APOTHECARIES.

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from the writings of Hippocrates, Galen , Misaries, thework of Actuarius, or Avicenna , Nicolaus, Mgrepsius,and Preepositus ; their several writings having been col-lected bv Nicolaus di Riggio, a native of Calabria ;since translated by Ur. Moshen, in an eminent work calledAntidotarium. This formed the Pharmacopia as well as theMedical Institutes of Salerno.

Conjecturing the separation of pharmacy from medicinetook place in Africa , as previously stated, it is extremelyprobable the celebrated Constantins Afer had been instru-mental in its introduction to Southern Italy ; who being anative of Carthage, and learning the art of medicine from theArabians, made it known in that country, subsequent toI08G ; when, he being a Benedictine monk, in the monasterysituated on Mount Cassino, the service he rendered by,his skill to the physical school in the neighbouring cells ofSalerno , the records of that local spot bear ample tes-timony.

After this time, it became the fashion in monasteries fortheir incumbents to learn the healing art; at least, so faras to prepare medicines. They accordingly ofliciated forthe rich and took a fee, but served the poor gratis, exceptwhen they wanted expensive medicines.

The holy see , observing the benefit which would accrueto it, and how much its influence would be extended bythe universal practice of introducing the faculty of medicinein its institutions, lost no time in availing itself of so muchadditional interest; in consequence, the practice becameuniversally prevalent in all religious societies on this sidethe Alps, the same as it had become common in the southof Italy .

It appears that medical establishments were formed everywhere in Europe, upon the plan of that founded at Salerno .But specific' and particular places were also necessary inmost other countries as well as Italy ; and as the physicians hadhitherto used no other drugs than those recommended bythe ancients of Greece and Rome, and many of thesewere to be only procured in oriental climates, it becamenecessary to send thither for them : accordingly, factories,agents, and warehouses were established in many partsof Greece, Arabia, and India for this purpose. To effectall this would have been impossible, without dividingthe employment; because the learned physician was em-ployed in his own immediate avocation; therefore con-venience and accident uniting, the practice of submittingto necessity in the employ of ingenious persons to perform