170         DISMEMBERMENT  OF  PHARMACY  FROM  PHYSIC. 
annos.  Avenzoaris  sane"  sevo  qui  seculi  duodecimi  initio  undi- 
cimi  fine  floruit,  morem  ilium  in  Africa  obtinuisse,  non  videtur 
dubitandum." 
Thus,  according  to  Conringius,  the  physicians  of  Africa  were 
the  first  that  surrendered  the  practice  of  pharmacy  into  other 
hands,  and  the  change  began  about  the  end  of  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury. The  custom  passed  from  Africa  into  Spain,  and  thence 
to  Italy,  where  the  confectionarii  were  established  by  the  edict 
of  Frederic  II.,  king  of  the  two  Sicilies,  under  an  oath  that  they 
would  prepare  medicines  exactly  according  to  the  prescription  of 
physicians.  The  better  to  carry  this  salutary  regulation  into 
effect,  the  physicians  were  directed  to  inspect  the  shops,  which 
were  called  stationes,  where  the  business  of  compounding  was 
transacted.  Thus,  in  the  southern  parts  of  Italy,  the  separation 
of  physic  and  pharmacy  was,  for  the  first  time,  enjoined  by  royal 
authority. 
All  that  we  learn  from  Conringius  is  that  the  separate  practice 
of  pharmacy  became  more  general  in  Africa  than  in  other  parts 
of  the  world ;  but  it  by  no  means  follows  that  there  was  any 
formal  dismemberment  of  medicine  at  that  particular  time.  It 
was  like  any  other  great  change,  a  very  gradual  and  slow  pro- 
cess. We  find  that  the  connection  subsisted  in  other  countries 
for  centuries  after  this.  Of  many  instances  that  might  be  given, 
I  shall  adduce  one  only,  and  a  remarkable  one,  from  the  writings 
of  the  German  alchemist  Glauber,  who  lived  about  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  Speaking  of  the  German  physicians, 
he  says  that  they  bought  medicines  from  apothecaries  and  chem- 
ists, and  that  after  putting  them  through  some  further  prepara- 
tions, they  administered  them  to  their  patients.  He  adds  that 
many  physicians  take  more  care  of  their  kitchens  than  of  their 
patients,  and,  by  buying  ilhprepared  medicines  from  unskilful 
persons,  bring  the  noble  art  of  the  chemist  into  disrepute.  But 
he  admits  that  an  industrious  and  accurate  physician  is  not 
ashamed  to  make  his  medicines  himself. 
The  first  distinct  declaration  that  I  have  been  able  to  find, 
which  defines  the  duties  of  a  compounder  of  medicine  as  separa- 
rated  from  those  of  the  physician,  is  in  a  work  written  by  Sala- 
din,  of  Ascalon,  chief  physician  to  the  Prince  of  Tarento.  Tira- 
