A new pharmaceutical museum was launched by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) in South Australia in December last year.
Housed in the PSA offices in Adelaide, the collection showcases the history of pharmacy practice and was formally opened by SA Health Minister Chris Picton MP on 16 December 2022.
Congratulating the PSA for curating the museum Mr Picton said it was “wonderful to see such an important and interesting part of our health history on display”.
“This museum demonstrates just how far pharmacy has come while showcasing its fascinating origins,” he said.
PSA South Australia and Northern Territory Vice President Dr Manya Angley thanked the Health Minister for opening the museum, saying that it demonstrates just how far pharmacy has come.
“We are very lucky to have medicines and tools from pharmacists dating back to the 1800s,” Dr Angley said.
“Many of them we now consider dangerous, with regulations and testing increasing safety in the use of medicines and medical devices.
“The collection also contains the beautiful gold leaf carboys, which are used as decoration with no other function. There is a significant collection of items from the Runges Pharmacies that were acquired by PSA in the 1980s.
“There is an extensive collection of historic books including one pharmacological text dating back to 1704! Among other texts on display are a number of handwritten prescription books – still in use in the 1970s – pharmacists’ own formularies, a collection of pharmacopeias from South Australian hospitals and some versions of the Australian War Pharmacopeia.
“The museum also houses one of the only collections containing every edition of the ‘bible of pharmacy’, PSA’s Australian Pharmaceutical Handbook and Formulary (APH).
“The museum is a special place for pharmacists to better connect with the profession and will be a central part of future PSA events in Adelaide.
“We sincerely thank Runge family, Trevor Lockett, Trevor Craig and Brian Edwards for their generous donations to the museum,” Dr Angley said.
The museum is open to the public by appointment with the PSA SA Ofice on (08) 8272 1211.
