Colonial Apothecaries Essay

There were many interesting trades presented on this website. One of these trades that interested me the most was apothecary. Apothecary in the colonial era was a druggist who had a similar roles to what a doctor does today. They didn’t just provide medical treatment, or prescribe drugs but also performed surgeries as well. Reading more about this trade, I discovered that some apothecaries even trained to become man-midwives. Before reading this article, I had the assumption that the majority of mid-wives were female, and that most men didn’t handle child birth in that time era. Furthermore, some of the ingredients used in colonial remedies, that is still found in modern medicine. Some include, but are limited to; chalk for heartburn (Tums), calamine for skin irritations (Aveeno lotions) and many more. Like many drug stores today, apothecaries also sold household items and not just drugs.

The Renaissance was a time of cultural prosperity in Europe that lasted from 1350 to 1600 AD. During this time in history new ideas were being formed. Trade started to flourish and a new banking economy started to form. New ideas for medicine and natural remedies also started to blossom. The people who created these natural medicines were called apothecaries. Apothecaries were people who prepared and sold medicines and drugs. They were like modern pharmacists. Apothecary shops were first started in the Renaissance as places to receive different treatments. Apothecaries have been around for centuries, but especially started to flourish during the Renaissance. The apothecaries during the Renaissance era used natural ingredients from the land

In addition to this, there were also very few men with knowledge of medicine, eight in total by the end of the first year of settlement (two physicians, four surgeons, and two apothecaries). Many treatments and procedures revolved around medical instruments available as well as pain-killers (laudanum was a very popular pain-killer at the time that is now known to cause constipation if taken in large

1. What doctors, in 1800’s were able to perform and achieve in the operating rooms?

In “Some of your favorite household products have absurd medicinal histories,” author Eleanor Cummins discusses the historic use of favorable household items as a form of medical treatment. Cummins offers examples of these products as well as their medicinal purpose and active ingredient that persons relied upon to treat their health issue.

Most concoctions that were given were just remedies to relieve symptoms as there is no cure -- even to this day. “Headaches were relieved by rose, lavender, sage and bay. Sickness or nausea was treated with wormwood, mint, and balm. Lung problems were treated with liquorice and comfrey. Vinegar was used as a cleansing agent as it was believed that it would kill disease.” The shortcomings of medical science were highlighted by the Black Plague, it caused people to change their focus. People became aware of the need of surgeons and focus on human bodies different various states of sickness and

The Barbers were allowed to only let blood and pull teeth (Alchin). The most common thing that the people did was visit an Elizabethan apothecary who sold drugs because they had no money to spend on actual doctors

Apothecaries were men that practiced medical treatment. They prescribed medicine and they even performed surgeries. All of the colonies had apothecaries to help them take care of disease.

Medieval medicine was rooted in Ancient Greek practices. In 65 A.D., a Greek writer, Discorides, wrote a book, Material Medica. The book is about medical use of over five-hundred different plants. The book is translated into Hebrew and Arabic. Doctors in the Early Modern Era knew very little, and they used plants as the most important care and/or treatment. Due to unsanitary places and tools, many different diseases spread around Europe. Life was challenging during the Early Modern Era because of many diseases(Alchin). During the 1500s- 1600s, diseases overtook many people because doctors knew little, medicine was unknown, and there were many causes.

The way medicine was provided has changed over time. Medicine was limited during this time. The people used home remedies to try and cure many different things. Including a deadly disease that they had no idea what caused it. People affected by this disease would mix up a warm poultice of butter

Many individuals ponder how remarkable it is that humans have lasted this long in a world full of war and through chaotic times. One element that has helped humanity is the use of medicine and healthcare systems. Medicine and healing have been around for many centuries, and has made countless advances in the system and cures to diseases within many civilizations. Instead of discussing the change of medicine over all time and around the world, we will narrow the ways in which a civilization heals their sick into a smaller time period and this period was the era of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. In the Ancient and Medieval Worlds, medicine and health were very important to help the ill and infirm, and many medical techniques were developed

Consuming natural remedies to recover from ailments appeared to be a very significant and common practice amongst enslaved African Americans and Native Americans. In the article Indians, Europeans and the New World Disease, Calloway thoroughly describes how the native American people were accustomed to plant life, therefore used nature and wildlife to their advantage to create healing remedies. African American slaves also used plants to make tea. These means were extremely excellent precautions for preventing illnesses or for fighting one.

Access to care can be defined as people’s ability to obtain healthcare when needed. It may also mean the availability of resources of care for people. Access is one of the main elements of health status. In preindustrial America, people were dealing with most problems of illness within their family, neighbors, and community. They had learned to rely on themselves in dealing with their own needs. Women were a big part of medicine of the domestic household. Mothers and wives were expected to have skills of family care and that was part of their responsibility. The demand for medical services was low. Occasionally, families had physicians come to their homes for treatments. Lay healers, bonesetters, and botanic practitioners were common. They used folk remedies that had passed down through generations. Families had mastered such a wide range of skills and self-reliance that there

At first Europeans were skeptical of the medicine that the Native Americans used. Medicine men and women used new medical techniques that the Europeans never have seen before, they prayed to spirits and had ceremonies to heal some patients. Native American healers highly believed in spiritual healing that Europeans were not accustom to and did not believe in. However Europeans went crazy over the way Native Americans could use plants and herbs in healing. Native Americans doctors would go into the forest often not far from their homes and find plants, berries, barks, and roots that would be used in healing, although they have been known to go on trips for several days to collect materials too. Many herbs that Native Americans used in early colonial America are still used today like ginseng and bayberry. With the Native Americans knowledge of herbs and natural remedies many colonists were beginning to think that Native American medicine men and women were better doctors than their own educated European doctors. Natives Americans came along way from being savages.

Everyone can relate to getting sick and having to go to the doctors and going to pick up medicine at a pharmacist.But what you might not know is how people with illnesses or some sick symptoms were treated in the Medieval days.Receiving medication is something a bit different.People in Medieval times would go to the doctors. However the doctors had extremely limited knowledge and really did not know what caused illnesses.It was hard enough for ordinary poorer people or people who did not live in big main towns to get medical help.They had a difficult time for access doctors Those who were in need of medical assistance in those situations may have and ask local people who had medical knowledge.Most people when they had minor symptoms and nothing to serious hat required medical assistance,Such as upset stomachs,headaches,eye problems,exd.They Would go to the apothecary and there they would be given mixtures of