[Latin and the training of apothecaries in France]

Reading pharmacopoeias and prescriptions, redacted in this degenerated latin which was the language of science, required a sufficient knowledge of that language. A study of the statutes of apothecaries' communities, is a good method to evaluate the role of latin in the training of apothecaries. These statutes could be divided into four groups: statutes redacted in latin, statutes redacted in french, but mentioning that latin was used for the examinations, statutes which mention a control of the capacity of the candidates to understand latin, statutes which do not mention latin. Some examples show the reality of latin knowledge. During the XVIth century, apothecaries used to travel to foreign counties in order to improve their knowledge. They had not to learn the language of the country, because masters and students used to speak latin. Young Balthazar Hummel, from Basel, went to Montpellier, in the house of the apothecary, Laurent Catelan, and never had to learn french, because he used only latin. During the XVIIIth century, apothecaries of Hôtel-Dieu, a hospital in Rouen, were reunited after a competitive examination. On friday May 15th 1722, two candidates, Pierre Lechandelier and Michel Delaisement, had to answer in latin to the questions of the members of the jury. One of them, Lechandelier said that be was not able to do so in latin. He was then told that it was the rule and that he was not allowed to continue the examination. Delaisement answered to the questions in very good latin and became the apothecary of the hospital. His study shows that latin knowledge was required for apothecaries, even if differences appeared between the various french towns. So far as pharmacopoeias were concerned, an evolution took place at the end of the XVIIth century, Charas and Lémery wrote their famous books in french. But until 1818, the official pharmakopoeias were redacted in latin, which was still required for the training of apothecaries.