KETZOS HASHULCHAN responsa, Part 4

“Rashi explained that this is a decree, lest he smear with the bandage [i.e.
the melacha of memarei'ach]. But there is no need to be concerned about
grinding medicines, since [the bandage] was on him from the previous day.”

We see that they did not decree wherever there is no concern of grinding medicines.
And it fittingly can be said that nowadays, when we are not proficient in grinding
medicines, the prohibition is consequently nullified. (And the Beit Yosef, Orach
Chaim §339, wrote regarding the reason of Tosafos about not being proficient in
repairing musical instruments, that there is no need for another assembly to permit [the
decreed prohibition] since [fixing instruments] is not common, and it is comparable to
uncovered water, which is permitted since snakes are no [longer] common. But the
aforementioned Toras Chesed rejected his words. However, also the Rama, Orach
Chaim §339, wrote that it is not a common occurance, and the Taz there also agreed
with this. And see the Sedei Chemed, ma'areches davar. And according to this, grinding
medicine nowadays is also a thing that is not common, and does not require another
assembly to permit [the associated decree]).

Nevertheless, this point can be questioned, for even though we are not proficient in
grinding medicines, however, it can be said that there are places in the world who still
follow the ways of their forefathers regarding involvement in home remedies, and they
grind the medicines themselves, and since the reason [for the decree is therefore]
not completely null, it can be said that the decree remains in its original force, and
as the aforementioned Toras Chesed wrote that the decree of "lest one carry" is not
nullified even though we don't have a [bonafide] reshus harabim nowadays, since there
is ultimately a place in the world where there is a reshus harabim.