Inventory of a sixteenth century pharmacy in Malta

Abstract

A hospital had been functioning at Rabat, the suburb of Mdina, since at least 1347, originally under the name of St. Francis and, later of Santo Spirito (Holy Spirit). It is certain that this hospital had its own pharmacy by 1708 but I had come across no evidence of the existence of a pharmacy at an earlier period until a manuscript came my way some time ago which shows a pharmacy was flourishing at this hospital in 1592. This inventory forms a unique date-mark in the history of pharmacy in Malta. It constitutes the earliest source of information known to us so far for ascertaining the quality and quantity of the stock of a Maltese pharmacy. It is also of great relevance for the history of European pharmacy as very few inventories of pharmacy shops have survived. Furthermore, of remarkable interest is a supplement delineating the inventory of the drugs with additional explanatory notes.