A PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESS IN OTTOMAN TIMES: CENTRE PHARMACY TRADING HOUSE OSMANLI JOINT STOCK COMPANY

Abstract

: The changes in commercial life in the late Ottoman Empire also affected the pharmaceutical sector. Affected by the changes in the related sector, trading houses started to be organised as joint stock companies. One of these companies was the establishment of the Merkez Ecza Ticarethanesi Osmanlı Anonim Şirketi in 1911, which is the subject of this study. The main purpose of this study is to determine the establishment process, administrative and personnel structure, financial structure, legal rights and liquidation process of the company, which started its activities in the pharmaceutical sector in 1913. In addition, although information on the commercial activities of the company could not be obtained, it was tried to introduce the commercial activities of the institution based on the commercial authorisations granted to the company. In line with these objectives, the study prepared with qualitative research method was prepared in accordance with document analysis. In this framework, the study found that the trading house was established within the framework of Ottoman law, was organised in Istanbul, carried out commercial activities in the medical and chemical sector, and was organised as an international commercial institution, although it did not have any branches outside of Istanbul. Based on the data obtained in this direction, it can be concluded that the company is an international company operating in the medical and chemical sector in the Istanbul region. However, the limitations of the study include the lack of information on its commercial activities and the lack of information on the exact expiry date of the concession period granted to the trading house.

Keywords

• pharmacy
• medicine
• trade
• ottoman
• joint stock company.