The organisation and administration of the Ottoman court pharmacy in the second half of the 19th century

Arzu Terzi

The present study aims to enlighten the organisation and administration of the pharmacy of the Otoman Palace in the last quarter of the 19th century. Managed by the Sultan's chief physician (Sertabib-i şehriyâri), the court pharmacy (Eczâhâne-i hümâyûn) underwent a reorganisation during the early years of Sultan Abdulhamid II's reign and was endowed with new cadres. A regulation issued for this purpose exposes the requirements of the personel to be appointed and their duties. The analysis of this regulation will hopefully contribute to our present knowledge on the functioning of the pharmacy and the services it provided.

Key words: Ottoman court pharmacy, Topkapı Sarayı, Yıldız Palace, Mavrogeny Pasha, II. Abdulhamid, court physicans, history of pharmacy, history of medicine.