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 Physicians, and when made, sending them to the Patient by their men (as they still continue to do in Foreign Countries) and not committing the 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 skill 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 have been so many pretenders to Physic, and why some of them have got reputation in the World. One hath been mentioned before, viz. the great charges sick men are put to, caused by the separation of the Physician from the Apothecary. But the principal reason is, the want of knowledge in most persons, both of the materials used, and the grounds for which they are applyed. Insomuch that there are but few that can judg, and distinguish rightly of either, and no wonder therefore that in their reasonings they commit more absurd mistakes, or Paralogisms then in any other Art whatsoever, and censure Physicians by the success alone. Which my Lord Verulam accounts the great unhappiness both of the States-man and the Physician, both being alike censured by those that know not the bottom and rise of their Actions and Counsels. For how can any man in either make a sound Judgment without a full knowledge of the business it self; and of all the circumstances thereunto belonging; nor in Physic without the concurrent knowledg of the sick mans habit, disease, cause, remedies, and many other particulars necessary to make a clear judgment upon the success? Yet notwithstanding, many will censure and grumble at the actions of the States-men, though their proceedings have been never so wise, and prudent, and oft-times from muttering and whispering, fall to down-right distast, and mutiny against their Superiors. So that the good success, in State-affairs, of rash and imprudent undertakers, have been extolled and preferred before the wary, and prudent management, and guidance of the soberest and wisest States-men. The same likewise happens between the bold Empiric, and learnedst Physician. But in this way of censuring, the States-man hath this advantage above the Physician, that 'tis possible he may meet with a series of Business so circumstantiated, as seldom or never to miscarry, especially having a greater power over subordinate persons then Physicians have. But the irreversible statute of Heaven forbids us to expect a constant recovery of our Patients, for 'tis appointed, that all men must die. 'Tis sufficient therefore for us, to employ those remedies God hath given to the Sons of men, to the utmost vertue the Creator hath endowed them withal: since his eternal decree hath limited their efficacy from making man immortal. Now since (if men judg by the success alone) it cannot be otherwise, but that the most learned Physician, and most sottish Empiric must be thought equal in skill, by those that are not able to make a right judgment and difference betwixt them on other principles. Hence it comes to pass, that where some ignorant person hath cured accidentally a slight disease, and a Physician hath a Patient dye of an irrecoverable Case, here the Empiric shall be applauded, and the Physician decryed. Nay many will say the disease is the same in both, whereas we daily see most gross mistakes in such opinions, when the Cases differ totally in their Nature, agreeing in one sign only common to both the Cases proposed, nay to many other also. Furthermore, if a Patient dy under an Empirics hand, the friends willingly conceal their Names, lest some discredit should befal them for using such worthless practisers; but if under the hands of a known Physician he shall be sure to be named, and sometimes his attendance falsly fathered on him, when Mountebanks only have been employed: but to besure if an Empiric hath first been made use of, and afterwards an able Physician called in (when all opportunity of doing good was past) and the Patient dy, the Mountebank hath never been mentioned, but the Physician perhaps condemned though he hath done whatsoever could have been thought on, rational in that Case.
Add to the former reasons, the bold and confident brags, and promises of Empirics, that they have cured worse diseases, and will in few hours free them from their maladies, especially where sober Physicians have pronounced doubtfully of the event. No wonder that these pleasing promises to persons in danger and distress bring them into employment even with a rejection of the former sober Physician.
Besides, a foolish opinion prevails with some ignorant persons, that they will deal only with such as will undertake the Cure, (that is) contract with them for a sum of money, one half whereof to be payed in hand, and the other the Cure being done, and so are usually cheated of one half of their money; and such people will have nothing to do with such Physicians as will not undertake them in this sence.
Another Stratagem is, to give strange and hard names to their Medicines, such as are Pilulæ radiis Solis extractæ, and in English is no more then Pills dryed to that consistence by the Sun-Beams, which ignorant people have thought were made of the Sun Beams. Others commend their Extract of the Soul of the Heathen Gods. One sets up with a receipt received from Van Helmonts own hands; Another hath received from a Jew the shining of Moses Face; nay I have heard a Pseudochymist blasphemously brag, he saw in the making of a grand Elixir, the Quintessence of the Trinity in Unity, and infinite other pitiful captivations of silly people, to be seen on every Gate and Post of this City; such as are the Spirit of the Salt of the World, Panchymagogon, and other ten-footed Greek names, and some other Mongrel non-sensical ones compounded of several Languages; promising certain, speedy, and concealed Cure of incurable Diseases.
And no less ridiculous and absurd to considering persons are, their cantings of themselves, wherewith they no less befool, amuse, and beguile the people; as that by long prayer, and seeking of God, they have had many secrets revealed to them from Heaven. Another by long Travels through Hungary, Poland, &c. hath attained great secrets from Kings and Emperours. Another a Gentleman lately come from Oxford, or Cambridg, Cures the Pox, Running of the Reins, &c. in Capital Letters, at all which what sober man cannot but laugh? Yet such as these are inducements to many to resort to them; moreover some of them are Astrologers, Physiognomers, Fortunetellers, Professors of Palmistry and such other vain Arts; much applauded by the weaker sort of people.
Besides, the former they have their Emissaries, Scouts, and Setters up and down, to cry up the skill And feigned Cures done by them, Nurses, Good-fellows, Midwives, &c. to make up the cry and full noise.
Now it being natural to most people to admire what they understand not, and for Admiration to infer Love, and Love Praise, and Praise the use especially of such things as are set off with high and lofty expressions, it necessarily follows that such persons will cry up, and make use of, those that by these means captivate their understandings, especially their credits being ingaged also; but above all, if they proceed from meaner persons, of whom they are most credulous, having in suspition wiser men, believing the former are not able, and that the wiser are able; and therefore will deceive them. All which appears in some with us cryed up above any Physician that ever was in England, though for pitiful, dangerous, nay sometimes mortal Medicines, whereby great sums of money have been gained in a short time; I shall instance first in Lockyers Pills made of Antimony, discovered to be so by some of my Collegues, and my self, at the first selling of them. A Medicine as ill made as any of that Mineral, and no Physician though meanly versed in Chymistry, but could have excelled it. Yet so great a Vogue this Pill had for some time, that infinite people resorted to him, and purchased them for their lives, both for themselves, and Families, and (as I have heard) for their posterities too. Though a common Chimney in a little time would have made enough of it to have served the whole Nation for some years to come, and that at very small charges. But Experience, the Tutor of too many, hath in a short time brought these Pills into a dis-use, if not a total Oblivion, even amongst the vulgar.
A second cryed up Medicine was Mathews's Pills, made of Opium (to which the virtue of the whole Composition must be attributed) of white Hellebor Roots, and Oyl of Turpentine, whereto some add Salt of Tartar, which will puzzle the most knowing Naturalist to declare why these should be thus jumbled together; unless to obscure the Opium. 'Tis indeed a very cunning Composition, for by giving rest and ease it may easily decoy people into the use of them, though by long taking of them, diseases become far more uncurable then they are in their own Nature.