The Internet as a Source of Historiographical Documentation About Development of Pharmacy in the World - Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Pharmacy and medicine were inseparable sciences for long time, so everything that was done in the field of medicine, i.e., treatment, can be connected with pharmacy. The history of pharmacy therefore includes the history of medicine, at least until the 13th century, when pharmacy was officially separated from medicine. Objective: The purpose of this article was to describe all organizations dealing with the history of pharmacy, books available on the Internet dealing with the history of pharmacy, and museums of the history of pharmacy located in different parts of the world. Methods: The study was retrospective based on collection of facts published and deposited mostly on web sites on internet and on-line databases. Results and Discussion: Today there are a large number of Societies, Academies, Associations and Foundations dealing with the history of pharmacy. The goal of each organization is to study historical facts in the field of pharmacy that will be shared with professionals, but also people who are not from the profession (doctors, librarians, archaeologists, archivists). There are also a large number of books dealing with the history of pharmacy, both in Bosnian and in foreign languages. One of the most popular books is definitely Kremer’s and Urdang’s History of pharmacy, and from our areas „From Old Slavic Heresy to Modern Medicine“. Conclusion:A large number of museums for the history of pharmacy have also been opened and almost every country that has developed has this type of museum. Such museums represent a national treasure, because the artefacts from pharmacy from the area of our state, but also from the world, are kept.