmaceutical  degrees 
in  Russia,  apothecaries'  assistants  who  are  allowed  to  practise 
pharmacy  under  the  supervision  of  persons  of  a  higher  degree ; 
provisors  who  have  to  serve  three  years  as  assistants  and  to  pass 
examinations,  must  have  absolved  an  academic  course  ;  they 
may  become  possessors  of  stores  ;  magistri  pharmacies  must  be 
provisors  for  one  year,  and  may  compete  for  professorships  and 
the  higher  pharmaceutical  offices. 
