Reaſons, why the Apothecary may be ſuppoſed to underſtand the Adminiſtration of Medi⯑cines in the Cure of Diſeaſes, as well as the Phyſician.

YOU have at length found the moſt effectual means to prevail with me, to break thro' the reſolution I had taken, of having no ſhare in the preſent Controverſie between the Phyſicians and the Apothecarys, by imputing my Silence to the bad⯑neſs of my Cauſe: In the Vindi⯑cation of which, you are pleas'd [4]to ſay, no Sober or Ingenious Per⯑ſon will offer to draw his Pen.

I muſt confeſs, I have hitherto been of the Opinion of the Major part of our Profeſſion; that what has yet appear'd in publick againſt us, has not deſerv'd a ſerious An⯑ſwer, moſt of it being taken up on Prejudice, the reſt a Scandalous Aſperſion, invented by a peeviſh Set of Men, who were angry that any body thriv'd beſide them⯑ſelves.

Thus then have you unwilling⯑ly forced me into a ſpacious Field, where on each ſide I may extend and dilate my ſelf; and which way ſoever I turn, may find at leaſt quantum ſufficit of Matter to Work upon.

But ſince you keep a more than ordinary pother with the high Ad⯑vantages which the Phyſicians have [5]over us, I ſhall chuſe to examine the truth of that Aſſertion, and en⯑deavour to ſet thoſe High Advan⯑tages, (as you call 'em) in a true light; and then leave the Impar⯑tial World to Judge, whether all be Goſpel which proceeds from the Pen of a Diſpenſary Phyſician.

And firſt it is pretended, That the Phſician, by his liberal Educa⯑tion, (that is, by being bred at an Academy) has greater and more frequent opportunities of being inſtructed in the Practice of Phy⯑ſick, than the Apothecary can have; and that not only from his own private Reading and Obſervation, the Care and Direction of his Tutor, but alſo from the publick Lectures of the Phyſick Profeſſor.

Now if it be expected that this Argument ſhould have any force againſt us, it muſt firſt be prov'd [6]what extraordinary Benefits thoſe are which Young Students receive from Tutors and Phyſick Pro⯑feſſors; and not think that we ſhall barely aſſent to them, or be⯑lieve them to be ſuch mighty things upon their ſingle Affirma⯑tion. I fear when theſe wonder⯑ful Lectures come to be examin'd, they will appear little better than Barren Animadverſions on Galen, Hippocrates, or ſome other of the old Phyſical Authours; which e⯑very Man is capable of doing, who is able to read and underſtand them. And I believe we may ven⯑ture to add, that the Auditors of theſe Lectures generally return with the ſame degree of Know⯑ledge and Satisfaction, as a late Aſſembly did from a Lecture at Exeter-Exchange, againſt the Cir⯑culation of the Blood.

It is again Objected againſt us, That the Opportunities of being Advanc'd in the Knowledge of Anatomy and Chymiſtry, ſo eſſential to the Qualification of a Perſon who is to Adminiſter Phyſick, are greater in the Academy than in any other place; and from whence the Apothecary is totally excluded.

It muſt be allow'd, that the un⯑derſtanding the wonderful Con⯑trivance and Texture of ſo admi⯑rable a Machine, as is that of the Humane Body, is no ordinary part of Science, and what undoubted⯑ly the Perſon who Adminiſters Phyſick ought to be acquainted withal. From which notwith⯑ſtanding, I cannot ſee how the Apothecary is totally excluded, ſince there are conſtant Anatomical Diſ⯑ſections at the Surgeon's Hall, which is open to Apothecarys as well as [8] Phyſicians; and where I preſume there is more to be ſeen in one Year, than the Young Phyſician meets withal in ſix at his Acade⯑my.

The pretended Advantages they have over us in Chymiſtry, are of a-piece with thoſe before men⯑tion'd: For not to Inſtance our own private Elaboratorys, the pub⯑lick Elaboratory at the Hall, where all Chymical Preparations are made in the higheſt Perfection, is a ſufficient Confutation of that groundleſs Aſſertion.

Theſe, Sir, Being the principal Reaſons on which You build your Hypotheſis, namely, the Ad⯑vantages which the Phyſician has over the Apothecary, I ſhall not content my ſelf with this general Reflection on them, but ſhall pro⯑ceed to examine them more cloſely, [9]and particularly that of Study⯑ing at the Ʋniverſity, by which is meant a liberal Education, as if the Streams of Polite Literature and Knowledge were not alike diffus'd throughout the Globe, but were ſcantily confin'd to the Banks of Cham or Iſis.

We will ſuppoſe then, An Apo⯑thecary, who is Maſter of the Latin and Greek Tongues, (as there are few of them but are) to be as duly Qualified for the Read⯑ing, Comparing and Animadver⯑ting on Phyſical Authours, as the Academic Phyſician, which I think no ſober Intelligent Perſon will de [...]y, if he allows that the Greek and Latin Tongues as Taught at Weſtminſter, Pauls, &c. to be as fit for that purpoſe, as what the Young Phyſician generally carries with him to Oxford, &c.

Neither will it be diſputed with me, I think, that Reading, Reffe⯑ction, Obſervation and Experi⯑ment, are the only known means of acquiring Humane Learning and Science: To all which, the A⯑pothecary thus Qualified, has as fair pretences as the moſt Elevated Phyſician of 'em all; and where⯑in the Apothecary may as reaſona⯑bly be thought to make as great a Proficience, provided he uſes the ſame Induſtry and Application.

It may be objected, That altho' the Apothecary be thus Qualified, yet whilſt he is an Apprentice he has little or no time for theſe Stu⯑dys, if he had never ſo great an Inclination; that what with the Duty to his Maſter, and the com⯑mon Neceſſities and Expence of Life, which ask ſome time to be repair'd in ſpight of us, there will [11]be little or none left for any thing elſe.

To this I Anſwer, That altho' for the firſt Year or two there may be little elſe done, yet by that time he begins to have a true Taſt of the Matter, and his Reaſon ſhines forth with brighter Rays: If he be a Youth of any Spirit and E⯑mulation, he will and do's find a thouſand opportunities of advan⯑cing his Knowledge, equal, if not ſuperiour to the Academic Phyſi⯑cian.

The Apothecary then thus Qua⯑lified, may very reaſonably be thought to underſtand the Study of Phyſick, the Natures of Diſ⯑eaſes and their Cures, equally with the Phyſician, tho' he cannot boaſt the High Advantages of a liberal Education and Accademic Accom⯑pliſhments.

Whilſt the Phyſician contends with us after this manner, we ſhall never recede from theſe Principles: But if he ſhall ſay, That the Advan⯑tages of an Academic Education are a better Foundation for him to Set up for a Wit, a Poet, or En⯑tertaining Company; then indeed we ſubmit, frankly acknowledg⯑ing that we induſtriouſly ſhun thoſe Arts, which rather tend to the Subverſion and Deſtruction of the Animal Life, than its Preſer⯑vation and Emolument.

If then the equal Learning of the Apothecary ſets him upon a le⯑vel with the Phyſician, notwith⯑ſtanding his boaſted Advantages over him, it can never be imagin'd that the Compoſition and Admi⯑niſtration of Medicines by which he diſcovers their Nature and O⯑perations, will be any hindrance [13]to him in the perſecution of thoſe Studies which naturally lead him to any inquiry into the Structure and Oeconomy of the Humane⯑dy, and the manner how theſe Me⯑dicines he prepares Operate upon it.

This certainly without Vanity we may affirm, That we under⯑ſtand the Materia Medica as well, not to ſay better than moſt Diſpen⯑ſary Phyſicians.

The World is very ſenſible what Advantages they owe to theſe Mo⯑dern Reformers of Phyſick; to whoſe wonderful penetration we have not yet heard that Phyſick has been Obliged for one Addition or Diſcovery: But that is not their buſineſs, 'tis ſufficient for them if they can libel the Town in their awkard Exclamations againſt the Apothecarys, by which they vainly imagin'd to have Ingroſs'd the [14]whole Art of Compounding and Vending Medicines to the Publick. But alas! fond deluded Men, This knowing Age was not to be led Hoodwink'd to their Ruin. The Town ſaw through the thin Diſ⯑guiſe, and laugh at the ſenſeleſs Contrivance: They knew the A⯑bilitys of thoſe Perſons who un⯑dertook the Project, and that moſt of 'em ſo far from being able to Compound Medicines as they ought to be, ſcarce knew the Di⯑ſtinction between Mint and Cardus. It may be thought perhaps, that here I have a little Tranſgreſs'd, and gone beyond the limits of Truth, for that ſo ſmall a degree of Knowledge is ſufficient for that purpoſe, that it is next to impoſſi⯑ble that even a Diſpenſary Phyſi⯑cian ſhould be without it. What⯑ever may be thought of it, I have [15]undeniable Proofs of this Aſſerti⯑on to produce, when ever pro⯑vok'd to it.

'Tis certain, That however An⯑gry the Diſpenſary Phyſicians may be with us at preſent, they had once a better Opinion of our A⯑bilitys and Underſtanding; I mean, when they Compos'd that moſt Elaborate Piece, the London Diſpenſatory; where 'tis evident they did not underſtand what they were about, by the unaccountable Jumble of Alteratives and Ca⯑thartics in the ſame Compoſition: Nay, nor even the making the Compoſition it ſelf; elſe, What is the meaning that we ſo often meet with Ʋt Artis Eſt, Secundum Artum, and the like? By which at leaſt they tacitely confeſs that we are the more knowing of the Two.

Since ſo much has been ſaid of the Diſpenſary Phyſicians, it may not be unſeaſonable to ſpeak a Word of their Mighty Captain, and to deſire the Impartial Reader to Examine that Famous Book, which has made ſo much Noiſe in the World; wherein the Igno⯑rance of its Writer is ſo very Conſpicuous, that we need hardly point at his Miſtakes.

His Catalogue of Drugs and Simples, (notwithſtanding the whole Conſpiracy labour'd for its Birth) is a handſom Specimen of his Knowledge in the Materia Me⯑dica; wherein there is ſcarce a Paragraph which has not ſome one or more rang'd in their improper Claſſes.

The Senſeleſs Remarks he has made on ſome of the beſt of Me⯑dicines, ſhow rather the Fertility [17]of his Spleen, than his Underſtan⯑ding: The which nevertheleſs he fancies unanſwerable, by his ha⯑ving taken ſo much pains to bring Quotations from ſome Authours as Obſcure and Splenatick as him⯑ſelf for his Vouchers.

His Spleen and Ignorance will be the more remarkable, when we reflect on that Part of his Book, where with his wonted Aſſu⯑rance he tells his Readers, That when it ſhall pleaſe the Almighty Diſpenſer of all things, to afflict them with any Malady, that they need not be very ſollicitous con⯑cerning the means of their Cure, that they have nothing to fear but the Lethiferous Apothecary; That if it ſhould ſo happen that no Diſ⯑penſary Phyſician be at hand, 'tis much ſafer to truſt to the uncer⯑tain Event of the Diſeaſe, and the [18]Direction of Nature, or to any thing elſe, tho' it were but an Old Woman and Water-Gruel, than this Bugbear Apothecary. This is fine Jargon, and without doubt will be very grateful to a Perſon tortur'd with a Fit of the Stone, or indeed in any other violent Pa⯑roxyſm or Convulſion of Na⯑ture.

It is confeſs'd, that Nature is moſt wiſe in all her Productions; and that if we will cloſely attend to her, ſhe will never fail to Indi⯑cate to us the true way by which ſhe would be aſſiſted by us in her Labours. But this I take to be be⯑yond the Power and Addreſs of an Old Woman, or even of our Diſ⯑penſary Phyſician himſelf.

To ſay but one Word more of the Ingenuity of this mighty Au⯑thour; and that is, that all the Buſtle [19]he has made in this Matter, aroſe from a private Quarrel between him and an Apothecary, who it ſeems was a Man of too much Ho⯑nour, and of too tenacious a Temper for the Friendſhip of this worthy Phyſician. When theſe things I ſay ſhall be duly conſider'd, I make no queſtion but the World will have juſt ſuch an opinion of him and his Performance as they both deſerve.

Since then the Apothecary is not obliged to the Receipts of the Phyſician for his Knowledge in the Adminiſtration of Medicines in the Cure of Diſeaſes, as the Vulgar falſly imagine, but goes to the ſame Fountain and Drinks as large and as pure Draughts of Know⯑ledge as himſelf: And ſince moſt of us are ready to confeſs, that their Receipts have been ſo far [20]from being a Direction to us, that they have rather prov'd Ignes Fatui to miſlead us into thoſe Errours we have been guilty of, in relation to Practice.

Since the Preſent Learning and Labours of the Apothecaries are ſo abundantly evident in this Town, that it would be perfectly needleſs for me to mention them.

And ſince we do, and can give Reaſons equally with the Phyſici⯑an, of the different Operations of Medicines us'd in the Cure of Di⯑ſeaſes; Why are we thus Branded with the Opprobrious Names of Quacks, Mountebanks, Empiricks, and what not, by the Mouth of the Conſpiracy, that Mighty Champion for the Cauſe, The Renowned Dr. Pitt. O Doctiorum puicquid eſt Aſſurgite huic tam colen⯑do Nomini.

'Tis poſſible, It may be thought by what I have ſaid, that I inten⯑ded to bring an Odium on the Manner of Education, as now Practic'd at the Univerſities, and on thoſe Learned Gentlemen who have been Educated there. I ſhall only beg leave to aſſure thoſe Ho⯑nourable Foundations, for whom I have the Profoundeſt Veneration, That I Contend for nothing but the bare Priviledge which our School-Learning Intitles us to, namely, the Underſtanding Greek and Latin Authours, as well as the Phyſicians, tho' we have not had the Pleaſure of being brought up under their Benign Tuition.

And as for thoſe truly Learned and Worthy Phyſicians, who have not departed from their Integrity, We are ſo far from the thoughts of Interpoſing in their Practice, [22]That We are, and always ſhall be ready, as it is our Duty, to Re⯑commend and Introduce them, when ever it is in our Power.

Thus, Sir, Have I Anſwer'd Your Requeſt; and I hope have made it appear as much as the Brevity of this Letter will per⯑mit, that thoſe High Advantages you ſeem ſo fond of, are not ſo Un⯑anſwerable as You imagin'd; and that in reality, They are no more than Vain, Empty, Airy Notions, the Genuine Production of the Imagination of a Diſpenſary Phy⯑ſician.

As this is barely a Specimen of what I have to bring againſt You, when Leiſure and Opportunity offer themſelves, I would deſire You, as a Friend, in the mean time, to provide your ſelf with a better Shield, to Ward off the [23]Blows of Your Adverſary, than your Boaſted Advantages are like to prove: And withal, that You will Publiſh Your Next, that the World may judge fairly the Merits of the Cauſe, and give the Crown to the Conquerour.