Title
Latin for Pharmacists (1916)
Author
George Howe, Ph.D., and John Grover Beard, Ph.G.
Image
Description
Latin for Pharmacists is a 1916 instructional text designed to teach pharmacy students the Latin terminology, grammatical structure, and prescription-writing skills necessary for professional practice. Written by George Howe, Professor of Latin at the University of North Carolina, and John Grover Beard, Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at the same institution, the book served as both a language primer and a technical manual for pharmaceutical communication.
The volume is divided into two major sections. The first contains nineteen structured lessons introducing the Latin alphabet, pronunciation, declensions, grammar rules, and exercises tailored to pharmaceutical contexts. The second section functions as a working reference for students and druggists, offering vocabulary lists, classification terms, abbreviations, and a dual Latin–English and English–Latin dictionary. Special attention is given to prescription writing, including the proper use of the symbol “℞,” ingredient formatting, and the classical structure of the inscription, subscription, and signature.
This particular copy bears a period ink inscription from Frank Ishioka, California College of Pharmacy, giving it an additional layer of academic provenance and capturing the kind of student who would have relied heavily on this text during early 20th-century pharmacy training.
Condition
Moderate shelf wear; frayed spine ends; cloth boards lightly rubbed; binding intact; interior pages clean with minimal discoloration; student name written on front flyleaf.
Gallery
Historical context
In the early 20th century, Latin remained the primary language of pharmaceutical nomenclature and prescription writing. Pharmacists were expected to understand Latin grammatical structures to safely interpret and dispense medications. Standardized education in the United States was still developing, and many students entered pharmacy school with no prior exposure to Latin. Textbooks like Latin for Pharmacists filled an essential gap, providing a practical, targeted curriculum that blended classical language study with the applied needs of druggists.
P. Blakiston’s Son & Co., the publisher, was a major American producer of scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical texts, known for supplying both academic institutions and professional practitioners.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The book’s lessons specifically teach how to translate and construct prescription Latin, including dosage forms, case endings, and ingredient lists.
The authors note that most pharmacy students of the era had little or no Latin training despite its necessity.
The symbol “℞” is explained as deriving from the Latin imperative recipe — “take thou.”
The student inscription ties this copy to the California College of Pharmacy, today part of the University of California system.
Excerpt
The second part is intended primarily for purposes of reference to be used both by the student in the school of pharmacy and by the druggist at the prescription counter. It contains word classifications, a complete list of abbreviations in common use, an analysis of the pharmaceutical terminology, and a comprehensive Latin-English and English-Latin dictionary.
Why it is in the Cabinet
This volume captures a pivotal moment in pharmaceutical education, when accurate Latin translation directly affected patient safety and the daily work of druggists. Its academic provenance, intact instructional structure, and detailed vocabulary make it an essential artifact for understanding how medical prescriptions were taught and interpreted in the early 1900s.
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