Health care: the benedictine monastic apothecaries in the 18Th century

Abstract

The aim of the presente article is to analyse the resolutions of the Saint Benedict Congregation to promote the treatment and patient care, in the benedictine monastic communities. This analysis is focused on the Monasteries of São Martinho de Tibães and São Miguel Refojos de Basto, knowing that the first one only instituted pharmacy in 1797. It is located near Braga, where the medical and pharmaceutical services were quite good, like Carmo and Companhia de Jesus’ pharmacies. However, even without a resident apothecary, the nurse monk developed several therapeutic actions. On the other hand, at the Monastery of São Miguel de Refojos de Basto, located away from the city and its major medical services, a pharmacy was founded in 1745, thanks to Fei João de Jesus Maria, an apothecary monk graduated by the University of Coimbra. Then, we studied this apothecary path and its importance in providing pharmaceutical services in the Benedictine Congregation monasteries. When that monastery was extinguished, in 1834, we also observed the intense pharmaceutical activity and the social role it was developing in the surrounding community, even with new apothecaries foundation.