The next thing is the inlarging and multiplying their Bills and Medicines.
First, When in Chronical Diseases a Physician is consulted, they go on of their own heads with the same prescription, frequently enough to the Patients great disadvantage, both of health and purse.
Secondly, By giving and intermixing Medicines of their own Phancy, with the Physicians prescriptions, viz. some pleasing Medicine, whereby too often the Physicians intention is quite crost, and the effect made uncertain, and hazardous.
Thirdly, By giving Medicines themselves on small accounts, and such as require only a good ordering, and no more.
Fourthly, By repeating long courses of Physic unadvisedly, and needlesly, when either nothing, or very little is needful to be done.
Fifthly, By creating diseases in easie mens Phansies, and so decoying them into courses of Physic.
Sixthly, Some of them get private and worthless receipts, and sell them at what rate they please; Mr. Delaune by one Pill alone, though not a very safe one, got some thousands of pounds.
Seventhly, If one of them get a private receipt from a Physician called by the inventor his Nostrum, if another Apothecary have occasion to use it, he shall be sure to pay sawce for it.
Eighthly, Another trick is when the Patient is cured, and the Physician therefore hath given over his Visits, then comes the Apothecary and insinuates by his words and passions, either some danger of relapse, or some other present distemper, and repairs to the Physician for a Bill to cure the imaginary disease.
Ninthly, But their principal Art of all is, to cry up, and bring in to Patients such Physicians, who through design must comply with the Apothecaries Interest, and such Practisers they extol and cry up for good Physicians, which some of them call more expresly good Apothecaries Physicians, and such without doubt, the whole Company will endeavour to raise unto a fame and practice. But such as write only for the good of the Patient, and not at all for the benefit of the Apothecary (as all honest men ought to do) they will endeavour to prevent their calling in, or to shuffle them out.