Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/39

 in this Iast Paragraph, especially in that part of it where I say I do not bind my self to the said practice; and to declare more fully the Cases that may perswade me to the contrary; which are these and such as these. First, Where Patients of their own free offers will contract with the, or have formerly too meanly rewarded him for his Cure, in both which the Statutes of our College allow a contract to be made with Patients. Another case is, if a Physician be consulted once, and for his Fee hath given Medicines gratis, if the Patient frequently send for his Medicines without the least reward at all. Or if the Patient living far in the Country, having (as before) once consulted the Physician, as in the last case, and shall for weeks, nay months, send for the same Medicines. Or if the Patients friend shall recommend a Medicine to another friend of his unknown to the Physician; and where he gives no Counsel, if a Physician in the Country shall desire some of his Medicines, which are all the cases that occur at present; I say in some of these, the Physician must needs be payed for his Medicines; but in other, 'tis rational he should be payed for his advice, as he desireth new Medicines, which charge will be far short also of the Apothecaries Medicines, whether repeated or prescribed upon new advice.

Now the great charge of Apothecaries Bills, and nauseousness of their Medicines, appears to be the cause why long habitual diseases, as the Kings Evil, Falling-Sickness, Convulsions, Melancholies, and Winds in the Bowels, Gouts, &c. become seldom relieved, though they may with a constant, facile way, be perfectly cured, where neither the great charge, Rh