The “Academia de farmacia Santa María de España de la región de Murcia”: origin and history

The founding of Regional Academies is a consequence of these regions assuming the constitutional authority to “foment culture and research.” The “Academia de Farmacia Santa María de España de la Región de Murcia” was founded in 2002 as a result of this authority. Its name calls to mind the military order founded in 1270 by Alfonso X el Sabio, who was closely connected to the Region of Murcia. The emblem of the Academy depicts two decorated shields. One of the shields has an eight-pointed star with Saint Mary holding Jesus in one arm and the bowl of Hygieia in the other. “Fechos allend mar” is written on the bottom and “strela do dia” on the top. The other shield has the name of the Academy in gold letters. Over the space between the two shields are seven crowns referring to the seven times Murcia was a kingdom. The Academy has inherited an Academic tradition related to the Health Sciences that has been present in Cartagena since the 17th century. This tradition includes the “Academia Médico Práctica”; the “Academia Médico-Farmacéutica” and the “Academia Médico-Quirúrgica”. The “Academia Médico Práctica” was established around 1740. Information about this Academy can be found in Anastasio Chinchilla’s work and, between 1786 and 1788, in the Semanario Literario y Curioso de Cartagena, which is an interesting publication we will refer to briefly. King Carlos IV authorized an Academy with the same name to be founded in 1803 by Royal Decree, and we have sporadic information about this Academy throughout the first half of the 19th century. In 1880, the “Academia Médico-Farmacéutica” of Cartagena was established as a restructuring of the Medical-Pharmaceutical Association founded in the city in 1874 after the devastation of the Cantonal Rebellion. This Academy was active until separate Medical and Pharmaceutical Associations were authorized in 1900 for Cartagena and La Unión. In 1929, the “Academia Médido-Quirúrgica” was created, maintaining ties with the Medical-Pharmaceutical Association. Both the “Academia Médico-Farmacéutica” and that of Physicians and Surgeons had their own publications. The “Academia Médico-Farmacéutica” published a journal called The Union of Medical Science in Cartagena between 1881 and 1887. The “Academia Médico-Quirúrgica” published Medical News in Murcia, where information about the Academy appeared in 1929 and 1930. As can be seen, the “Academia de Farmacia Santa María de España de la Región de Murcia” has inherited its vocation for science and dissemination from these Academies.