Jonathan Pereira

Jonathan Pereira was born in Shoreditch, and lived for much of his life in Finsbury, first at 20 Artillery Place and, in later years, at 47 Finsbury Square. After training as an apothecary, he became an established physician, and was appointed lecturer in chemistry to the Royal College of Surgeons, then a professor at the London (now Royal London) Hospital.

He made his mark, however, in the field of ‘crude drugs’ – natural plant or animal substances that have undergone only collection and drying. Finding that little was known about the crude drugs being imported into Britain, he embarked on years of research, which led to his ground-breaking book, Materia Medica (1842). This was a first in putting the knowledge and use of drugs on a scientific footing. He was recognised in his day as the leading authority on pharmacy, and gave the first complete course in the new subject.