ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the history of pharmacy and pharmaceutical profession through the ages, and the contribution of legendary medico pharmaceutical professionals and the development of pharmaceutical companies both by the British and the Indians in a composite manner. To fully understand the evolution of the modern pharmaceutical industry, one must begin with the study of alchemists and apothecaries. Any discussion related to the medico-pharmaceutical profession during the nineteenth century can lead to erroneous impression until and unless it covers the whole gamut of medico-pharmaceutical professions like apothecaries, hospital assistants, compounders’ community, qualified chemists and druggists, and finally medico-pharmaceutical professionals. Before discussing about the history of chemists and druggists’ class, it may be mentioned that the status of pharmacy in the Portuguese time was much better than the rest of colonial India. To work for the redressal of their grievances, the compounders organized themselves into different associations like, All India Compounders and Dispensers’ Association, All Bengal Compounders’ Association, etc.
