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questioned on hydrochloric, sulphuric and nitric acids and their actions
upon the common metals, metallic oxides and carbonates. Lists of 14
common inorganic metals and ammonia, together with their respective
salts, and 13 common organic compounds were included and candidates
were expected to be able to answer questions on them. Candidates were
also required to be able to demonstrate a knowledge of the chemical and
physical characters of the pharmaceutical preparations included in the
British Pharmacopoeia and be aware of their composition and dosage. They
had to be able to recognise common pharmaceutical chemicals and drug
substances of vegetable origin included in a list of 100 items. Finally they
had to be familiar with the chemical composition of water and air. 173
Patently, in the last decade of the nineteenth century, the syllabus for
the ‗minor‘ examination went into greater detail than that of the
apothecaries‘ assistants. Even allowing for the fact that there might be
unstated underlying detail in the syllabus for the assistant‘s examination, it
is clear that the syllabus for the ‗minor‘ examination was more
comprehensive. In the assistant‘s examination, there was no practical
chemistry examination, the physics and chemistry theory syllabus was
much narrower, there was no botany paper and hence no detailed
knowledge of the morphology and physiology of plants. There was no
requirement to demonstrate a knowledge of plant structures at a
microscopic level, and materia medica and pharmacy were covered in one
paper.
173 Society of Apothecaries Archive, Society of Apothecaries of London Candidates Regulations 1841-
1900.
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