Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/42

 least boiling exhale and evaporate, and therefore in the common way of ordering them, lose their whole vertue or most of their efficacy, and alter in their properties. From which by several methods known to some Physicians, very generous and singular Medicines may be produced.

He need not use so large Compositions consisting of such confused and contrary ingredients, and will find good reason to lay aside those unintelligible and unreasonable Compositions of Mithridate, and Treacle, and the so much magnified Treacle-water, and will substitute better in their places, of smaller charge, and left trouble; and this all Physicians I have conversed with, and the College it self, by their Book published for the common good, in the year before the Plague, and all those Physicians in this City, who make or intend to make their own Medicines, do confess.

But here Apothecaries open wide, and cry out that the Physicians are great Cheats, and envious persons, for continuing such flat Medicines, and not recommending to the World, or rather their Shops, our greater secrets. The answer is eafie, that the Medicines in our Pharmacopæa, are the best of any other Pharmacopæa in the World, both for their goodness, and well preparing of them, whether they be Chymical, or Galenical, and therefore the same scandal will ly on all Pharmacopæa's whatsoever. Secondly, I say that within these few last experimental years, the practical part of Physic hath been much improved (as well as Anatomy) especially by such as have put their hands to work; and therefore till such improvement, this could Rh