Foundation For Pharmaceutical Education

The first apothecary established in what is now South Africa was Joachim Blanck. A member of the Guild of Apothecaries in Amsterdam, Blanck settled in the Cape in 1653. It was not until the early 19th century that the function of the pharmacists in South Africa was first defined. This enabled pharmacists (Chemists and Druggists) to organise themselves into a professional group distinct from other medical professions.