Pharmacy on Cres: fragments of the history of the profession and culture

Abstract

The first reports about the pharmacy in Cres date back to the 15th century. As early as 1431, the mayor of Cres dealt with the issue of procuring medicines, and from the end of the century until modern times, the minutes of the Cres Municipal Council discuss obtaining pharmacy licenses, as well as pharmacists’ salaries and disputes. For a long time, pharmacists were immigrants from Istria and Italy who would stay in Cres for a shorter or longer period. As a result, from the 19th century, pharmacy was settled in the hands of the Colombis and Rossi families. After the Second World War, Ljekarna Cres became part of the Rijeka company Ljekarna Jadran. Analysing sources and literature, this contribution aims to shed light on the rich yet insufficiently known history of a profession that simultaneously reveals no less interesting fragments of everyday life and culture in Cres.