Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/18

 they may pass for good, which perhaps 'tis better to pass over in silence, left by confuting I should teach the younger Fry, who may better be honestly ignorant of them. Now for their substituting one thing for another, and detracting where they please, I shall add but one Story of an Apothecary, who commanded his man (who told him they had no good Rhabarb in the house) that he should put in double quantity of what they had. Nay I have known one simple of a quite different nature used for a whole composition.

Tenthly, I shall conclude this ungrateful Discourse, with saying that by reason more frauds may be committed by the Apothecaries, then by any other Trade, and by supposition that gain will tempt most men to dishonest actions, especially where they may act undiscovered; I say, that this seems to be the cause why they have two Supervisors set over them more then any Company that I know of, viz. the Censors of the College of Physicians, and the Master and Wardens of their own Company.

The next thing is the inlarging and multiplying their Bills and Medicines.

First, When in Chronical Diseases a Physician is consulted, they go on of their own heads with the same prescription, frequently enough to the Patients great disadvantage, both of health and purse.

Secondly, By giving and intermixing Medicines of their own Phancy, with the Physicians prescriptions, viz. some pleasing Medicine, whereby too often the Physicians intention is quite crost, and the effect made uncertain, and hazardous.

Rh