Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/54

 by the great esteem Foreigners have of their Books, by often printing them, and translating into Latin what hath been published in English, though they are no where so depressed as in England.

A second benefit to the publick is, that men of competent Estates will breed up their Sons in the Art of Physic, giving them such education as is necessary, and will not vouchsafe to place them out to Apothecaries, though now adays want of learning and degrees are adjudged as needful a qualification for the exercise of Physic, as formerly 'twas for Preaching, and the Shops fit to supply both.

I will conclude this part of my discourse with this observation, that the Laws of England in all their Acts of Parliament, have granted the practice of Physic to Physicians and them alone, and in no clause thereof put in any restraint at all upon them, but every where, either new priviledges, or a confirmation of the old, have been granted, by the said powers. Whereas on the contrary, the Law supposeth cheats in the Apothecaries Shops, and therefore impowers our Censors to destroy and burn what they find bad and corrupt.

The next thing to be treated of, shall be the ways of Apothecaries creeping into practice, and their unfitness thereunto. As to the first, heretofore when they were Members of the Company of Grocers, and dispersed in place, as well as in counsel, they then were wholy subordinate to the Physicians, only keeping in their Shops, and faithfully making the prescriptions they received from the Physician, and when made, sending them to the Patient by their men (as they still continue to do in Foreign Countries) and not committing the Rh