{"collection":"philosophy-ethics","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_15910/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_15910","id":"gutenberg_15910","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15910","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Drugs/Alcohol/Pharmacology","Category: Health & Medicine","Category: History - Modern (1750+)","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Medicine","Pharmacists","Pharmacy -- England"],"text":"Produced by Paul Murray, Richard Cohen and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team. This file was produced from\nimages generously made available by the Bibliotheque\nnationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[Transcriber's Note:\n\n+ Hyphens splitting words across lines have been removed.\n\n+ Original spellings have generally been retained, but\n  the Errata from the Second Edition (at the end), and\n  a mistake in the Errata (!) have been corrected\n  silently. The original text can be found in the HTML\n  version.\n\n+ The Latin epigraph translates as: \"They all represent\n  themselves as Doctors--The Uneducated, The Priest,\n  The Nurse, and The Barber, The _Apothecary_, The Old Woman.\"\n]\n\n\n\nImprimatur,\nNovemb. 13.\n1669.\nSAM. PARKER.\n\n\n\nA\nSHORT VIEW\nOF THE\nFRAUDS, and ABUSES\nCommitted by\nAPOTHECARIES;\n\n\nAs well in Relation to\nPATIENTS, as PHYSICIANS:\nAND\nOf the only Remedy thereof by PHYSICIANS\nmaking their own\nMEDICINES.\n\n\nBY\nCHRISTOPHER MERRETT Dr. in Physic, Fellow of the College of\nPhysicians, and of the Royal Society.\n\n             ----Fingunt se Medicos omnes, Idiota, Sacerdos, Nutrix, &\n                                         Tonsor, _Pharmacopaeus_, Anus.\n\n\nThe Second Edition more correct.\n\nLONDON,\nPrinted for James Allestry, Printer to the Royal Society, at the Rose\nand Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard, 1670\n\n\n\n\n  A _Short View_ of the _Frauds_ and _Abuses_ committed by\n  _Apothecaries_, as well in Relation to _Patients_, as _Physicians_;\n  and of the only remedy thereof by _Physicians_ making their own\n  Medicines.\n\n\nDoubtless it will seem strange to most men, that after 30 years not\nunsuccessful practice in this great City, I should now at last forbear\nsending my Bills to the Apothecaries, knowing that hereby a whole\nCompany of men interested in the World (who by their number, noise,\nand tricks, may be able to decry any Physician) will become my\nimplacable adversaries, and by their private whispers of untrue tales,\nwill endeavour to their utmost, either to keep me from any new, or\nshuffle me out of my fixed imployment. But not fearing the utmost\ntheir malice can invent, or proclaim; I shall publickly assert what I\nprivately practice, preferring the publick good, and the honour of my\nprofession before my own private profit. And although I have had some\nexperience what their groundless anger can do, when they some years\nsince proclaimed me in their publick Hall their Enemy, for acting the\nCollege Interest, and of late for saving my Patients lives and purses,\nby dispencing gratis my Medicines. Yet I hope no indifferent person,\nwhen he knows that I have thus long slighted their weak endeavours,\nwill believe I can now at length have so poor an end as revenge;\nespecially when they shall consider on the one hand, the universal and\ndaily complaints of both Patient and Physician, the great cause they\nhave to do so, and the little hope of a remedy, and on the other,\nbesides that general obligation all men have of doing their\nCountry-men good, and the particular necessity I have of justifying my\nactions, by leaving the World their judg upon the account I shall here\ndeliver of them. And lastly, that which will leave my Enemies not any\nobjection, I take upon me not only a great trouble, but charge,\nwithout any other design then doing mankind good, by endeavouring to\nrestore my profession to its ancient and deserved honours. And had I\nnone of these inducements, I am sure the vulgar excuse of friends\nimportunities may be satisfactory to all persons for my publishing\nwhat I here do, when I must acknowledge that many of my Collegues and\nother Practisers in several parts, upon reading these papers furnished\nme not only with some bad practices of their own experience, but\nthereupon enjoyed the publishing of them. So that in these papers I do\nbut speak the common language of all Physicians, and of very many\nPatients. Neither are all their frauds and abuses here inserted, the\nrest (perhaps more in number) being reserved to another opportunity. I\nshall only add by way of preface; that the last year a Book was\nprinted on the same argument, by an inquisitive person, now Dr. in\nPhysic, which might have spared me this labour, but that it was too\nlarge for every ones reading, and in some things short. It was his\nfate to be called by them Fool, Ass, and Simple Fellow, and much worse\nlanguage, bragging that some of their Boys should answer him. But upon\nmore serious thoughts, the whole Company have suffered it to find the\ncredit it well deserves, without the least reply but that of\nrevilings.\n\nIn these ensuing papers, I hope to prove, that these abuses complain'd\nof by all sorts of persons, arise from this only cause, that\nPhysicians dispence not themselves such Medicines, they use for the\nrelief of their Patients, but commit this work to the Apothecaries, or\nrather their Servants.\n\nNow the Apothecaries abuses generally relate either to the Medicines,\nPatients, or Physicians; which three do comprehend all I shall say on\nthis subject.\n\nBut the Reader is to take notice, that all here charged on the\nApothecaries, is not meant of every single one, but of some, or more\nof them, and may in a short time in all probability be verified of\nthem all, according as their number, cajoling the ignorant, and bold\ndaring in Physic increase.\n\nBut before I descend to particulars, I shall first lay down this\nProposition, their own confession, and in their own Language, viz.\nThat they may be the veriest Knaves in England. Because they may put\nin bad ingredients, and more or less then the composition requires,\nthey may substitute one thing for another; and all this without being\ndetected, and consequently not be punished for such misdemeanors; but\nmore especially in Medicines for private mens uses, wherein they may\ndo what they please without the least discovery of the Patient, and\nfrom this general confession of theirs, it clearly follows, that\nwhatsoever deceit, covetous wits can invent, may at least be suspected\nto be used by them, and whatsoever is here alledged may find easier\nbelief.\n\nAnd Secondly, Most men wonder, that this Corporation, being but of few\nyears standing, and to the setting up of whose Trade so small a Stock\nis necessary; should live so high, spend so freely, gain so great\nEstates, by their return of so little money yearly, which how 'tis\ndone every man may conceive to be effected by the following Artifices.\n\nMore particularly, the Frauds by them committed relate either to their\nfalsifying of Medicines, or secondly, to the number of their Bills,\nand prescriptions, or thirdly, to the prices of them.\n\nFirst, They use Medicines quite contrary to the prescription,\nMyrtle-leafs shewed the Censors for Sena, a Binder for a Purger.\nMushroms of the Oak, &c. rub'd over with Chalk for Agaric, which Mr.\nEvelyn in his late publisht Book of Forest Trees, pag. 27. observes,\nto the great scandal of Physic as he adds; Hemlock-Dropwort Roots for\nPaeony Roots, Poysons for wholesome remedies; Privet by some, by others\nDog-berries, for those of Spina Cervina, no Purgers for a strong one.\nSheeps Lungs for Fox Lungs, the Bone of an Oxe Heart for that of a\nStags Heart, Damsons for Damasc Prunes, Syrup of Limons, for that of\nCitrons, Bryony Roots for Mechoacan, &c.\n\nSecondly, They falsify the grand Compositions of the London\nDispensatory. It being a common trade with them to buy unsound, and\ndecayed Simples of some Druggists, and to return them back so much of\nthe composition as will pay for the Simples. Secondly, whereas\nApothecaries are bound to shew publickly to the Censors of the\nCollege, and the Master and Wardens of their Company, Mithridate,\nDiascordium, Alkermes, &c. Yet for all this some of them privately\nmake a great deal more of the Composition then is shewed, of unsound\nDrugs, and some without any view at all; others put in the Scrapings\nthat ought to be thrown away; and by these Arts they under-sell, and\nruine one another, selling the Composition at a lower rate then good\nIngredients cost them; and with these complaints they daily mutiny\namongst themselves.\n\nThirdly, 'Tis very common for them to load Medicines with Honey, and\nother cheaper ingredients, and to leave out in whole or in part, those\nof greater value; viz. Saffron in Ruffus Pills, and in Oxycroceum\nPlaster, which latter, they colour of a saffron colour with Turmeric,\nSanders &c. Ambergrise in Alkermes, Diascordium was found by the\nCensors in their search made only of Honey, and Bole-Armeniac. Which\nfalse composition was taken away by the then Master of the Company.\n\nSuch Chymists which sell preparations honestly made complain, that few\nApothecaries will go to the prices of them. Whence it comes to pass,\nthat most of the preparations found in the Shops are sophisticated, to\nthe great abuse of City and Country. These abuses daily increase since\nthe Censors, discouraged by the multitude of Empirics swarming in\nevery Corner, have omitted their wonted searches, being to their loss\nof time, and expences out of their own Purses for the publick good\nonly. Now since the Chymical Oyls, by reason of their great prices are\nmost of them adulterated, and very few of them right good, and that\nnothing hath been published on this matter, and to leave the buyers of\nthem unexcusable, I shall here add briefly, yet sufficiently the ways\nto discover these Cheats. First for sweet-scented Chymical Oyls, viz.\nthose of Cloves, Cinnamon and Sassaphras. Only drop a little of them\ninto fair water, and that part which is true good will sink under the\nwater, but the adulterated part will swim on the top of it. Some\nothers draw deep tinctures from the said Spices with Spirit of Wine\nhighly rectified, and sell them for the Oyls; but these mix with the\nwater throughout, neither swimming, nor sinking. Others more craftily\ndigest with the said tinctures some of the true Oyls, which compound\nbeing put into water, will for a time render it white. Another way of\nsophisticating is with Oyl of Turpentine mixed in great quantity with\nthat which is adulterated; You may easily discover the Oyl of\nTurpentine, by setting it on fire, for it yields abundance of\nill-scented smoak, with very little savour of the Herb, Flour, or\nSeed, &c. and soon takes fire. To correct the ill smell of the\nTurpentine, they digest it with, and distil it off with Spirit of\nWine. Those sophisticated with Turpentine, fired in a Silver Spoon\ncolour it, and quickly diffuse themselves upon a Knife, or Paper. The\nbest way to try by firing, is to put a drop or two of these Oyls on\nthe end of a broad pointed Knife, which being first heated, and then\nthrust into a lighted Candle, presently take fire, and break out into\na flame with much dark smoak; but if you will try them in a Spoon,\nheat it first over a Candle, and then blow the flame of lighted paper,\nor of a Wax Candle on them. To try the scent, blow out the flame of\nthe good Oyls, and your smell will soon discover the ill scent of the\nTurpentine from that of the good Oyl. But on the contrary, all Oyls\ndrawn from Plants by distillation hardly flame, and the flame soon\ngoes out, and the smoak gives a full flavour of the Plant it self,\nwhereas those sophisticated as before, differ from the true in both.\nThe same Oyls are also sophisticated with cheap ones drawn from\ndecayed Oringes, and Limons; Your smell on firing will soon discover\nthese mixtures. A third way of sophisticating Chymical Oyls is, by\nmixing with them such Oyls as are made by expression, which are easily\ndiscovered by rubbing them on white paper, which being held and dryed\nat the fire, the Chymical part soon flyes away, and leaves the paper\ntransparent, looking no otherwise then oyled paper; but pure Chymical\nOyls totally fly away, leaving the paper white as 'twas before, and\nnot transparent, and in this way Oyl of sweet Almonds and Spike have a\ngreat share. As for Oyls drawn by Retort, they all of them smell so\nstrong of the fire, that neither smell nor tast can well discover any\nfraud in them. Now for the fixed Salts, most of them are made of the\nAshes of Tobacco-stalks, &c. More might be said for the discovery of\nthe Cheats of other Chymical preparations, which shall be reserved to\nanother opportunity, and had Physicians just encouragement, they would\nspend both their time and moneys on the like discoveries for the\npublick Utility.\n\nFifthly, Add to the former (though perhaps 'tis an error of ignorance\nonly) that if such Simples are prescribed they know not, they fetch\nfrom the Herb-women what they give them, true or false; for many of\nthese Women give to very many Plants false names; Now if the\nApothecary be so careful to consult an Herbal, which few have, and\nfewer know how to make use of, yet they too frequently mistake the\nthing by reason of several names given to the same thing, or of one\nname to several things, and many of them consult the common\nDictionaries only, which are most erroneous in the names of natural\nthings; insomuch that in my first practice (being curious of these\nparticulars) I have found two or three mistakes in one prescription, a\nCatalogue of which mistakes, and names ill given, I had collected, but\nthe late fire consumed it, though many of them my memory hath\nreserved.\n\nSixthly, Many of the London, and most of the Country-Apothecaries, buy\nof the whole-sale men, who affirm of one another, especially of such\nwho gain great Estates in short time, that they cannot sell their\nMedicines honestly made at so low a rate as they do.\n\nSeventhly, I shall need to say little of such distilled waters, as\ndiscover themselves neither to smell, nor tast, but shall only recite\na known Story of an Apothecary, who chid his man for sending away a\nCustomer that came for Plantan water, telling him there was enough at\nthe Pump.\n\nEighthly, As for Ointments, and Plasters, they are sold by some at so\nlow a price, viz. 3 d. per l. for Ointments, as I have been informed,\nthat 'tis not possible to make them at, and yet such however falsifyed\nmaintain a trade amongst Country, and low-priced City-Apothecaries,\nand the Chirurgeons profess they cannot effect their Cures with the\nShop-Medicines, and that this is the reason why they make their own\nOyls, Oyntments, &c. as the Apothecaries Charter allows them to do;\nand why may not Physicians think this to be the cause why they\nsometimes fail in their Cures, as well as Chirurgeons? and also make\ntheir own Medicines as well as they, especially since the Apothecary\nmay as easily falsify, and to greater profit in the one, then in the\nother?\n\nNinthly, As to their use of bad or decayed Drugs, 'tis so common a\npractice that I shall need to give but one notorious instance of it,\nand 'tis this, I having occasion to use some Seeds, sent for them to a\nSeeds-man, the Messenger desiring to have those of the same Year. The\nTradesman knowing him to live with me, asked, if they were for\nPhysical use, he replyed in the affirmative, whereat he presently\nshewed him others, which were of 6 or 7 years old (as he confessed)\naffirming them to be as good for that use as the newest, which he sold\nonly for sowing, and that he kept the others, though never so old, for\nthe Apothecaries only, who still asked for them, buying them though 20\nyears old, not regarding if they were decayed and wholy effete (for no\nSeed will preserve its vegetative faculty above 7 years much less its\nPhysical) so they could but have them cheap. Besides their pretty\nknacks (as they call them) of making their Compounds fair to the eye,\nmore vendible, but worse for use, by restoring them to their colour\nand consistence, that they may pass for good, which perhaps 'tis\nbetter to pass over in silence, lest by confuting I should teach the\nyounger Fry, who may better be honestly ignorant of them. Now for\ntheir substituting one thing for another, and detracting where they\nplease, I shall add but one Story of an Apothecary, who commanded his\nman (who told him they had no good Rhabarb in the house) that he\nshould put in double quantity of what they had. Nay I have known one\nsimple of a quite different nature used for a whole composition.\n\nTenthly, I shall conclude this ungrateful Discourse, with saying that\nby reason more frauds may be committed by the Apothecaries, then by\nany other Trade, and by supposition that gain will tempt most men to\ndishonest actions, especially where they may act undiscovered; I say;\nthat this seems to be the cause why they have two Supervisors set over\nthem more then any Company that I know of, viz. the Censors of the\nCollege of Physicians, and the Master and Wardens of their own\nCompany.\n\nThe next thing is the inlarging and multiplying their Bills and\nMedicines.\n\nFirst, When in Chronical Diseases a Physician is consulted, they go on\nof their own heads with the same prescription, frequently enough to\nthe Patients great disadvantage, both of health and purse.\n\nSecondly, By giving and intermixing Medicines of their own Phancy,\nwith the Physicians prescriptions, viz. some pleasing Medicine,\nwhereby too often the Physicians intention is quite crost, and the\neffect made uncertain, and hazardous.\n\nThirdly, By giving Medicines themselves on small accounts, and such as\nrequire only a good ordering, and no more.\n\nFourthly, By repeating long courses of Physic unadvisedly, and\nneedlesly, when either nothing, or very little is needful to be done.\n\nFifthly, By creating diseases in easie mens Phansies, and so decoying\nthem into courses of Physic.\n\nSixthly, Some of them get private and worthless receipts, and sell\nthem at what rate they please; Mr. Delaune by one Pill alone, though\nnot a very safe one, got some thousands of pounds.\n\nSeventhly, If one of them get a private receipt from a Physician\ncalled by the inventor his Nostrum, if another Apothecary have\noccasion to use it, he shall be sure to pay sawce for it.\n\nEighthly, Another trick is when the Patient is cured, and the\nPhysician therefore hath given over his Visits, then comes the\nApothecary and insinuates by his words and passions, either some\ndanger of relapse, or some other present distemper, and repairs to the\nPhysician for a Bill to cure the imaginary disease.\n\nNinthly, But their principal Art of all is, to cry up, and bring in to\nPatients such Physicians, who through design must comply with the\nApothecaries Interest, and such Practisers they extol and cry up for\ngood Physicians, which some of them call more expresly good\nApothecaries Physicians, and such without doubt, the whole Company\nwill endeavour to raise unto a fame and practice. But such as write\nonly for the good of the Patient, and not at all for the benefit of\nthe Apothecary (as all honest men ought to do) they will endeavour to\nprevent their calling in, or to shuffle them out.\n\nNow this good Apothecaries Physician, they describe by his frequent\nthough needless visits, but especially by the multitude of his Bills,\nby his visiting twice a day, or oftner (a very careful and painful\nDoctor) and by still writing new Medicines, when half the former, or\nperhaps none of them have been taken, making an Apothecaries Shop in\nthe Patients House, planting the Cupboards and Windows with Glasses\nand Gally-Pots, and not a quarter of the whole made use of. He\nprescribes a Medicine for every slight complaint, and never goes away\nfrom the Patient or the Patient from him, without a Bill, for fear of\nthe Apothecaries grumbling.\n\nAnd from this burdening the sick with multiplicity of Medicines, too\noften contrary to, and destructive one of another, it proceeds that in\nthe Small Pox, and Measles, many are afraid to use Physicians, and\ncommit the care of the sick to Nurses, and Old Women, and perhaps\nsometimes not without cause, for by continual multiplication of\nMedicines, the humours of the body may be made, or kept in too great a\nstate of fluidity, whence the Flox followeth. Whereas a Medicine or\ntwo duly administred, may suffice to bring them well forth, and then\nthere needs no more but good ordering, unless perhaps some accident\narise, which may require further care. And here as well as in other\nCases, the Patient is to be rectified, who requires the Physicians\nVisits, and yet dismisseth him without a reward, unless he writes a\nBill, whereas it might have been better if nothing at all had been\nprescribed; and the Physician left to his own judgment; and hence it\nis that many enlarge their Bills, that the Patient may think he hath\nenough for his money, whereby the Apothecary is gratified, who ought\nto commend the Medicines as necessary for the sick person, and\nsingular in themselves, whereas in truth this great farcy proves\nungrateful to the tast and stomach; inconvenient to health, by curing\none disease, but creating more; and by this means keeping them\ncontinually in a way of Physic.\n\nA third abuse of the Apothecaries relates to the prices of their\nMedicines; first they put what rates they please on their Simples,\nCompounds, and Receipts, and none are judges of them, but those of\ntheir own Trade; insomuch that they gain a 11 d. in the Shilling, if\nthey say true of themselves. Whereas the Colleges of Physicians beyond\nSea, yearly set a tax upon the Simples, and Compounds of the Shops. So\nthat the Customer can tell the price of what he hath occasion to use,\nand not stand at the mercy of the Apothecary to rate them as he lists,\nand to this purpose they put in print the prices of them every year.\n\nSecondly, Suppose a Physician hath prescribed a Pint of Juleb, &c. to\nbe taken at four several times, some Apothecaries carry not the whole\npint at once, but divide it into four parts, and carry but one at a\ntime, and so of other Medicines, and then will charge their Bill for\nevery single Potion, or Draught, as they ought the whole Pint; so that\nby this Art they gain four times as much for the whole Medicine as in\nConscience they ought; and a Juleb, which cost them six pence, will be\nrated at 10, 12, or more Shillings. But perhaps 'tis fit they should\nbe paid for their created Visits; and for this unnecessary\nofficiousness, persons of great estates may be contented to pay\nroundly, if they please.\n\nThirdly, When a Physician hath prescribed 20 Pills, some of the\nApothecaries will make 30 of them, under pretence the Patient cannot\nswallow them else; now reckoning each Pill at a certain rate (as they\nusually do) they gain a third part more then they ought.\n\nFourthly, To advance the prices, you shall hardly ever see a Bill\nwithout Bezoar, or Pearls in it, to make people think them very\nchargeable; whereas sometimes there is not above a grain or two of\nthese dear ingredients in the prescription, and a few grains of these\nor Ambergrise doubles or trebles the prices of the Medicines, and are\nsure never to be omitted in their Bills, besides the guilding of the\nPills, and covering their Bolusses, and Electuaries with Gold (which\nhave only an imaginary and no real use in Medicines so used) much\ninhanseth their prices, and a rich Cordial inserted exceedingly\nadvanceth most of their Bills; or if China or any other dear\ningredient be in the receipt 'tis not omitted.\n\nFifthly, Some Apothecaries offer, and perhaps some Physicians have\ntaken presents to help them to Customers, which must necessarily be\nsqueazed out of their higher-rated Medicines.\n\nSixthly, I have heard some prudent persons complain of their bringing\nin their Bills but once in a year, or two; supposing they made them\npay Lombards Usury for their forbearance. And through this neglect\nthey sometimes lose their money, and whether they raise other Mens\nBills to make up these losses, I affirm not.\n\nSeventhly, Another cause of raising their prices is a necessity of\nkeeping in their Shops such Medicines as are seldom used, or such as\nmust upon necessity decay, and grow useless. Now suppose they throw\nsuch away, this reason is good, but you will find a remedy for this\nhereafter.\n\nTo conclude this second Complaint. By reason of the dear Bills of the\nApothecaries, many are deterred from going to the Physician, and run\nto common Mountebanks, and I think this to be the reason (as some\ndisabused persons have confessed to me) why they have so much cryed up\nthe abilities of Apothecaries for practice, because they would save\ntheir credit in taking Physic of them. St. Augustine candidly in his\nBook of Confessions declares, that through covetousness he repeated a\ncourse of Physic, without consulting the Physician (who had before\ncured him of the same disease) to his greater charge, danger of his\nlife, and offence against God.\n\nHaving done with the Apothecaries abuses relating chiefly to the\nPatients Health and Purse, and such as are willfully committed (though\nall of them reflect on the Physician) I shall now touch on a few\nneglects, and mistakes proving often very mischievous.\n\nFirst, They frequently mistake the Physicians directions, which of\nwhat dangerous consequence it is, every one can tell.\n\nSecondly, They carry a Medicine appointed for one sick person to\nanother.\n\nThirdly, They often neglect the sending of Medicines in due time,\nespecially such as have no Servants, or but raw ones, when the Master\nis out of Town, or upon long visits.\n\nHaving now done with the Apothecaries as they relate principally to\nthe sick, I shall in the next place speak of them, as they relate to\nPhysicians, and that either to the profession in general, or to the\nparticular practisers of it.\n\nAs to the Physicians in general, they endeavour to extirpate them, and\nsome have been so bold to say, they hope in few years to see never a\nPhysician in London, and to profess they will scramble with them for\npractice. And that this hath been and is their intention, the\nfollowing particulars will clearly demonstrate.\n\nFirst, They have always endeavoured and aimed at the depression and\nruine of the College of Physicians, the only Corporation of that Art\nin England, considering rightly, that the depression of the College is\ntheir interest and rise, and that the total subversion of it will make\nthem absolute Masters in Physic and Physicians their Servants. In\nOrder hereunto they have constantly, both publickly and privately\nopposed the College in whatsoever hath been offered to setle the\nliberty of practice on them, their only priviledg and subsistence,\nthough they have been offered all they could desire for the security\nof their Trade, and legal employment, and far beyond whatsoever any\nCorporation of Apothecaries in all, or in any forreign part enjoy, yet\nnothing would ever content them, but an unlawful, unreasonable,\ndangerous, and destructive Usurpation of liberty to some pretended\npractice, that thereby they might gain the whole.\n\nSecondly, They have continually traduced the College, and troubled\nthem in Parliaments, at the Council-Board, &c. to their great charge\nand molestation. And for such their great demerits against the\nCollege, the King and his Council, Anno 1639. granted a Quo Warranto\nto the Attorney General (the Judges having first heard the whole\nmatter) to take away their Charter, which doubtless had been effected,\nhad not the troubles, and long civil War immediately ensued.\n\nThirdly, And in this present Parliament, how did they endeavour to\nprepossess the Members of the House of Commons with strange, and false\nprejudices and assertions drawn from irrational, and groundless\nsuppositions, making us the greatest Tyrants in the World, inferring\nridiculously that a Lady, or Charitable Gentlewoman (for in that\nbelieving Sex they have gain'd a great deal of ground by their\nfalsities) might not give the Poor a Cordial, &c. without being\nquestioned by the College; whereas they know in their Consciences,\nthat the College hath power enough by their first Charter to act as\nmuch in this kind against themselves, and all other persons, as they\ndesired of this present Parliament; And yet neither Apothecary, or any\nother who practised charitably, were ever troubled for so doing. They\npretended also they were abridged wholy from their Trade, and might\nnot sell a penny-worth of Mithridate, &c. without a Doctors Bill.\nWhereas there's not a word in the Charter to that purpose; the sole\nintent whereof was to keep them as well as other Mountebanks, from\nprescribing (which they call selling) the Physicians only livelyhood.\nAnd as to the bill itself so much railed on by them in\nWestminster-Hall, Coffee-Houses, Ale-Houses, &c. 'tis easie to make it\nout, that this Charter as proposed gives the Apothecaries more liberty\nand freedom of exercising their lawful Trade, then is enjoyed in any\nother Nation, where both Corporations are erected, and that it doth in\nnothing infringe, or diminish their freedom as Citizens, or their\nCharter as Apothecaries; and that our Charter was compiled by some,\nand perused and approved by others the most eminent Lawyers in England\nfor Worth and Place; and yet none of these could find any thing in it\neither Illegal, Tyrannical, or unfit to be desired of the Parliament.\nNay many mis-informed Members being rightly instructed in the true\nstate of the matter, have acknowledged the justice of it; And was no\nmore then King James by his Letters Patents, dated the 18th of\nOctober, in the 15th year of his Reign, granted to the said College;\nnear about the same time the Apothecaries Charter was granted; and\nbeing almost nothing else but a supply of what was short in their\nformer Grants, viz. That whereas their Charter granted by King Henry\nthe Eighth, gave power to punish offenders in the practice of Physic;\nand because there was no power given to summon, nor penalty imposed\nfor the non-appearance of such offenders; therefore by their\nnon-appearance, the said power of the Censors was eluded; for no such\noffenders would appear before them, and consequently no punishment\ncould be inflicted on them, according to the true meaning of the said\nAct. Now this Charter so much declaimed against, prayed only a supply\nof this defect, and also better and more necessary ways and means,\nwithout which, such and all other offenders against the lives and\nhealths of his Majesties Subjects could not be discovered; and they\nhad reason not to doubt a grant of the said power, since by the said\nCharter a power was granted them to imprison offenders, whom the\nKeepers of the Prisons would not receive, because no command, nor\npenalty was imposed on them, for not receiving such offenders sent by\nthe Censors (a thing ridiculous to our present Lawyers) however this\ndefect was supplyed by an Act in the first of Queen Mary. Now whereas\nsince the making of the said Acts and Powers, granted to the College,\nseveral other Trades, besides the Apothecaries, relating to Physic\n(being then all Members of the Grocers Company) viz. Druggists,\nChymists, Sellers of Strong-Waters and Oyls, have arose distinct from\neach others, and many abuses have been and are committed in each of\nthem, as they all confess. The said Charter prays for the publick good\nonly (there being the same reason of all) they might have the same\npower of Surveying them also, as they have of the Apothecaries, which\nmost of the Judicious, and sober of the said Companies, as well in\nrelation to their own private profit, and also the publick, by having\nall Medicines good, did not oppose, but liked well of. Nay there was\nnothing in the said Charter, but what was judged good by all or most\nof the Judges of England, several times convened by Order of the King\nand his Council, to deliver their opinions concerning some Quaeries,\nwhich comprised the main of what was desired and petitioned for by the\nCollege, of this present Parliament. But before the Committee could\nmake report to the House, the Parliament was adjourned, whereupon\nApothecaries falsly gave out, and made people believe our Charter was\ntaken from us. And in this transaction before the Committee, one\nCocket an Apothecary exhibited in the name of the Chymists such a\nScandalous Libel, as the Committee would not suffer to be read; drawn\nas some conceive by the assistance, and countenance, if not\ncontrivance of his Company.\n\nLastly, The Company of the Apothecaries are bound by their Charter to\nbring their Servants (before they make them Free) to be examined by\nthe Censors of our College, and to have their approbation of their\nfitness to exercise their Art, and set up their Trade. Now that they\nhave herein neglected their duty, and consequently may be\ndis-franchised and lose their Freedoms for this omission, 'tis\nmanifest not only by the vapours of some of them to some members of\nour Body, that they never underwent this examination; but also by\ncomparing of our Register (wherein are recorded the names of all such\nas have been examined) with theirs, if they keep any for this purpose.\nSure I am, that in two years together, when I was Censor, very few, if\nany, did appear to their examination, whereas yearly a very great\nnumber set up their Trades. Nay since the firing of London not one\nApothecaries Servant hath been examined by the Censors, for more then\nthese three Years last past, in which time perhaps no less then 100\nhave been made free by the Company.\n\nBefore our presenting this Charter to the Parliament, they would admit\nno Arbitrators betwixt our Corporation, and Theirs, not contenting\nthemselves with their Charter lately granted in King James's Reign,\nand that by the procurement of some of our College for these\nunthankful persons. For they would not refer themselves (as the\nChirurgeons without many words or dispute did) to the most upright,\nand most knowing Sir Orlando Bridgeman then Lord Chief Justice, and\nnow Lord Keeper, for a clause to be by him drawn, in order to preserve\ntheir immunities and Charter; which they refused, fearing belike he\nwould exclude them from the Practice of Physic, which the Law hath\nalready done, and which is all they could doubt of; but the\nCorporation of Chirurgeons did acquiesce in the clause drawn by the\nsaid Lord Chief Justice, and never appeared before the Committee\nagainst the said Charter.\n\nTheir increasing dis-respect, and undervaluing the College, appears in\nthis, that of late years they place our Censors invited to their new\nMasters Dinner, at their second Tables whereas always heretofore they\nwere seated at the first Table, next to the Master of the Company.\n\nAnd to hinder the building of a New College, and the Contribution of\nthe Honorary Fellows thereunto, they tell them that we deceived them\nin their admission, and never intend the building of a New College,\nthough a large contribution hath been made, and ground purchased in\norder thereunto by the Members of their Corporation.\n\nAnd their further design appears in their great triumphing, and\nrejoycing when any illiterate person hath gained any reputation for a\nCure performed, especially where Physicians have been concerned,\nthough the Patients neglect or obstinateness, have been the sole cause\nof this non-performance, and by their continued detraction from\nPhysicians, and applauding themselves, hoping by the former, that\npeople will think such Mountebanks able to do better Cures then\nlearned Physicians, and then they can easily insinuate themselves\nsuperior to such Mountebanks, and consequently to Physicians. By the\nlatter, they seek to depress, and level us to themselves, being\nconscious they can never rise to that worth and ability, required in a\nPhysician.\n\nAnother manifest sign of their endeavour to usurp our Practice is,\ntheir absurd calling the sick their Patients, for 'tis most certain\nthat in all reason and language the Physician and Patient only have\nrelation to each other, but not to the Apothecary, who is but a\nTradesman, and manual Operator. Now a Tradesman and his Customer, or\nChapman, are Relatives each to other, but those Apothecaries who\nintrude themselves and usurp on our profession, may call their\nCustomers Patients, and that in a true literal sence, when by their\nignorance they make them really sufferers under them; and if they deny\nApothecary and Patient to be non-sence, they shew themselves pitifully\nignorant in the Laws, and Rules of Reason, or else profess themselves\nPhysicians. And the like non-sence they commonly utter by calling\nPhysicians that make their own Medicines, Mountebanks and Quacks,\nwhereas none can be such but those who practise without Lawful\nAuthority, as the Apothecaries, &c. do; and they are not ignorant in\nthis their malice, that the Law of England would punish them roundly\nfor so saying. And were I troublesome or vindicative, I could make\nsome of them examples, but I freely remit the slanders in this kind\nthat are past.\n\nHaving done with the main part of the Disease, next follows the\nRemedy; and the only firm and proper one will appear to be, that\nPhysicians make their own Medicines; the benefit whereof to the\npublick, the reasonableness of the thing it self, the necessity in\nrelation to the Physician, will be manifest by that which follows.\n\nAnd First, All that hath been said demonstrates this last proportion.\n\nSecondly, The desire of most persons, and the censure of all wise men,\nwho say we are wanting to our own interest, if we make not use of the\nremedy in our own hands, performing our Art in all its members,\nwhereof making of Medicines is a chief one.\n\nThirdly, The common practice, and constant usage of all former and\nantient Physicians in all other Nations, and in England also (for 'tis\neasie to say when there was not one Apothecary in this Kingdom) the\nLaws of our Nation, nay even the Apothecaries Charter allow it, the\nLanguage of all Physicians, our College voting it honourable so to do,\nnay Apothecaries themselves commending it in such Physicians as buy\ntheir Medicines of them.\n\nFourthly, The Kings Physicians have formerly made the Kings Medicines,\nas 'tis manifest by my Lord Coke, in his 4th. Book of the Institutes,\npart 4. pag. 251. where he comments on Rot. Pat. 32 H 6. m. 17. He\nthere first recites the Roll it self, wherein are appointed (the King\nbeing then sick) 3 Physicians and 2 Chirurgeons, to freely minister\nand execute Physic about the Kings Person, and there are also recited\nin general, Medicines external, and internal. And on this Roll Coke\namong other things infers, that the Physicians may use the aid of\nthose Chirurgeons named in the Warrant, but of no Apothecary, but to\nprepare and do all things themselves, &c. And the reason of all this\nis, the precious regard had of the health and safety of the King, who\nis the head of the Common-wealth. And I am told by one of his present\nMajesties Physicians, that the King himself affirmed heretofore we are\nunwise in neglecting our duty herein, and lately of these papers, that\n'twas the publick interest so to do.\n\nFifthly, Chirurgeons (as before) will not trust them to make external\nRemedies; and the King, and East-India Company commit the making of\ntheir Chests for their Fleets to the Chirurgeons.\n\nSixthly, Have not Ladies and Charitable Gentlewomen their Closets well\nfurnished with various Medicines for the Poors use, and for their own\nalso, when Physicians are called to their houses in the Country?\nDistillers of Strong-waters, Makers of Plaisters, Confectioners make\nMedicines bought by the Apothecaries, Ale-Houses sell purging Drinks,\nand Book-sellers sell Chymical Medicines, and all this without much\nregret of the Apothecaries. But if a Physician intermix a Medicine\nwith theirs, though the Patients life be saved thereby, what noise,\nand murmuring, and proclaiming of it the next Market-day to the rest\nof their Company? to what purpose any one may judg.\n\nSeventhly, Why should not Physicians, being lawfully authorized\nthereunto, practise with their own Medicines, as well as the\nApothecaries with theirs, though against Law, and incurring thereby\nthe penalty of 5l. per Month, which the College never troubled them\nfor, or exacted of them?\n\nEighthly, Physicians will be necessitated to it for their subsistence\nand honour, and to preserve their Art from being prostituted to\nilliterate persons, the Apothecaries becoming now their Competitors.\n\nNinthly, By this means Physicians will avoid multitudes of\ninconveniencies, proceeding from writing of Bills, and the\nApothecaries Visits.\n\nFirst The mistakes, and frauds in the Ingredients, especially\ncommitted by the great practising Apothecaries, who may, as appears by\nthe following story, be suspected to send, instead of what was\nprescribed, the remains of his own practice, or else some cast-by\nMedicines; for else how could it be when a Medicine was prescribed to\nstand in Infusion or steep a whole night, that it should be brought\ntwo hours after the Bill was written, even the very same Evening?\nWhich by accident the Patient confessed, wanting the expected success.\n\nSecondly By this course Physicians avoid the many opprobrious terms\ncast upon them by Apothecaries:\n\nAs First, In saying that if he had not omitted or added something, the\nPatient might have miscarried; which he may say at pleasure without\nany contradiction, though doubtless many have been killed by this\nmeans.\n\nSecondly, By saying the Bill could never have been made without some\nalteration of the Apothecary, thereby insinuating the Doctors\nignorance in compounding.\n\nThirdly, In saying the Doctor is not versed in Medicines, because\nforsooth he varieth not at every Visit, and multiplieth not new Bills\nfor the Apothecaries profit.\n\nFourthly, In saying they teach Physicians, and help them to, and in\ntheir practice. The first and last are vile and foolish Scandals; as\nto the Second, 'tis true indeed, that younger Apothecaries recommend\nPhysicians to their acquaintance; but 'tis no longer then they have\nlearned enough (as they think) to set up for themselves.\n\nFifthly, In saying, they knew before-hand what such a Doctor would\nprescribe, and hence it is they have nick-named some Physicians of no\nmean practice, by the Medicines they frequently use, which names in\nrespect to the persons, I shall conceal; and of such Physicians, they\nbrag they can prescribe as well as they. But if a Physician advise\nthings unknown to them, or out of the common tract, then they say the\nDoctor intends to puzzle them.\n\nSixthly, He will avoid the censure of his Bills, which every pitiful\nfellow, nay their very Boys will absolve or condemn at pleasure, and\nthat openly too, nay sometimes to the Patient himself, and thereby\ncall in his good Apothecaries Physician. Now what a shame is it, that\na Physicians credit and livelihood, should stand at the mercy of such\npitiful ignorant, and self-ended Souls? I have heard one of them say\nof the now most Eminent Practiser in London, that his Boy could write\nas good a Method as he, and that he understood the practice of Physic\nas well as any Physician in London except 2, or 3, though the same\nperson was soon made to confess, he neither knew the Disease, Cause,\nnor Cure of a Pleurisy, pretended to be throughly understood by him.\n\nThirdly, He will avoid the trouble put upon him after he hath writ his\nBill, by the Apothecaries ignorance in not understanding it, who to be\ninformed came to the Doctor heretofore, with their Hats off, but now\nsend their Boys, who soon put theirs on. Such respect do they give\nPhysicians, when they come to them as to their Masters to teach them.\n\nFourthly, He will avoid the impertinent Visits of the Apothecaries,\nand non-sensical, troublesome, and discouraging, frightful discourses\nto the Patient, of whom no man can expect more then the Common Proverb\ngives to Praters, and impertinent Speakers, That they talk like\nApothecaries.\n\nFifthly He will avoid the mischiefs from their Visits, who by their\nshrugs, signs, or words, may diminish the Physicians reputation, and\ngood opinion, whether in his skill, or Medicines, whereby good\nMedicines are neglected and the expectation of a good success upon the\nuse of them taken away, or at least causing an averseness to them;\nwhich actings do exceedingly prejudice the Patient, in reference to\nhis Cure.\n\nSixthly, He will avoid this inconvenience, that some Apothecaries have\nattributed the Cure to some of their intermixed Medicines, or\nalteration of the Doctors Bill.\n\nSeventhly, He will avoid that incivility of such of them, who in the\nPhysicians presence, will feel the Pulse, judg of the Urine, discourse\nthe Cause, Nature, what the Disease is, and what will be the issue of\nit, propose Medicines, nay sometimes endeavour to advise with the\nPhysician, to contradict and dispute with him, to compare and set\nhimself above the Physician; and to say truth, these odious and\nintolerable Comparisons and intrusions daily complained of by my\nCollegues, were a great cause of my departing from them.\n\nEighthly, He will avoid those Scandals they have opportunity to raise,\nthat such a Physician is Covetous, Proud, Negligent, and minds not his\npractice, and the like without the least ground, and are frequently by\nsuch Artifices, the Cause of introducing another Physician, knowing\nthat thereby more Bills will come to their File, and many times the\nformer Medicines be layed aside, and in this shuffling in and out of\nPhysicians, they have commonly a great share.\n\nNinthly, Apothecaries being now Competitors with Physicians for\npractice, and down-right Enemies to such as make their own Medicines;\nwhy should not we suspect them of this false Play, by telling the\nPatient the Doctors Medicine will not work (which he knows well enough\nhow to effect) and then to tell him he will prepare him one of his own\nthat will work, when perhaps that he calls his own preparation, was\nnothing but what the Doctor had prescribed before; and by this\nArtifice to advance himself above the Physician.\n\nAnother mischief in sending Bills to the Apothecaries is, that though\nthe Apothecaries be honest (and who can tell which of them is so?) yet\nthe Servants neglect, or ignorance (to whom they commit the whole care\nof dispensing, and are intruth the Apothecaries (and not their\nMasters) may mar all in their Masters absence, who is visiting abroad,\nor at his recreations.\n\nAnd now I have done with the unpleasant talk of raking into the faults\nof the Apothecaries, and with discoursing how Physicians may save\nthemselves from their devices, I shall next shew the advantages that\nwill come to the Patient, the Physician, and people, by this way of\nremedy proposed.\n\nAs for the Patients, they may hereby save most of the great charges of\nApothecaries Bills, which in long Cases amount to very great sums in a\nyear, although the Physician hath received very few Fees; the\nPhysician may so order his business as to take his Fee for his Visits\nonly, and at home such competent Fees for his advice alone, as are\nusually given, and in both Cases take nothing for his Medicines, and\nso save the Patient the whole charge of the Apothecaries Bill, which\nvery seldom comes short, and for the most part manifoldly exceeds the\nPhysicians Fees. And this he may very well do by making fewer, less\nchargable, more effectual, and durable Medicines then the Shops\nafford, and suffer nothing in the non-use, or decay of his Medicines;\nbecause he need make no more then will serve his own practice: and I\nmust here profess, that which I intended not to have published, that\nthis is the course I have generally taken, for the four Months last\npast, since I made my own Medicines, but that some Apothecaries have\ngiven out most falsly, that I have sent in Bills to Patients for\nmoney; but to convince such of their wonted lying, I do hereby oblige\nmy self to give 100 pound to any of them that shall produce such a\nBill. Secondly, This way will not clog the Patient with more Medicines\nthen are needful, nor will omit anything may conduce to his recovery,\nfor if he fails in either, 'tis to his prejudice, either in spending\nmore Medicines which cost him money, or in not performing his Cure,\nwhich loseth his practice.\n\nBut I do not propose this course of mine as a general rule to all\nPhysicians, but leave this to every mans private judgment; Neither do\nI hereby bind my self to the same practice, because some few Cases may\nfall out (though to an equal advantage to the Patient) may perswade me\nto the contrary. For I find some persons of that perswasion, as to\nthink they have not given satisfaction, unless they have payed for the\nMedicines; but to such persons, I have always allowed them to give me\nwhat they pleased themselves, for the cure only, to the full\nsatisfaction of both parties. Though I will not deny but some persons\nout of gratitude for their Cure, have rewarded me beyond this\nproposal. Some of my acquaintance have desired me to be more plain in\nthis last Paragraph, especially in that part of it where I say I do\nnot bind my self to the said practice; and to declare more fully the\nCases that may perswade me to the contrary; which are these and such\nas these. First Where Patients of their own free offers will contract\nwith the Physician, or have formerly too meanly rewarded him for his\nCure, in both which the Statutes of our College allow a contract to be\nmade with Patients. Another case is, if a Physician be consulted once,\nand for his Fee hath given Medicines gratis, if the Patient frequently\nsend for his Medicines without the least reward at all. Or if the\nPatient living far in the Country, having (as before) once consulted\nthe Physician, as in the last case, and shall for weeks, nay months,\nsend for the same Medicines. Or if the Patients friend shall recommend\na Medicine to another friend of his unknown to the Physician; and\nwhere he gives no Counsel, if a Physician in the Country shall desire\nsome of his Medicines, which are all the cases that occur at present;\nI say in some of these, the Physician must needs be payed for his\nMedicines; but in other, 'tis rational he should be payed for his\nadvice, as he desireth new Medicines, which charge will be far short\nalso of the Apothecaries Medicines, whether repeated or prescribed\nupon new advice.\n\nNow the great charge of Apothecaries Bills, and nauseousness of their\nMedicines, appears to be the cause why long habitual diseases, as the\nKings Evil, Falling-Sickness, Convulsions, Melancholies, and Winds in\nthe Bowels, Gouts, &c. become seldom relieved, though they may with a\nconstant, facile way, be perfectly cured, where neither the great\ncharge, nor unpleasantness of Medicines, deterr them from a continued\nnecessary use of Remedies. And for the same reasons many will be kept\nfrom relapses, who being tired out with taking variety of Medicines,\ngive over before the tone and strength of their parts is restored,\nwhich is necessary to be done in all long Diseases.\n\nHe may so contrive his Medicines, first, That they may be taken in\nsmall quantity, and be made more grateful to the tast, and stomach,\nand perform more then those of the Apothecaries, commonly slovenly\nmade, and of themselves Fulsom, Nauseous, and Sluggish. Secondly, His\nMedicines made for particular persons, may last Weeks, Months, nay\nYears, whereas the Apothecaries Drinks, especially in the Summer time,\nmust be renewed once, or twice every day, to the excessive charge of\nthe Patient.\n\nThat his Medicines may be fewer, is evident in Physicians that\npractise in the Country, who ride far to Patients, and carry in their\nMans Cloak-bag, Medicines enough, not only for the person he is sent\nto, but also for most other persons, and Cases he meets with in his\nTravels, and therefore his Closet needs contain but few, yet noble and\ngenerous Medicines, and such as may serve him upon all occasions,\nsupplying what's defective from the Fields or Gardens. He may avoid\nall pompous, useless, chargable Medicines of the Shops, and substitute\nin their place, cheaper, and more conducible to health; He may very\nwell lay aside the precious Stones, Saphir, Emerals, &c. the high\npriced Magistrals of Coral, and Pearl, made worse by their\npreparations, or rather destroyed thereby in their Virtue, as also\nUnicorns Horn; and Bezoar, all which are now rarely used alone, but in\nthe received Compositions; He may also spare the charges of leaf-gold,\nfor guilding Pots, Glasses, Pills, Electuaries, Boles, &c. which\nserves only to raise the Bill.\n\nHe may teach the Patients facile and easie Remedies, as to make a\nClyster, apply Blisters, or Medicines to the feet, where they are\nneedful, &c. and in many Cases may cure by well ordering his Patient\nonly, without any Remedies at all, or but very few; being free to act\nfor the Patients Health, without the grumbling of the Apothecary; and\nmany other ways he may daily meet with, very advantageous to the\nPatient.\n\nHe will have little use of Conserves, Syrups, Lohocks, &c. a greater\npart whereof Sugar makes up, which doth more hurt to most persons,\nthen the other ingredients do good.\n\nAs for Infusions and Decoctions, he will find by experiment, how much\nliquor, or Menstruum will suffice to extract the full vertue of the\ningredients, and what are helps, or hinderances thereunto, and thereby\nneither suffer loss in the quantity, or quality of them.\n\nHe will discover the inefficacy of many of the Syrups and other\nMedicines in the Shops, made of such ingredients, the qualities\nwhereof, what with boiling, what with the great quantity of Sugar\nnecessary to keep them, are either made useless or opposite to the\nends they are proposed for. Especially in such Plants, Seeds, and\nFlowers, which consist of fine volatil parts, and even in drying and\npounding, or the least boiling exhale and evaporate, and therefore in\nthe common way of ordering them, lose their whole vertue or most of\ntheir efficacy, and alter in their properties. From which by several\nmethods known to some Physicians, very generous and singular Medicines\nmay be produced.\n\nHe need not use so large Compositions consisting of such confused and\ncontrary ingredients, and will find good reason to lay aside those\nunintelligible and unreasonable Compositions of Mithridate, and\nTreacle, and the so much magnified Treacle-water, and will substitute\nbetter in their places, of smaller charge, and less trouble; and this\nall Physicians I have conversed with, and the College it self, by\ntheir Book published for the common good, in the year before the\nPlague, and all those Physicians in this City, who make or intend to\nmake their own Medicines, do confess.\n\nBut here Apothecaries open wide, and cry out that the Physicians are\ngreat Cheats, and envious persons, for continuing such flat Medicines,\nand not recommending to the World, or rather their Shops, our greater\nsecrets. The answer is easie, that the Medicines in our Pharmacopaea,\nare the best of any other Pharmacopaea in the World, both for their\ngoodness, and well preparing of them, whether they be Chymical, or\nGalenical; and therefore the same scandal will ly on all Pharmacopaea's\nwhatsoever. Secondly, I say that within these few last experimental\nyears, the practical part of Physic hath been much improved (as well\nas Anatomy) especially by such as have put their hands to work; and\ntherefore till such improvement, this could not be well amended.\nFurthermore, in making new Dispensatories, a full content must be had,\nand 'twere not fit to move where the motion were not like to take\nplace, for though private men invent new ways of compounding and\npreparing, and using their own invented Medicines, yet 'twill require\na long time to make them publickly known, and brought into common use,\nand till that be done 'tis not possible to have them brought into a\ncommon Dispensatory; besides, no man would make a motion for such a\nreformation, unless he were well furnished with specificks, and then\n'twill be required of him to expose them to the whole World, which how\nincongruous it will be, every man may easily conceive; hereto add,\nthat the Apothecaries think themselves able enough by this present\nDispensatory, to out-beard Physicians, and do publickly profess (as\nhath been said) that they understand the practice of Physic well as\nthey; how much more would they have said so, if they had been made\nMasters of these secrets? And here I shall admonish those of my own\nFaculty, who have devoted their Studies, Labours, and Purses, for the\nimprovement of their Art, to consider, that as natural things have\ntheir bounds and limits, and that there is no new Creation of them,\nand besides, that these things have their bounds also of improvement,\nbeyond which 'tis impossible for man to go; and that by a good method\nand industry, that end may be attained; (though at present I must\nconfess, no Art is more capable of enlargement then ours:) I say let\nall consider, and they will find, what a vast encouragement they have\nto improve their knowledg so far, that they shall not only be able to\nleave mankind destitute of no remedy Nature did ever produce; but also\nrestore and setle those Honours ignorant men would usurp, upon the\nLearned Professors of this Science, and I see no reason why Physicians\nshould communicate their secrets to such persons, who will make use of\nthem, to the ruine of the Inventors, which is indeed a failer of\ntrust, for when a Physician writes his Bill, he trusts the Apothecary\nonly with making the Medicine for a particular occasion, and not to\nmake use of it as his own when be pleaseth for his own profit, and the\nInventor have no further benefit by it, then perhaps one single\nadvantage.\n\nLastly, When Dispensatories were first made, the Apothecaries were\nreally Physicians Servants, and wholy at their command, not in the\nleast intrenching on their business, and the rates of Medicines were\nreasonable; which superiority over them still continues only in their\nprescriptions, the forms whereof are always commanding to take this\nand that, and to mix them, &c. but within these few last years they\nhave set up for themselves, and advanced the rates beyond all reason;\nand to be sure, the more we teach them by our Books, the more they\nwill trangress in both.\n\nHe may receive encouragement from what he discovers, that is more then\nordinarily useful, whereas by writing Bills, he soon communicates to\nthe ignorant and lazy, who will neither spend time nor money to\nadvance the Art, but while the one is at work to his great charge,\nlots of time, much pains and trouble, the others seek by petty tricks\nand Arts to gain a name, and profit from the industrious. Nay some\nMountebanks have been set up by purchasing receipts of the Apothecary\nor his Servants. And one of them told me, he set up a Quack by selling\nand commending to him a Medicine he had long kept in his Shop and\ncould not otherwise put off, and that by degrees he made him a famous\npractiser among the ignorant and poor people. An Act quite contrary to\nthe interest of the Company.\n\nHence also will arise an emulation amongst Physicians, who shall\nexceed each other in noble remedies, and from thence a full and happy\nimprovement of whatsoever God hath created for the recovery of mans\nhealth impaired; for from the Physician alone the advancement of\nPhysic is to be expected. How many simples of unknown properties have\nbeen brought into use, to the great comfort of the sick? and many more\nmay be, as also many preparations, both simple and compound, both in\nthe Galenical, and Chymical practice, and by this means the Art will\nbe advanced to its just dignity, now much diminished, dishonoured, and\nnear to be lost by the intrusion of ignorant persons.\n\nGreater respect will be given to such Physicians, as being the\nimmediate instruments of life and health, who will derive unto\nthemselves that which is now given to the Apothecaries, which proceeds\nchiefly from fear lest they should do the Patient hurt; and so their\nhonour will be doubled, which every Physician looks principally at;\nbut the Apothecary being not so far concerned, looks chiefly at his\nown profit, and regards not the Patients charge. For the greater the\nPatients charge, the greater must needs be the Apothecaries gain;\nwhereas on the contrary, 'tis the Physicians Interest to cure the\nPatient with the greatest ease.\n\nHe may proceed on safely and securely in his well experienced\nMedicines, having before him not only what he hath prescribed for the\nsame Patient, but for all others in the like Case, and thereby keep in\nmemory what he would have forgot, if his Bill had remained on the\nApothecaries File; viz. the Medicines and their success. By means\nwhereof Physicians do not advance their knowledg so far as they might;\nfor how is it possible they should remember the particulars of their\nBills writ some days before? and therefore know not how to proceed so\nwell. But the Apothecaries having before them the whole series of\nMedicines, brag they can do more then the Physicians, and by this\nmeans insinuate the same opinion into people.\n\nThe Physician will be consulted in the beginning of Diseases, to the\nsafety and little expence of the Patient, who will not go first to the\nApothecary, who practiseth on him till the Case is desperate, and then\ncalls in a Physician when 'tis too late; and if he dyes, the Physician\nmust carry away the disgrace alone; but if he recover, the Apothecary\nif he be so minded, by some trick will share with him in the honour:\nand by this resort of people to the Apothecaries in beginning of\nDiseases; we meet with few Cases of easie Cure, but are chiefly made\nuse of in dangerous Diseases, or those of short period, or such as are\naccompanyed with great pains and torments, to our great and continual\nanxiety.\n\nThe Physicians experience hereby as 'tis surer, so 'twill be greater.\n\nHe will make use of no Medicines but the choicest, and when they are\nin their full vigour, and such as are durable, and after once or twice\nTryal of them, will seldom fail in his expected success; which cannot\nbe certainly had without some tryal. For though a man buy the choicest\ningredients, viz. Sena, which may appear to the Senses very good, yet\nhe cannot positively say, how well, nor yet what quantity of it will\nwork, till he hath made use of it. But afterwards he may confidently\napply the whole parcel he hath bought to his purpose. The like may be\ninstanced in a crop of Wheat or Barley, which the skillfullest\nHusband-man cannot tell how they will yield for Bread, or Malt, till\nhe hath used them. Now how is it possible that a Physician can with\nany certainty make use of several Shops, since there is so great\ndifference in the ingredients? and 'tis certain the same Medicine made\nby several Apothecaries, shall differ much in colour, smell, and tast,\nand consequently effect too; which cannot proceed from any other cause\nthen the difference of the ingredients themselves, or by omitting some\ningredients, or by substituting one thing for another; or by distinct\nways of preparing them. The same also may be said of Compositions,\nmuch more of Chymical Medicines so much sophisticated, and of so much\ndanger and hazard, if not well prepared, which he cannot discover till\nhe hath seen the effect of them, unless it be such as he makes\nhimself, nor those neither till he hath made some tryal of them.\n\nHe will much inlarge Materia Medica, Chymistry and Pharmacy, and\ndiscover the grounds of them, and wherein the efficacy of remedies\nlyes, and thereby lay open a whole Ocean for new discoveries, and by\nthe by observe many useful products and Phenomena of Nature, to the\ngreat improvement of his Art, and sound Natural Philosophy, which are\nnot taken notice of by Apothecaries, and their Servants; for all which\nthey have neither will nor skill.\n\nAs to the improvement of Medicines, this may be added, by the\nexperimenting Physician, that in distill'd waters he will consider and\nfind which of them will afford any virtue, which only phlegm\nequivalent but to Conduit-water, which of them will keep long, and in\nperfection, which soon or in what time decay, and spend them\naccordingly, and in compound distill'd waters, will find cause to lay\naside many simples as nothing conducing, or rather weakning the\nefficacy of the Medicine designed; whereby much charge and trouble\nwill be spared, and better compositions be made.\n\nHe will gain and keep to himself Patients, who have diseases they are\nunwilling should be known by Apothecaries and their Boys, and all such\nas have a mind to turn over their File.\n\nThe Patient will have better opinion of the Medicines, and confidence\nin the use or them, and the Physician more satisfied in his\nConscience, and better assured of the success.\n\nHe will gain reputation to his Art, by restoring it to its first\ninstitution and practice, by the Founders and Heroes of Physic.\n\nBy constantly practised Medicines he will find out a better method of\nCure, and may hereby arrive at the true causes of diseases.\n\nHe will observe what Medicines by precipitation or other ways, alter,\ndestroy, or weaken one another, whereby of good ingredients singly\nused, a bad Composition may be made, and therefore fail in the success\nexpected. Many more things might be here added, which a skillful\nobserver, and versed in the way to make experiments (no easie matter)\nwill daily find, and at present I do not so much as give hints of\nthem, but shall hereafter, as occasion and opportunity require.\n\nHe will have more scope to be charitable to the poor, and more civil\nand obliging to his friends, by curing them gratis, or at small\ncharges.\n\nHe need not trouble himself with ways of concealing the use of his\nMedicines, by setting down no directions in his Bill, but giving them\nto the Patient, which the Apothecary soon learns; nor with giving some\nof his own Medicines at a pinch, which if they succeed not, to be sure\nthe Apothecaries will cry down in all places, but will conceal all\neminently good successes, as disadvantageous to themselves; nor by\nplacing their Arcana's in the Shops of those Apothecaries they\ncommonly make use of; nor by recommending their Patients to such\nApothecaries they intrust their secrets with. For then great\ncomplaints are made that the Physicians carry away their Customers,\nand take away their livelyhood, affirming they are willing to fetch\nthem from the prescribing Doctors Apothecaries. To which I answer,\nthat they do fetch them, but perhaps not always; since I have heard\nthem often say, these secrets were but the Medicines of the London\nDispensatory disguised under new names, to the discredit of the\nPhysicians that prescribed them. And I well remember some of them have\nneglected to fetch from my house, not far from their own, some of my\npreparations, though they had them gratis, for the fetching; whereby\nthe Patients have suffered, and thought I neglected them, 'till they\nwere rectified by another Visit. Nay one of them told me, he had\nrather dy with his own Shop-Medicines, then be cured with my\nMagistrals: much more would he have said of Patients, manifestly\npreferring his own profit before their lives; a most Unchristian\nsaying!\n\nOne singular advantage such a Physician will have, that the slanders\nof the Apothecaries will appear to be malicious, as being raised\nagainst such as act contrary to their profit.\n\nBy this means Physicians will unite against the common Enemy, will\ncontribute mutual assistance, and communicate more freely to one\nanother their practice and remedies; and also the frauds and unlawful\npractices of the Apothecaries, will conceal the counsels, and act\nwhatsoever may tend to the advance of their Art; and Patients also\nwill discover the Apothecaries censures, and practices against the\nPhysicians and their prescriptions.\n\nHereby that great interest will decay Apothecaries have in Families\nfor their petty officiousnesses (which Physicians not to displease\nthem have put them upon) these will be taught Nurses, and the\nassistants, and which are by some of these as well, certainly more\ndiligently performed then by the Apothecaries.\n\nHereby the filii Artis, or younger Physicians, will sooner come into a\nbetter and more setled practice, and not be beholden to Apothecaries\nto bring them Patients wherewith they often upbraid them, and glory\namongst themselves and to other persons, that they introduced such and\nsuch a Physician.\n\nHereby Chirurgeons will be restored to some of their employment now\nusurped by the Apothecaries, as leting of blood, applying Leeches,\nPlasters, Cupping-Glasses, Syringing and Salivation, wraping up bodies\nin Cere-Cloaths, &c. which indeed do more properly belong to them then\nto the Apothecaries; hereby also haply many occasions of quarrel\nbetwixt Physicians and the Apothecaries will cease, each party acting\naccording to his own way.\n\nBy this means Pseudochymists, and other Mountebanks mouths and\nrevilings will be stopped, only exclaiming for this, that Physicians\nmake not their own Medicines. But since the publication of these\npapers I am informed that the said Pseudochymists and Mountebanks rail\nagainst me, this Book, and the way propounded, as much as the\nApothecaries, though before equal Enemies each to others. So that they\nhave fulfilled the Proverb, of like to like. And no wonder since\nhereby their Kingdom of darkness is brought to light, and they are\nobliged to oppose it, as the Copper-Smiths were to revile St. Paul for\nspeaking against the Idol of Diana of the Ephesians, whereby their\ntrade was lost.\n\nAnd as for the reasonableness of it, that the Physician ought to\nsupport himself by all lawful ways and means, and to have praeeminence\nabove those ignorant persons that incroach upon his profession, 'tis\nconfessed by all that have considered the great charge, study, and\nlabour, before he can arrive at any benefit from it; for he must take\nthe chargeable degrees of Batchellor, and Master of Arts, Batchellor\nof Physic, and after 14 years standing, the degree of Doctor; besides\nhis bare expences for his maintenance in the University, Charges in\nAnatomies, knowledg of natural things; Travels abroad, Chymistry, and\nExperiments; his Library, Habit, his more free way of living in a\nsuitable house, and Attendants, greater Taxes, &c. insomuch that a\nDoctor of Physic spends more before he comes to practise, then will\nset up perhaps a dozen Apothecaries in a way of livelihood; and\nbesides, great sums of money before he can put himself in a fitting\nEquipage: whereas on the contrary, many young men before their time of\nApprenticeship is out, provide well for themselves by Quacking; and\ncertainly the Study of Physic, and consequently the knowledge of\nNature, must bid farewel to the Universities, if Shops be permitted to\nmake practisers, for such the people will soon create Doctors, which\ntitle the Apothecary takes upon him, though he understand not the\nreason of the name, to the great shame of the Universities, and\nFaculty, when ignorant people shall give, and they challenge the same\ntitle for nothing, attained by the Physician at a great rate and long\nstudy, the vulgar taking Practiser and Doctor to signifie the same\nthing. And which no persons of knowledg and education do, and perhaps\nmost other persons give them in way of Jeering.\n\nFrom the handsom support of Physicians these benefits will accrue to\nthe publick, that thereby the honour all Nations yield to the English\nPhysicians will be kept up, who in the late times, when the reputation\nof the Nation was well neer forfeited abroad, the Physicians then in\nbeing, most whereof are now living, and Members of the College,\nmaintained the credit, for learning and value, of this Kingdom, and\nsince his Majesties happy return, some of them have kept up the honour\nof the Faculty; which manifestly appears by the great esteem\nForeigners have of their Books, by often printing them, and\ntranslating into Latin what hath been published in English, though\nthey are no where so depressed as in England.\n\nA second benefit to the publick is, that men of competent Estates will\nbreed up their Sons in the Art of Physic, giving them such education\nas is necessary, and will not vouchsafe to place them out to\nApothecaries, though now adays want of learning and degrees are\nadjudged as needful a qualification for the exercise of Physic, as\nformerly 'twas for Preaching, and the Shops fit to supply both.\n\nI will conclude this part of my discourse with this observation; that\nthe Laws of England in all their Acts of Parliament, have granted the\npractice of Physic to Physicians and them alone, and in no clause\nthereof put in any restraint at all upon them, but every where, either\nnew priviledges, or a confirmation of the old, have been granted, by\nthe said powers. Whereas on the contrary, the Law supposeth cheats in\nthe Apothecaries Shops, and therefore impowers our Censors to destroy\nand burn what they find bad and corrupt.\n\nThe next thing to be treated of, shall be the ways of Apothecaries\ncreeping into practice, and their unfitness thereunto. As to the\nfirst, heretofore when they were Members of the Company of Grocers,\nand dispersed in place, as well as in counsel, they then were wholy\nsubordinate to the Physicians, only keeping in their Shops, and\nfaithfully making the prescriptions they received from the Physicians,\nand when made, sending them to the Patient by their men (as they still\ncontinue to do in Foreign Countries) and not committing the\npreparation to raw Boys, or Apprentices, which is the true interest of\nthe Patient they should do here likewise. But in process of time,\nPhysicians in acute diseases having taught them somewhat, sent them to\nvisit their Patients, to give them the best account they could of the\nestate of their health, and effect of their Medicines. And of later\nyears some Physicians took them along with them in their Visits,\nwhereby they acquired a little smattering of diseases, by which means,\nand their continual officiousness, they insinuated themselves into\nFamilies, and by applying (right or wrong) the terms of Art they had\nlearned from the Physicians, they made people believe they had\nacquired some skill in the Art, and afterwards began to venture a\nlittle at practice, and but until these 10 years last past kept\nthemselves within some bounds and limits; but since that time have\ndaily more and more incroached upon our Profession, being assisted by\na greater familiarity of conversation with younger Physicians. And in\nthe Plague time they took upon them the whole Practice of Physic,\nwhich ever since they have continued, being much helped also therein\nby the dispersing of Physicians into places unknown to their Patients,\nby the Fire, but above all by the burning of the College, by means\nwhereof their Government and view of their Shops have been omitted,\ninsomuch that now they are past all restraint, having insinuated and\n(as they think) rooted themselves by the aforesaid Artifices, so that\nthere remains now no other real remedy but that proposed.\n\nNow here I shall take occasion in a short digression, to discourse\nbriefly the reason, why in all Ages there have been so many pretenders\nto Physic, and why some of them have got reputation in the World. One\nhath been mentioned before, viz. the great charges sick men are put\nto, caused by the separation of the Physician from the Apothecary. But\nthe principal reason is, the want of knowledge in most persons, both\nof the materials used, and the grounds for which they are applyed.\nInsomuch that there are but few that can judg, and distinguish rightly\nof either, and no wonder therefore that in their reasonings they\ncommit more absurd mistakes, or Paralogisms then in any other Art\nwhatsoever, and censure Physicians by the success alone. Which my Lord\nVerulam accounts the great unhappiness both of the States-man and the\nPhysician, both being alike censured by those that know not the bottom\nand rise of their Actions and Counsels. For how can any man in either\nmake a sound Judgment without a full knowledge of the business it\nself; and of all the circumstances thereunto belonging; nor in Physic\nwithout the concurrent knowledg of the sick mans habit, disease,\ncause, remedies, and many other particulars necessary to make a clear\njudgment upon the success? Yet notwithstanding, many will censure and\ngrumble at the actions of the States-men, though their proceedings\nhave been never so wise, and prudent, and oft-times from muttering and\nwhispering, fall to down-right distast, and mutiny against their\nSuperiors. So that the good success, in State-affairs, of rash and\nimprudent undertakers, have been extolled and preferred before the\nwary, and prudent management, and guidance of the soberest and wisest\nStates-men. The same likewise happens between the bold Empiric, and\nlearnedst Physician. But in this way of censuring, the States-man hath\nthis advantage above the Physician, that 'tis possible he may meet\nwith a series of Business so circumstantiated, as seldom or never to\nmiscarry, especially having a greater power over subordinate persons\nthen Physicians have. But the irreversible statute of Heaven forbids\nus to expect a constant recovery of our Patients, for 'tis appointed,\nthat all men must die. 'Tis sufficient therefore for us, to employ\nthose remedies God hath given to the Sons of men, to the utmost vertue\nthe Creator hath endowed them withal: since his eternal decree hath\nlimited their efficacy from making man immortal. Now since (if men\njudg by the success alone) it cannot be otherwise, but that the most\nlearned Physician, and most sottish Empiric must be thought equal in\nskill, by those that are not able to make a right judgment and\ndifference betwixt them on other principles. Hence it comes to pass,\nthat where some ignorant person hath cured accidentally a slight\ndisease, and a Physician hath a Patient dye of an irrecoverable Case,\nhere the Empiric shall be applauded, and the Physician decryed. Nay\nmany will say the disease is the same in both, whereas we daily see\nmost gross mistakes in such opinions, when the Cases differ totally in\ntheir Nature, agreeing in one sign only common to both the Cases\nproposed, nay to many other also. Furthermore, if a Patient dy under\nan Empirics hand, the friends willingly conceal their Names, lest some\ndiscredit should befal them for using such worthless practisers; but\nif under the hands of a known Physician he shall be sure to be named,\nand sometimes his attendance falsly fathered on him, when Mountebanks\nonly have been employed: but to besure if an Empiric hath first been\nmade use of, and afterwards an able Physician called in (when all\nopportunity of doing good was past) and the Patient dy, the Mountebank\nhath never been mentioned, but the Physician perhaps condemned though\nhe hath done whatsoever could have been thought on, rational in that\nCase.\n\nAdd to the former reasons, the bold and confident brags, and promises\nof Empirics, that they have cured worse diseases, and will in few\nhours free them from their maladies, especially where sober Physicians\nhave pronounced doubtfully of the event. No wonder that these pleasing\npromises to persons in danger and distress bring them into employment\neven with a rejection of the former sober Physician.\n\nBesides, a foolish opinion prevails with some ignorant persons, that\nthey will deal only with such as will undertake the Cure, (that is)\ncontract with them for a sum of money, one half whereof to be payed in\nhand, and the other the Cure being done, and so are usually cheated of\none half of their money; and such people will have nothing to do with\nsuch Physicians as will not undertake them in this sence.\n\nAnother Stratagem is, to give strange and hard names to their\nMedicines, such as are Pilulae radiis Solis extractae, and in English is\nno more then Pills dryed to that consistence by the Sun-Beams, which\nignorant people have thought were made of the Sun Beams. Others\ncommend their Extract of the Soul of the Heathen Gods. One sets up\nwith a receipt received from Van Helmonts own hands; Another hath\nreceived from a Jew the shining of Moses Face; nay I have heard a\nPseudochymist blasphemously brag, he saw in the making of a grand\nElixir, the Quintessence of the Trinity in Unity, and infinite other\npitiful captivations of silly people, to be seen on every Gate and\nPost of this City; such as are the Spirit of the Salt of the World,\nPanchymagogon, and other ten-footed Greek names, and some other\nMongrel non-sensical ones compounded of several Languages; promising\ncertain, speedy, and concealed Cure of incurable Diseases.\n\nAnd no less ridiculous and absurd to considering persons are, their\ncantings of themselves, wherewith they no less befool, amuse, and\nbeguile the people; as that by long prayer, and seeking of God, they\nhave had many secrets revealed to them from Heaven. Another by long\nTravels through Hungary, Poland, &c. hath attained great secrets from\nKings and Emperours. Another a Gentleman lately come from Oxford, or\nCambridg, Cures the Pox, Running of the Reins, &c. in Capital Letters,\nat all which what sober man cannot but laugh? Yet such as these are\ninducements to many to resort to them; moreover some of them are\nAstrologers, Physiognomers, Fortunetellers, Professors of Palmistry\nand such other vain Arts; much applauded by the weaker sort of people.\n\nBesides, the former they have their Emissaries, Scouts, and Setters up\nand down, to cry up the skill And feigned Cures done by them, Nurses,\nGood-fellows, Midwives, &c. to make up the cry and full noise.\n\nNow it being natural to most people to admire what they understand\nnot, and for Admiration to infer Love, and Love Praise, and Praise the\nuse especially of such things as are set off with high and lofty\nexpressions, it necessarily follows that such persons will cry up, and\nmake use of, those that by these means captivate their understandings,\nespecially their credits being ingaged also; but above all, if they\nproceed from meaner persons, of whom they are most credulous, having\nin suspition wiser men, believing the former are not able, and that\nthe wiser are able; and therefore will deceive them. All which appears\nin some with us cryed up above any Physician that ever was in England,\nthough for pitiful, dangerous, nay sometimes mortal Medicines, whereby\ngreat sums of money have been gained in a short time; I shall instance\nfirst in Lockyers Pills made of Antimony, discovered to be so by some\nof my Collegues, and my self, at the first selling of them. A Medicine\nas ill made as any of that Mineral, and no Physician though meanly\nversed in Chymistry, but could have excelled it. Yet so great a Vogue\nthis Pill had for some time, that infinite people resorted to him, and\npurchased them for their lives, both for themselves, and Families, and\n(as I have heard) for their posterities too. Though a common Chimney\nin a little time would have made enough of it to have served the whole\nNation for some years to come, and that at very small charges. But\nExperience, the Tutor of too many, hath in a short time brought these\nPills into a dis-use, if not a total Oblivion, even amongst the\nvulgar.\n\nA second cryed up Medicine was Mathews's Pills, made of Opium (to\nwhich the virtue of the whole Composition must be attributed) of white\nHellebor Roots, and Oyl of Turpentine, whereto some add Salt of\nTartar, which will puzzle the most knowing Naturalist to declare why\nthese should be thus jumbled together; unless to obscure the Opium.\n'Tis indeed a very cunning Composition, for by giving rest and ease it\nmay easily decoy people into the use of them, though by long taking of\nthem, diseases become far more uncurable then they are in their own\nNature.\n\nA third Universal Medicine was Hughes's Powder, sold by him at 10 s.\nthe Grain, and 3 l. 10 s. the Dose, made doubtless of Gold and\nQuicksilver. The tast and weight of it manifestly discover the former\nto be an ingredient into it, and the effect, viz. Salivation proves\nthe latter to be part of the compound. Besides I have made of these\ntwo dissolved, and digested in their peculiar Menstruums, in no long\nspace of time, a Medicine that had the same effect with his, and in\nthe same Dose, and having a View of his Cabinet left after his Death,\ncontaining a large quantity of the said Powder (being all he left\nbehind him) there was found crude Gold, and Quicksilver in the same\nCabinet. Now these three Notorious Universal Medicines were put to\nsale by most ignorant persons. Add hereunto the forementioned Mr.\nDe-laun's Pill, whereof I shall say nothing, being mentioned under the\nName of the Pilule ex duobus, in the London Dispensitory, though some\nmake them of the Extract of Coloquintida. The last of any Fame with\nus, were Dr. Goddard's Drops, a good Medicine, but not so universal,\nand superlative as he would have made the World believe, and was\nnothing else but what some Physicians many years since enjoyed. I well\nremember that in the late troubles, a Person then in great Authority,\nhaving cryed up this above all the Medicines in the World, a round\nwager was offered, that the Doctor should not distinguish his own from\ntwo others that should be brought him, both which were but Spirit of\nHarts-horn. But the wager would not be accepted of. Furthermore, that\nthis Medicine of his was Spirit of Harts-horn, some relations plainly\nargue; One whereof was the following.\n\nA certain person in Norfolk having sent for as much as came to a 11 l.\nand dying upon the 2d. dose of it, and by accident most part of the\nremainder being spilt; there comes in a friend to the House, of some\nskill, who supposing it to be Spirit of Harts-horn, told the Widow he\nwould endeavour to gain back the money for her. And thereupon went to\na Chymist, and bought as much of the said Spirit, as would make up the\nquantity purchased of Dr. Goddard, who after Tryal of it by smell, and\ntast, acknowledged it to be his, and honestly payed back the sum 'twas\nfirst sold for; which I think few of the Mountebanks do. Sure I am\nthat a Quack sold 21 Pills for 20 l. whereof the Patient took 4 at two\ndoses, to the great hazard of his life, who then repairing to me for\nmy advice, I by Tryal of one of them found them to be Mercurial, and\nwished him to return them back, but the Quack would not give him 10 s.\nfor the 16 remaining.\n\nThe inference and sum of what hath been said, is to shew briefly by\nwhat Artifices people are deceived in their Healths, and Purses, and\nhow easily the ignorant are couzened, and such practices used, that\nPhysicians, men of honesty and repute, would be ashamed to own, and\nmust by using them in a short time be ruined and discredited. And such\nCheats as these, the College of Physicians are bound by the Laws of\nthe Land to decry, and punish (though by so doing it hath often\nincurred the censure and clamor of the vulgar) Besides the Statute of\nthe 14th. and 15th. of Henry the Eighth injoyns us to it, declaring\nthat 'tis good for the Common-wealth of this Realm, and therefore\nexpedient, and necessary to provide that no person of the College of\nPhysicians (for all practisers then were of the said body) be suffered\nto exercise, and practise Physic, but only those persons that be\nprofound, sad, and discreet, groundly learned, and deeply studyed in\nPhysic. Now certain it is, that none of the said body did or dare use\nany of the forementioned frauds and deceits, but will constantly\nindeavour (since 'tis impossible but there will be Cheatees;\n(according to the old Proverb, Populus vult decipi, The People will be\ndeceived) to abridge the number of the Cheaters, who answer to the\nformer part of the Proverb, Decipiatur, Let them be couzened.\n\nI shall end this discourse by returning from my digression to the\nApothecaries, who may and do use some of the tricks before-mentioned,\nand shall here briefly recite some great advantages they have, and\nmake use of above Physicians. One is, that they live in this City 7 or\n8 years as Apprentices, as also by their retail Trade, and by living\nin open Shops, by frequent converse with their fellow Citizens,\nwhether in Commerce or Offices, by many friendly and Neighbourly\nmutual kindnesses and actions, wherein they spend their whole lives,\nand are never diverted by studies, and ingenuity from their proposed\nway of gain, by all which means they get into a fixed familiarity and\ngood opinion with their Neighbours, and a large acquaintance in the\nWorld. Now for their skill, besides what hath been before-mentioned,\nand common to them with the Mountebank, viz. Vapouring and braging of\ntheir skill, and decrying Physicians, by talking above the Capacity of\nthose they converse with, who therefore take all they say to be\nauthentick, though never so absurd, and trivial, and many times to set\noff themselves they will venture to speak Latine commonly as false as\nthe matter, although some of them at Coffee-Houses, and in other mixt\nCompanies, by venturing so boldly have been met with and baffled, and\nmade to depart thence with shame and discredit enough, which their\nfriends and acquaintance take little notice of. Add hereunto their\nexposing to view their Compositions of Treacle, Mithridate,\nDiascordium and Alkermes, which all their friends, and neighbours one\ntime or another must see; (being set off by some very curiously) and\nseeing cannot but admire the great charge, art, and labour of the\nApothecary, and perhaps hear his learned Lecture upon them, whereby\nthey imply their great skill, knowledg in the virtues of these\ningredients, and consequently an ability to practise with them; all\nwhich are below the dignity of a Physician; and therefore a long time\nis necessary for him to gain acquaintance, wanting the fore-mentioned\nopportunities the Apothecaries enjoy. Lastly, Their painted Pots and\nGlasses, with false Titles on them, more win the vulgar then a\nPhysicians Library of far greater value.\n\nAs to their incapacity for Practice, 'tis manifest by their education,\nand ignorance of all those things which are required in an able\nPhysician, viz. the knowledg of Arts and Languages; by the former\nwhereof men learn the way and rules of observing, and improvements to\nbe made thereon; by the latter, what the learned searchers of Nature\nhave in all Ages taken notice of, necessary, and little enough in an\nArt so difficult as that of Physic. They are wholy ignorant also of\nall Philosophy, and the very Elements of the Art, and therefore\nunskillful in knowing diseases; and more surely their causes, whereto\nrespect is to be had, as well as to the diseases, to which, fit\nremedies are to be applyed. For want of Anatomy know neither the part\naffected, nor how 'tis affected; much lets any thing of Chirurgical\ndirections. And through their ignorance in Philosophy, and Arts, they\nhave not skill enough to advise a diet sutable to diseases; a thing\nmost necessary, as well in curing diseases as in preserving of health,\nand which requires a great insight into the nature of things; nor the\ntrue grounds and reasons of compounding, practising their way rather\nby rote then by rule; with better reason may a Brick-layer or\nCarpenter pretend to be a Mathematical, or a Common Fidler to be a\nMusick Reader in the Universities, or Gresham-College, since both\nthese have the practical part of those Sciences, which Apothecaries\nhave not in Physic, in the least measure.\n\nAnd to conceal their mis-actings, they generally do all by word of\nmouth, and not enter their prescriptions into their Books, being haply\nashamed any knowing men should discover their sins of omission, as\ndangerous many times in point of life and health, as those of their\ncommission. Whereas Physicians Bills are on the File, or registred in\nOrder in their own Books, which is their justification from all\nmisrepresentations.\n\nAgain, they sufficiently confess their ignorance, by calling in\nPhysicians when their own, or any of their relations healths are\nconcerned, and the same all people acknowledge, when they are in\ndistress and danger. And very few understanding persons, and none that\nare learned and knowing, will trust them at all. But I shall refer the\nReader to the forementioned Writer against the Apothecaries, viz. Dr.\nDaniel Coxe, who permitted me to name him here; by whom this and many\nother things here but briefly touched, are judiciously handled, and\nmore largely.\n\nAnd as for their skill in practice, we daily see their gross errours\nand omissions, being called where they have given Medicines. I shall\ninstance only in one that hapned at the writing hereof; viz. that an\nApothecary gave strong Purging Pills on the Fit day of a gentle\nQuartan Ague, which turned it into a violent Fever, to the great\nhazard of the Patients life.\n\nAnd at how easie rate they practise, many of their Bills brought and\ncomplained of to our College, (in some whereof I have seen Fees set\ndown for Visits) witness, wherein upon a slight disease 5 l. hath been\ndemanded for four days practice. And I have heard one of them brag,\nthat he commonly had from 20 to 100 l. besides presents, for cure of a\nClap (as they call it) which might have been more speedily and\nsecurely performed for a manifold lesser sum.\n\nI now come to answer some slight objections; as first, that Physicians\nare unskillful in the Art of making Medicines; but sure those that\nthus object cannot deny them that ability which Ladies, and almost all\nordinary women have; viz. of distilling of waters of all sorts, making\nof Syrups, Conserves, Preserves, Powders, Trochiscs, Electuaries (and\nwhat not) and as many think, more cleanly and neatly then the\nApothecaries; and some of them Ointments, and Plasters, in which two\nlyes their main skill. Some whereof, to those that understand not the\nway of dissolution of bodies, and the nature of their mixture may be\ndifficult. Yet this defect they may supply by lessening the number of\ningredients, and may perform more with 2, or 3 Simples, then with the\nlarger Compositions, as 'tis manifest in the use of Galbanum alone,\nnow used and found better then Emplastrum Hystericum, consisting of 21\ningredients.\n\nAnd though as matters now stand, Physicians have not the honour to be\ncounted superiour to Apothecaries in their Art, yet every one knows\nthat they alone are the prescribers and directors of the Apothecaries\nin what they know; and are able to puzzle them in infinite things that\nconcern their Trade, besides in Chymical preparations, whereof most of\nthem are totally ignorant; and should Physicians withdraw themselves\nfrom their conversation, few pretenders to Physic would appear more\nunskillful then they, neither knowing how to deal with a new Simple,\nnor a new disease. And for all their pretences of skill in Drugs, 'tis\nmost certain that the State makes Physicians not Apothecaries, Judges\nof them; and the Statute of Henry the VIII. appoints the College\nCensors upon Oath, not the Apothecaries to judg, and condemn false and\nsophisticated Medicines.\n\nA second objection wherewith they flatter themselves, is, that the\ngreat expence of time in preparing Medicines will keep Physicians from\nthis course. I answer, that the Physician needs not spend much more\nthen half an hour in a day, one with another, on this work, and may\nfaster dispense them then the Apothecaries to Hospitals, who in an\nafternoon can provide for 100, nay sometimes 200 sick men, and carry\nthem to the Hospital, and dispose them to each single person, which\ntakes up much time, which the Physicians Servants need not be put to.\n\nA third objection is, that this course, which before 'twas put in\npractice they derided, now used is railed at, will undo them. I answer\nthat if needs, one or the other must be ruined, 'tis more reasonable\nthat the Apothecary should suffer then the Physician, because the one\nacts but his duty, and for the publick good, but the other are\ntransgressors of the Law, and act above the Sphere of their skill, and\ndo many prejudices to the precious lives, and healths of men; and the\nrather, because 'tis in their own power to prevent this mischief, by\nstinting the number of their Servants (as 'tis in foreign parts, and\nin England also, in very many if not most other Trades. Nay our State\nallows but a set number of Printers) for they acknowledg themselves,\nthat the exceeding increase of their number must necessarily in a\nshort time bring them all to shifting and beggery, and a greater want\nof skill then what they now pretend to. But to answer this Objection\nmore fully, I affirm Apothecaries have made and do make use of several\nother ways of subsistence; besides their bare trades (none of which\nPhysicians can use) viz. some of them in this City as well as in the\nCountry, sell Grocery-wares, and by both together, gain Estates.\nSecondly, They barter in Drugs and other Commodities, selling them\namongst themselves, and to other Tradesmen. Furthermore, they are now\nbuilding a Laboratory to make all sorts of Chymical Medicines,\nintending to supply the whole Nation with them, which must necessarily\nundo all the Chymists in London; and whether in time they will not\ndistil Strong-waters, &c. (an easie thing for them to undertake) and\nby this means to ruine the Corporation of Distillers of Strong-waters,\nI leave to the said Company to conceive as they please. However, this\nI have heard several of them say, that they resolve to buy all sorts\nof Drugs, and make a Magazine of them, as well as of the greater\nCompositions, at their own Hall; and to sell them to the Members of\ntheir Company, whereby the Trade of the Druggist, must be much\nlessened, if not totally over-thrown. So little regard have they of\nany other employment but of their own, yet all these things they may\ndo without any offence against the Laws of the Land. Why then should\nthey, who have so many ways of subsistence, envy, and usurp unlawfully\nover the single and lawful way granted Physicians for their\nlivelihood? Or why would they repine, and revile them for advancing\ntheir Art, the publick health and profit, and for maintaining their\nprofession by their Pens, and actings against themselves, who are the\nfirst aggressors in this division? Which I profess to be the sole end\nof these present papers, and heartily wish they may thrive and prosper\nas long as they conform themselves to the Laws of Honesty, Reason, and\nof the Land. Besides, why may not the Plaisterer more reasonably\npretend the same to the Painter, and many other Trades against one\nanother, as the Brick-layer to the Stone-Cutter, &c. that they\nunderstand the Trade, and that truly too, and that they cannot subsist\nwithout this incroachment? And why should not Chirurgeons keep open\nApothecaries Shops? but that the same Law limits those Tradesmen, as\nwell as prohibits the Apothecary from the practice of Physic. And\nsurely the Law and State have no consideration of those persons\nsubsistence, who conform not to them; and why should we have of those,\nsubordinate to us, who against all good Conscience take away from us\nall that is our due, and continually traduce and slander us very\nuntruly and designingly?\n\nThe last objection (and a strange one) is, that in this private way of\ngiving Medicines, Physicians may poyson their Patients. But this is\neasily retorted upon the Apothecaries, who may themselves or their\nServants do the like, as 'tis known in the poysoning of Sir Thomas\nOverbury; besides, since it cannot be otherwise, but that the Patient\nmust trust somebody, 'tis better to trust one then many; and if one,\nbetter him whose education will teach him better Morality, (and who\nhath given his Faith (equivalent to an Oath) twice to the Body of the\nCollege; viz. once at his admission as Candidate, and a second time at\nhis admission as Fellow; whereby he promiseth in these words, That he\nshall give nothing to cause miscarriage, or to destroy, or hinder\nConception, nor Poysons (for of such, good Medicines may be made) to\nan evil purpose, nay that he shall not even teach them where there is\nany suspicion of ill using of them. Which promise is nothing else but\nthe Oath proposed by Hippoc. to Physicians, in the entrance to his\nBooks) then to trust such as want these qualifications; and this seems\nto be the reason why our Common Law makes it Felony, for any person to\nhave any one dy under his hand, unless he were a lawful Physician.\nMore noble and generous was the opinion of Alexander the Great,\nconcerning his Physician, who confidently drank off that Medicine\nwhich cured him, though he was before informed by some friend that\n'twas poysoned. Neither can History it self to my knowledg produce any\nexample, that ever any such foolish Villany was acted; Though\ndoubtless many lives might have been saved if the Apothecaries would\nhave complyed with the College, in their proposed Orders for selling\nRats-bane.\n\nIn the next place I shall recite some few of their devices against\nthose Physicians in particular that make their own Medicines, as to\ntell the Patient that is averse to Chymical Medicines, that the Doctor\nis Chymical, and that because forsooth he makes his own Medicines; but\nto those that affect Chymical, that the Doctor is but a Galenist, and\nuseth only dull and ineffectual remedies, as best suits to the sick\nmans Palat. A second is, that if this Physician be called in to a\nPatient, the Apothecary will pretend present danger, and in his\nabsence call in another, or pretend he is abroad when he is not, or\nelse that the Case requires the counsel of two Physicians; and what\nother devices they use, I have not well learned.\n\nNow briefly follow some small Scandals they cast upon the said\nPhysicians, as first that they do it for want of practice; the falsity\nwhereof is known by those few that do act this way already, and\nshortly 'twill be more apparent, when many more of good practice,\nsingular parts and honesty will do the like, and certainly nothing but\nlazyness, ignorance, or want of will to do the utmost good they are\nable for the sick, can hinder them from so doing, except age,\ninfirmity of body, or want of convenience. But suppose 'tis so as they\nalledg, doubtless every man may and ought to use all lawful means for\nhis own subsistence; and do not our adversaries say they are inforced\nto it, affirming that unless they give Medicines of themselves, their\nacquaintance will go to another Apothecary who will do it, though one\nof their Company told me, they had power by their Charter to restrain\npractice? Whence (if true) it clearly follows that the whole Company\nallows it.\n\nBut those Physicians, that for the reasons above, cannot nor will not\ntake this course, are to be admonished, to do here as the Physicians\ndid in France, for the good of people, viz. to tell their Patients the\nprices of Medicines, and to write their Bills in English, that thereby\nthe Patients may not pay too unreasonable for them.\n\nI now conclude, having performed this ungrateful task, with as much\nbrevity, mildness of Spirit, and language, as the business would\npermit (and what the prudent Statutes of our College require of each\nof their members, that we shall by all honest and lawful ways and\nmeans prosecute all illiterate Mountebanks and Impostors, &c. and is\nno more then the Laws and Charters granted to us allow, and what we\ntwice faithfully promise (as much an Oath as we can give) viz. at our\nadmission as Candidate and as Fellow) being obliged to another work of\ngreater difficulty, and concern, long since promised, having been too\nlong diverted with fitting my self for my intended practice, and\nseveral other unavoidable Occasions.\n\n\nPostscript.\n\nReader, There intervening so small a space from the publication of the\nfirst Edition of these Papers to this second; I thought to have added\nnothing to it, but to have put it out only more correct, as the Title\nintimates; but since some Sheets were printed off, I have had the\nopportunity to be informed of some exceptions taken to them, which\nbeing but few, I shall give the Objectors full satisfaction in. Though\none answer might serve for all; viz. that an Apothecary in the\npresence of two Physicians, said, that he had told me of all these\nCheats, and indeed they are so common, that whosoever shall be\nconversant with them, may observe most of these to be a great part of\ntheir discourse. The First exception against Myrtle-leafs, that they\nwere not shewed the Censors for Sena, a Binder for a Purger; the time\nI have forgot; the Censors then were, Sir George Ent, Dr. Goddard, Dr.\nKing, and my Self; the places, Tut-hill-street, and some Shops in\nKing-street; Mr. Shellberry being then Master of the Company.\nSecondly, As for Mushrooms rubbed over with Chalk for Agaric; this was\nfound by the Censors in the Old-Baily, at the Shop of one now dead,\nand therefore I shall say no further of it, it being taken notice of\nby Mr. Evelyn, as is intimated before. p.8. A Third is Diascordium\nmade of Honey and Bole-Armeniac, this was discovered in a Shop at the\nend of Drury-lane near Holborn, concluded to be so by Sir George Ent,\nMy Self, and Mr. Richardson then Master of the Company, and the rest\nof the Censors and Wardens, easily to be remembred, and was by them\ntaken away to their Hall; a pound whereof I had, and by dissolution\nfound it to be no otherwise; what the Apothecaries did with the large\nPot of the remainder I know not. Besides these, I have heard no\nexception to the whole concerning frauds.\n\nNow since the Cheaters with the Cheatees, most insist on the objection\nof Poyson; I add to what hath been formerly said; that Poysons are not\nnecessarily to be given in Medicines alone, but may be given in\nBroaths, Beer, or any other thing taken into the Body, and that\nwithout the consultation or knowledg of any Physician, and surely if\nany one had a mind to Poyson his Relations (an Action abominable to\nthe English Nation) he would rather Act privately himself, having many\nopportunities offered to him, rather then by communicating it to\nothers, make himself obnoxious to their discovery. But if he should\ncommunicate to others, 'tis more probable he would communicate it to\nmeaner, and more Mercenary persons, as Apothecaries and Nurses, at a\nsmaller rate and with more security, then reveal such secrets to\nPhysicians, Men of Honour, and Honesty. Furthermore, if any mans life\nbe suspected to be taken away with Poyson, and by opening the body it\nshould appear so (and without which it cannot well appear) the\nPhysician is doubtless as lyable to the Law as any other person\nwhatsoever. So that the Patient hath as much moral security from this\nmischief, as possibly can be had, or wished in humane affairs. Nay\nsuppose the Physician might be so corrupted (as to take away his\nPatients life) he might effect it without the least suspition; either\nby neglecting, or omitting what was necessary, or by giving him\nunproper Medicines, for which he could be accused of ignorance or\nerrour only; besides, if he had a mind to poyson, he as well as\nothers, assistants of Visitors, might do it securely enough, by\nconveying into a singular Cordial, or any Medicine made by the Shops,\nand often taken by the Patient before with good success, a mortal dose\nwithout any knowledg or surmise of any such horrid practice. Add\nhereunto what an able Chirurgeon suggested, that Apothecaries taking\nupon them the wrapping up, and Embalming of Bodies (whereby they gain\nmore money then by several years practice upon them; for their\nembalming amounts to very great sums) may upon better reason be\nsuspected of poysoning then any other persons whatsoever conversant\namong the sick, since both a particular interest and convenience of\nconcealing may induce them to it. Lastly, did this Objection carry any\nweight in it, then neither Physicians, Chirurgeons, Apothecaries,\nNurses, nor Friends, might administer to the sick; because all these,\nas well as Physicians, may clandestinely poyson their Relations. And\ntherefore that an Objection should be raised by such persons that have\nmore opportunities and advantage (in a thing never proved to be done,\nbecause 'tis possible only) to hinder so manifest and publick a profit\nas hath been proved; appears to be very weak and absurd.\n\nAnd having done with the Objections made to others, and to my self\nalso by some of the Company, with whom I have conversed, who huff'd\nexceedingly at my first discourse with them, but departed (seemingly\nat least) well satisfied, I am sure fully and without reply answered,\nand with addition of many other Cheats besides, which I shall not here\nmention for the reasons above specified: I shall here transcribe one\ngratulatory Letter amongst many sent me by a Divine well known in\nPhysic, being very comprehensive of most I have said, to the end the\nUniversities and all learned men may see what is like to become of one\nof the three of their noble professions: The words of the Letter are\nthese.\n\n  \"Your design all ingenious persons approve highly, to whom I have\n  communicated it. 'Tis frequent with a Master Apothecary that hath\n  served but 2, or 3 years, nay some scarce one, to take Apprentices\n  for as little, or less time, with a little more money then\n  ordinarily; and presently they assume the Title of Doctors, though\n  they understand no more then only to write to a whole-sale\n  Apothecary in your City. And truly their couzenages here in the\n  Country do exceed those in the City. For I have known 2s. 6d.\n  taken for a little Plaster of Galbanum, and it is usual to make\n  one pectoral Syrup serve for all; as having occasion to enquire\n  for Syrup of Jujubs, one of them ingenuously confessed (not\n  knowing what Jujubs were) that he used one pectoral Syrup for all,\n  a little varying the colour sometimes, and this a peculiar receipt\n  of his own, something differing from any in the Dispensatory.\"\n\nAs for their opposition also in the Country, take this one Example. An\neminent Physician of Gloucester by reason of the Apothecaries Frauds,\n&c. betook himself to make his own Medicines, taking for his Servant\none that was not a Freeman of the said City. Who in his Masters\nabsence, and contrary to his command, sold to an Apothecary a Medicine\nnot to be had, or at least pretended not to be had in the Town, for a\nmost urgent and necessary use; whereupon the Apothecaries conspiring\ntogether, exhibited a complaint to the Mayor and Court of Aldermen,\nrequiring of them, that the said Physician (who was a Freeman, and had\nlately born the Office of Mayor) might be dis-franchised. Which being\nnot granted them, they set the whole City into such disorder, that\nthey refused to attend the Mayor on a Solemn day (as their Custom is,\nand are bound to do) with their Flags from their Town-Hall to the\nChurch, which the prudence of the Magistrates for the present\nqualified. This relation I had from the then Mayor my Kinsman, in the\npresence of a London Apothecary.\n\nNext as to the Lyes and Scandals of my self, I shall take notice only\nof those that concern practice (the rest being but generally false and\nnon-sensical revilings.) One is, that they most untruly entitle me to\nhave been Physician to the Lady Anderson, and many others which I\nnever saw or heard of; and that I soon dispatched them. Another\nwherewith they make great noise, is, of one Mr. Staples in\nCovent-Garden, whom they say also I dispatched in few days. The true\nrelation whereof was this. An able Physician of the College had him in\nhand for the Jaundice, about two Months before I was called, whereupon\nwe consulted and writ a note to the Apothecary; a week after the\nconsultation I was sent for, and desired to take care of him alone; he\nwas then, besides the Jaundice, troubled with continual Torments in\nhis Bowels, which were as hard as a Board (as they say) his Stomach\ngone, his nights restless, a vehement Cough joyned with a Hectick\nFever, having long before had an ill Habit of Body. In this Case I\nfound him, and in a Months time or thereabouts, I cured his Jaundice,\nrelieved his Torments, removed the hardness of his Bowels, mitigated\nhis Cough, but the Hectick Fever continuing he declined; at length\nanother Physician was called in, who can witness the truth of what was\ndone, and upon the whole we had good reason to think his Liver to be\nApostemated. After which consultation he had no more of me, telling me\nhe would rely on Kitchin Physic, and after that I never saw him. Now\nthis being the only relation I have heard in this kind, I have been\nthe larger to recite it, that thereby the Reader may take an estimate\nof their dealing with me in the like reports. The like or worse, some\nof them have said of other Physicians, which perhaps hereafter shall\nbe more fully related with all the Circumstances.\n\nAs for their malicious anger, and disadvantageous to themselves, take\nthis one example; I having prescribed a Plaster for the Head, an\nApothecary would not make it, because prescribed by me; and I have\nbeen informed that many of them agreed they would make nothing for\nsuch Physicians as made their own Medicines; a poor and pitiful\nrevenge, to their own loss and discredit.\n\nAnother Scandal is, the fewness of my Medicines. 'Tis true my Closet\nis not open to every bodies Eye, nor have I so many and large Pots and\nGlasses, or fill'd with as good as nothing, or the same Medicine, in\nseveral with different Titles, neither are any of mine guilded to make\na shew with; yet I dare offer to view with the best of their Shops,\nfor number of good and really useful Medicines fit to answer presently\nany Physicians intentions, for internal remedies. And this will be\nattested by some of my learned Collegues, who have seen and perused\nthem. Whereas the Shops contain only some general Medicines, whereof\nfew single Physicians make use of one quarter in their practice, and\nupon most particular cases are compell'd to prescribe what is not\nreadily dispensed in the Shops. Others insinuate my seldom change of\nMedicines. To which I answer, that where all circumstances are the\nsame, and a good success follows, I neither do, nor will much vary,\nthe easiest thing in the World to be done, both to colour and tast.\nFor such changes (necessary to be used in Shop-practice) without\nmanifest reason, clog a Patients Purse and Stomach, may not suit with\nthe Patients Disease nor Constitution. And doubtless every Physician\nwrites at first what he conceives most fit, and proper in the Case\nproposed; and if this agrees fully to his expectation, runs some\nhazard in the alteration, which he is necessitated to do in the\nShop-way, for many reasons before-mentioned. Besides, who scruples to\ntake the Medicinal Waters of Epsom, Barnet, and Tunbridge, many weeks\ntogether? or who refuseth a constant unalter'd Diet-Drink for some\nMonths, or Years together? And do not Apothecaries in all Diseases of\nthe Lungs, fly to their pectoral decoction for all persons, and for\nthe same person at all times, unless perhaps with the addition of a\nlittle China to it?\n\nSome Patients of the middle rank have by these and such like Artifices\nbeen drawn from me, but have soon returned, being undeceived by the\nfulsomness, charge, and the non-success of the Shops.\n\nNow these things I have here published to this end alone, that both\nPhysician and Patient may take notice of them; the former to neglect\nand slight such poor Calumnies, and the other to avoid the\ninconveniencies thence arising.\n\nThe care I had not to injure any particular person, by naming him in\nmy first Edition, or this (although I had so many witnesses of credit,\nas appears by the Postscript, to justifie any thing they can object\nagainst) makes me hope they will leave off their personal animosities,\nor redress their Crimes, their Vanity of threatning me with 20000 l.\nActions, and affrighting my publishing this, together with my further\nproceedings, by their intended assaults and batteries; which make them\nappear so ridiculous, that I smile at the first, and pardon the last;\nwishing them to consider seriously how the expectation some have of\nwhat they can say for themselves, together with the necessity that\nobliges them to it (if possible) were enough one would think, besides\ntheir many large brags of a speedy and full answer (which they have a\nlong time buzzed about the Town as a present remedy in this exigence)\nthis I say were enough to make any man conclude them guilty, but 'tis\nhoped this Edition will either work in them an amendment, or bury\ntheir confident presumptions, leaving no man a belief of their\ninnocency. If their promised answer be any thing else but Libelling,\nor a Ballad without rhime or reason, stuft with falsities and\nrevilings, such as was only given to Dr. Coxe's Book; I shall return\nit a speedy and full answer, and with an addition of far greater\nFrauds and Abuses, if they therein desire it.\n\n                                                               Feb. 20\n                                                        Hatton-Garden.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n\nPag. 35. l. 6 read Physician, pag. 67. l. 13. read then to trust.\n\nFINIS.","title":"A Short View of the Frauds and Abuses Committed by Apothecaries: As well in Relation to Patients, as Physicians: And Of the; only Remedy thereof by Physicians making their own; Medicines.","tradition":"philosophy-ethics","translated_text":null,"word_count":20012}