What was the apothecary's shop look like in colonial times?

Answer 1

A colonial pharmacist might not have even been a "pharmacist." Some were "chemists," some were untrained in any specialty. At the time, most were called apothecarists and were trained in an apprentice program, until the early 1900's when a formal degree was required. Their knowledge of medicine and anatomy was limited, with their most widely used practices requiring a knowledge of pharmacognosy and knowledge of botanicals; as well as techniques used to compound a variety of agents together into a single product. Drug manufacturers were non-existent, requiring the apothecarist to mix and blend a variety of solid and liquid ingredients (5-10 per prescription) prior to dispensing to the patient. Potency of ingredients, being frequently dried herbs and plants, varied tremendously depending on their age and storage conditions; consequently, the effectiveness and quality of the finished product were not reliable. There was no FDA to assure either the safety or effectiveness of medicinals, unlike today. There were no antibiotics until PCN in the 1930's. Curiously, many preparations could either be taken internally or applied externally. Many people died from unintentional poisoning, as with the widespread use of laxatives (constipation apparently being considered the cause of many diseases, including epilepsy) which contained calomel, a Mercury compound. Lacking modern chemotherapy, external poultices were applied to tumors. Since it was legal to prescribe heroin in compounded prescriptions until the early 1900's, many concoctions for dropsy, consumption, anxiety, tuberculosis, and ill humours were prescribed to result in widespread heroin addiction. This occurred to such an extent that it was called the "housewife's disease." A precursor to Valium use in the 1960's, no doubt.

Answer 2

it was big and long and thick baby