Apothecary General

Apothecary General

Apothecary General was a British and American military post held during the times of the American Revolution.

According to British regulations, the Apothecary General, like the Judge Advocate General, was a noncombatant officer who, under directions from the secretary at war, supplied the army with medicines, hospital stores, surgical instruments, etc. Semi-annually he presented a bill to the Treasury, having previously submitted it for approval to the surgeon and physician generals and to the secretary at war, who certified that the medicines specified had been forwarded to their respective destinations. During the American Revolution the British apothecary general was George Garnier.

His opposite number was Andrew Craigie, Boston apothecary and first man to hold the rank of a commissioned pharmaceutical officer in an American army. Craigie was appointed commissary of medical stores by Massachusetts' Committee of Safety, April 30, 1775, present at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and probably assisted in taking care of the sick and wounded there in a makeshift station behind the lines. When Congress reorganized the Army's Medical Department in 1777, Craigie became the first American Apothecary General. He duties included procurement, storage, manufacture, and distribution of the Army's drug requirements, but he also developed an early wholesaling and manufacturing business.

Dr. Francis LeBaron (1781–1829) served as the United States Army's Apothecary General from 1813-1821. Called upon to improve the Army’s failed system for providing medical supplies early in the War of 1812, LeBaron's task was doomed by the military’s lack of planning and resources, and further stymied by poor roads. On March 2, 1821, Congress passed an act (3 Stat. 615) reducing the army and reorganizing the staff corps. Section 10 defined the future medical staff as follows:

:And be it further enacted, That the medical department shall consist of one surgeon general, eight surgeons with the compensation of regimental surgeons and forty-five assistant surgeons with the compensation of post surgeons.

This act implicitly abolished the old system of titles which had stood since the Revolution, and brought about the elimination of the American Apothecary General and his assistants.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Apothecary — (IPAEng|əˈpɒθɪkəri) is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients a role now served by a pharmacist.In addition to pharmacy responsibilities, the apothecary… …   Wikipedia

  • apothecary — [14] Originally, an apothecary was simply a shopkeeper – the word comes via Old French from late Latin apothēcārius, which was based on Greek apothékē ‘storehouse’ (source, via French, of boutique [18] and via Spanish of bodega [19]), a… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • apothecary — [14] Originally, an apothecary was simply a shopkeeper – the word comes via Old French from late Latin apothēcārius, which was based on Greek apothékē ‘storehouse’ (source, via French, of boutique [18] and via Spanish of bodega [19]), a… …   Word origins

  • apothecary balance — techninės svarstyklės statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Nedidelio tikslumo svarstyklės. atitikmenys: angl. apothecary balance; general laboratory balance rus. технические весы …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • general laboratory balance — techninės svarstyklės statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Nedidelio tikslumo svarstyklės. atitikmenys: angl. apothecary balance; general laboratory balance rus. технические весы …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Robert Hunter (general) — General Robert Hunter (1664 1734) was colonial governor of New York and New Jersey from 1710 to 1720. A Scott, Hunter had been apprenticed to an apothecary before running away to join the British Army. He became an officer, married a woman of… …   Wikipedia

  • Surgeon apothecary — Surgeon Sur geon, n. [OE. surgien, OF. surgien, contr. fr. chirurgien. See {Chirurgeon}.] 1. One whose profession or occupation is to cure diseases or injuries of the body by manual operation; one whose occupation is to cure local injuries or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Surgeon general — Surgeon Sur geon, n. [OE. surgien, OF. surgien, contr. fr. chirurgien. See {Chirurgeon}.] 1. One whose profession or occupation is to cure diseases or injuries of the body by manual operation; one whose occupation is to cure local injuries or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • surgeon apothecary — noun Britain : a surgeon who is also an apothecary : a general practitioner …   Useful english dictionary

  • Joseph Lovell — Dr. Joseph Lovell (December 22, 1788 ndash; October 17, 1836) was the 8th Surgeon General of the United States Army, (April 18, 1818 October 17, 1836), Lovell was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of James S. and Deborah (Gorham) Lovell. His …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”