Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/33

 Ale-Houses sell purging Drinks, and Book-sellers sell Chymical Medicines, and all this without much regret of the Apothecaries. But if a Physician intermix a Medicine with theirs, though the Patients life be saved thereby, what noise, and murmuring, and proclaiming of it the next Market-day to the rest of their Company? to what purpose any one may judg.

Seventhly, Why should not Physicians, being lawfully authorized thereunto, practise with their own Medicines, as well as the Apothecaries with theirs, though against Law, and incurring thereby the penalty of 5l. per Month, which the College never troubled them for, or exacted of them?

Eighthly, Physicians will be necessitated to it for their subsistence and honour, and to preserve their Art from being prostituted to illiterate persons, the Apothecaries becoming now their Competitors.

Ninthly, By this means Physicians will avoid multitudes of inconveniencies, proceeding from writing of Bills, and the Apothecaries Visits.

First, The mistakes, and frauds in the Ingredients, especially committed by the great practising Apothecaries, who may, as appears by the following story, be suspected to send, instead of what was prescribed, the remains of his own practice, or else some cast-by Medicines; for else how could it be when a Medicine was prescribed to stand in lnfusion or steep a whole night, that it should be brought two hours after the Bill was written, even the very same Evening? Which by accident the Patient confessed, wanting the expected success.

Secondly, By this course Physicians will avoid the many opprobrious terms cast upon them by Apothecaries: Rh