The Messy, Magical, and Sometimes Gross History of Pharmacy

Pharmacy didn’t start with white coats and sterile counters—it began with beer, clay tablets, and a lot of very questionable ingredients.

In this episode of For the Love of History, we dive into the weird, messy, and fascinating history of pharmacy. From Neanderthals using flowers as medicine to the Egyptians prescribing crocodile dung in the Ebers Papyrus, the path to your neighborhood drugstore is packed with strange detours.

We’ll explore how our ancient ancestors shaped pharmacology with herbs and magic, why the gods were involved in medicine, and how Hippocrates sparked a medical revolution. Finally, we'll explore some of the oddest remedies you'll find in history's medicine cabinet!

Pharmacy history is full of odd cures, magic, and surprising innovations. By the end of this episode, you’ll never look at a prescription the same way again.

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