Apothecaries

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Apothecary \A*poth"e*ca*ry\, n.; pl. {Apothecaries}. [OE.
     apotecarie, fr. LL. apothecarius, fr. L. apotheca storehouse,
     Gr. apo, fr. ? to put away; ? from + ? to put: cf. F.
     apothicaire, OF. apotecaire. See {Thesis}.]
     1. One who prepares and sells drugs or compounds for
        medicinal purposes; a druggist; a pharmacist.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In England an apothecary is one of a privileged class
           of practitioners, licensed to prescribe medicine -- a
           kind of sub-physician. The surgeon apothecary is the
           ordinary family medical attendant. One who sells drugs
           and makes up prescriptions is now commonly called in
           England a druggist or a pharmaceutical chemist.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A drugstore; a store where medicines are sold.
        [PJC]
  
     {Apothecaries' weight}, the system of weights by which
        medical prescriptions were formerly compounded. The pound
        and ounce are the same as in Troy weight; they differ only
        in the manner of subdivision. The ounce is divided into 8
        drams, 24 scruples, 480 grains. See {Troy weight}.
        [1913 Webster]