He will discover the inefficacy of many of the Syrups and other Medicines in the Shops, made of such ingredients, the qualities whereof, what with boiling, what with the great quantity of Sugar necessary to keep them, are either made useless or opposite to the ends they are proposed for. Especially in such Plants, Seeds, and Flowers, which consist of fine volatil parts, and even in drying and pounding, or the 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 less 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 easie, 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 not be well amended. Furthermore, in making new Dispensatories, a full content must be had, and 'twere not fit to move where the motion were not like to take place, for though private men invent new ways of compounding and preparing, and using their own invented Medicines, yet 'twill require a long time to make them publickly known, and brought into common use, and till that be done 'tis not possible to have them brought into a common Dispensatory; besides, no man would make a motion for such a reformation, unless he were well furnished with specificks, and then 'twill be required of him to expose them to the whole World, which how incongruous it will be, every man may easily conceive; hereto add, that the Apothecaries think themselves able enough by this present Dispensatory, to out-beard Physicians, and do publickly profess (as hath been said) that they understand the practice of Physic well as they; how much more would they have said so, if they had been made Masters of these secrets? And here I shall admonish those of my own Faculty, who have devoted their Studies, Labours, and Purses, for the improvement of their Art, to consider, that as natural things have their bounds and limits, and that there is no new Creation of them, and besides, that these things have their bounds also of improvement, beyond which 'tis impossible for man to go; and that by a good method and industry, that end may be attained; (though at present I must confess, no Art is more capable of enlargement then ours:) I say let all consider, and they will find, what a vast encouragement they have to improve their knowledg so far, that they shall not only be able to leave mankind destitute of no remedy Nature did ever produce; but also restore and setle those Honours ignorant men would usurp, upon the Learned Professors of this Science, and I see no reason why Physicians should communicate their secrets to such persons, who will make use of them, to the ruine of the Inventors, which is indeed a failer of trust, for when a Physician writes his Bill, he trusts the Apothecary only with making the Medicine for a particular occasion, and not to make use of it as his own when be pleaseth for his own profit, and the Inventor have no further benefit by it, then perhaps one single advantage.
Lastly, When Dispensatories were first made, the Apothecaries were really Physicians Servants, and wholy at their command, not in the least intrenching on their business, and the rates of Medicines were reasonable; which superiority over them still continues only in their prescriptions, the forms whereof are always commanding to take this and that, and to mix them, &c. but within these few last years they have set up for themselves, and advanced the rates beyond all reason; and to be sure, the more we teach them by our Books, the more they will trangress in both.
He may receive encouragement from what he discovers, that is more then ordinarily useful, whereas by writing Bills, he soon communicates to the ignorant and lazy, who will neither spend time nor money to advance the Art, but while the one is at work to his great charge, lots of time, much pains and trouble, the others seek by petty tricks and Arts to gain a name, and profit from the industrious. Nay some Mountebanks have been set up by purchasing receipts of the Apothecary or his Servants. And one of them told me, he set up a Quack by selling and commending to him a Medicine he had long kept in his Shop and could not otherwise put off, and that by degrees he made him a famous practiser among the ignorant and poor people. An Act quite contrary to the interest of the Company.
Hence also will arise an emulation amongst Physicians, who shall exceed each other in noble remedies, and from thence a full and happy improvement of whatsoever God hath created for the recovery of mans health impaired; for from the Physician alone the advancement of Physic is to be expected. How many simples of unknown properties have been brought into use, to the great comfort of the sick? and many more may be, as also many preparations, both simple and compound, both in the Galenical, and Chymical practice, and by this means the Art will be advanced to its just dignity, now much diminished, dishonoured, and near to be lost by the intrusion of ignorant persons.
Greater respect will be given to such Physicians, as being the immediate instruments of life and health, who will derive unto themselves that which is now given to the Apothecaries, which proceeds chiefly from fear lest they should do the Patient hurt; and so their honour will be doubled, which every Physician looks principally at; but the Apothecary being not so far concerned, looks chiefly at his own profit, and regards not the Patients charge. For the greater the Patients charge, the greater must needs be the Apothecaries gain; whereas on the contrary, 'tis the Physicians Interest to cure the Patient with the greatest ease.
He may proceed on safely and securely in his well experienced Medicines, having before him not only what he hath prescribed for the same Patient, but for all others in the like Case, and thereby keep in memory what he would have forgot, if his Bill had remained on the Apothecaries File; viz. the Medicines and their success. By means whereof Physicians do not advance their knowledg so far as they might; for how is it possible they should remember the particulars of their Bills writ some days before? and therefore know not how to proceed so well. But the Apothecaries having before them the whole series of Medicines, brag they can do more then the Physicians, and by this means insinuate the same opinion into people.
The Physician will be consulted in the beginning of Diseases, to the safety and little expence of the Patient, who will not go first to the Apothecary, who practiseth on him till the Case is desperate, and then calls in a Physician when 'tis too late; and if he dyes, the Physician must carry away the disgrace alone; but if he recover, the Apothecary if he be so minded, by some trick will share with him in the honour: and by this resort of people to the Apothecaries in beginning of Diseases; we meet with few Cases of easie Cure, but are chiefly made use of in dangerous Diseases, or those of short period, or such as are accompanyed with great pains and torments, to our great and continual anxiety.
The Physicians experience hereby as 'tis surer, so 'twill be greater.