Page:Best Mode of Increasing Medical Knowledge in CT (1795).djvu/7

 a Physician, Surgeon, and Midwife; and sometimes as an Apothecary; for the Methods of compounding Medicines are so very different, precarious and uncertain amongst the Apothecaries, that every Judicious Practitioner, inclines to compound his own Medicines, rather than exhibit those whose Strength is unknown to the Purchaser. Now, how far short of the Qualifications I have described, many of our Practitioners come, will appear under the Subsequent Narration.

Having thus mentioned the Qualifications necessary for a Physician; I proceed to the Second thing proposed, viz. To describe the various modes of Medical Instruction, and the methods used in introducing Imposters into the Practice of Physic in this Country.

He that desires to become acquainted with any Art or Science, ought to avoid the Study of those Books, and the Instructions of those Masters that will lead him into Error; for if he takes a wrong Road in the beginning of his Journey, the further he goes, the greater will be his distance from the Right way, and the more difficult will it be for him to find it: and if he will not be convinced of his Error, by any Friend, who may endeavour to show him the Right Path, he will entirely miss the mark he was aiming at. Just so it is with those who attempt to become good Physicians; for if they set out wrong, and have Error infused into them, they miss of the Prize they intended to obtain.