ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the origins and evolution of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. The first pharmaceutical manufacturing in England began with The Society of the Art and Mystery of the Apothecaries of the City of London. In 1623, the society established a cooperative of local apothecaries who agreed to produce galenicals and chemicals on a large scale. The cooperative incorporated in 1628 and by 1703 the society had become the exclusive suppliers of drugs to the English navy and later to the army. Since ancient Greek times, apothecaries have prepared drugs for patient consumption in ever increasing quantities that exploded with the emergence of the Industrial Revolution and pharmaceutical manufacturing in the early nineteenth century. As seen in the chapter, wars and scientific innovation have had a profound effect on how pharmaceuticals have been manufactured and distributed. From Terra Sigillata to Viagra, manufacturing whether done by hand or machine has been an integral part of the story of pharmacy.
