ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of pharmacy

Well kiddo, a long long time ago, before there were big buildings with doctors and hospitals, people would use plants and herbs to help heal their bodies when they were sick. This was the beginning of pharmacy.

As time went on, people started to realize that certain substances could help cure specific illnesses. They would mix different plants and herbs together and make potions and medicines to help people feel better.

In ancient Egypt, they had some of the first pharmacies where people would go to get remedies for their ailments. They had special people called “pharmacists” who would mix the medicine and give it to the sick people. These pharmacists were highly respected members of society and would often work right alongside the doctors.

In medieval times, apothecaries started to pop up. These were like small pharmacies but they usually weren't as fancy. People would go to the apothecary to get remedies for their sicknesses.

As time went on, more and more research was done to figure out how the human body worked and how medicines could help treat illnesses. Pharmacists began to understand the chemistry behind the different drugs and how they could help people.

Nowadays, pharmacies are big stores where you can buy all sorts of things such as pain relief, vitamins, and antibiotics. They're run by pharmacists, who are specially trained to help people figure out which medicines they need to get better.

Overall, the history of pharmacy started with people using plants and herbs to make medicine and evolved into a highly technical field that helps keep us healthy and happy!