Mediaeval Quality Assurance of Medicines within the Territory of the State of Burgundy

The State of Burgundy from Charles the Bold included in 1477 the Low Countries (comprising large parts of present-day Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France) as well as the counties of Nevers and Burgundy and the duchy of Burgundy. The quality of mediaeval medicines within the territory of the Burgundian State was assured by four themes in the municipal and governmental pharmaceutical regulations: inspection of the pharmacy, surveillance of medicines preparation, quality prescriptions and the professional education. Uniform prescriptions were a key factor in the QA (quality assurance) of medicines. Based on ordinances and on heritage inventories in nineteen Burgundian towns it became evident that between 1310 and 1540 the Antidotarium Nicolai was usually prescribed or present as a formulary and that from 1568 on, the presence of the Dispensatorium Cordis predominated.