Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/55

 preparation to raw Boys, or Apprentices, which is the true interest of the Patient they should do here likewise. But in process of time, Physicians in acute diseases having taught them somewhat, sent them to visit their Patients, to give them the best account they could of the estate of their health, and effect of their Medicines. And of later years some Physicians took them along with them in their Visits, whereby they acquired a little smattering of diseases, by which means, and their continual officiousness, they insinuated themselves into Families, and by applying (right or wrong) the terms of Art they had learned from the Physicians, they made people believe they had acquired some kill in the Art, and afterwards began to venture a little at practice, and but until these 10 years last past kept themselves within some bounds and limits; but since that time have daily more and more incroached upon our Profession, being assisted by a greater familiarity of conversation with younger Physicians. And in the Plague time they took upon them the whole Practice of Physic, which ever since they have continued, being much helped also therein by the dispersing of Physicians into places unknown to their Patients, by the Fire, but above all by the burning of the College, by means whereof their Government and view of their Shops have been omitted, insomuch that now they are past all restraint, having insinuated and (as they think) rooted themselves by the aforesaid Artifices, so that there remains now no other real remedy but that proposed.

Now here I shall take occasion in a short digression, to discourse briefly the reason, why in all Ages there Rh