How would alchemical items change society.(3.5 and pathfinder)

[calam]

I mentioned in another thread that level 0 spellcasting is not as societally significant as having the ability to craft alchemical items because of the infinite light alone but now I'm wondering how other alchemical items would change the society outside of adventuring especially when a lot of them costs a couple weeks wages.

[Morty_Jhones]

well i don't think the ability to make Alchaly items would change the world much after all real world chemistry is just an outgrowth of historical alchamy anyway.

what would change is the nature of the cures you woudl be taking if you was ill.
after all what is a antibiotic other than a targeted resist desease potion. or antivenom an remove poison potion.