A PILL To Purge the Diſpenſary Doctors: OR, A Cure for the preſent State of Phyſick.

THE State of Phyſick may be truly ſaid to be ſick, and ſtand in need of the Doctor: I mean the Cor⯑dial Adminiſtration of the Law, to bring it out of its Convulſive Motions; for the whole Body is in ſuch an uproar and confuſion, I know not how any particu⯑lar Member that has a Dependence on the Welfare of the whole, ſhould be able to perform his Functions regularly. I deſign therefore to State the Caſe impartially betwixt the honeſt Diſpenſary Phyſicians (as they are pleas'd to entitle themſelves) on the one part; And the Apothecary's Advo⯑cates, [2]what the Apothecaries themſelves on the other part, and propoſe a Medium: To reconcile both Parties, if poſſi⯑ble, the Caſe ſtands thus: Several Eminent Members of the Diſpenſary Catalogue, after many Years Diligence in hunting out Buſineſs, and getting little, at laſt found it entirely fall into the hands of the Younger Fry; began then to ſet upon a proſpect how to employ themſelves; for finding they had began at the wrong End firſt, they thought upon the De⯑ſign of erecting a Laboratory, to inſtruct themſelves a little better in the Materia Medica; which, after many Years Ob⯑ſervation, they had at laſt pick'd up amongſt the Apothe⯑caries. A happy Thought indeed! After a hundred Years Study, to hit upon the Right at laſt, and think upon doing ſomething to be taken Notice of, after ſo long a time of being remarkably Eminent for doing Nothing that tended either to the Improvement of real Knowledge, or the more effectual Curing of Diſeaſes. But now to ſhow the World the College (I mean the Diſpenſary College) was not much of their Labour, and rather than lie idle they wou'd practiſe gratis, they offer'd Propoſals to the Apothecaries, That if they wou'd find Medicines, they wou'd be ſo Charitable as to Pre⯑ſcribe to all the Poor of the City of London. Indeed I think this was a little too hard upon the Apothecaries; for, con⯑ſidering the Phyſicians that made thoſe Propoſals had little or nothing elſe to do, it was not much out of their way but the Apothecaries being to find all the Materials; and th [...] [...] rightly, that theſe Men's Bills wou'd never anſwer the Charge to them again, very reaſonably declin'd it. Well, this wou'd not do; but having erected a Laboratory, they hit upon this Deſign to enjoyn all the Community to ſubſcribe for a Diſpenſary, as at firſt pretended only to ſup⯑ply the Poor with good Medicines at the prime Coſt. Tho' the Apothecaries at their firſt Propoſal were to do it for no⯑thing. e[3]Now comes the the Diſſention of their own Mem⯑bers, for the Learned part of their Body very well under⯑ſtanding the Materia Medica, and ſeeing thro' the ſhallow Pretext of ſo mean a Fraud, to take Apothecary's Trade up⯑on themſelves, ſtraitways ſhew their Averſion to ſuch a poor Deſign, vail'd under the Specious Name of Charity; hence has ariſen all thoſe Animoſities and Feuds, ſo wittily Bur⯑leſqu'd by a Member of their own. And now to revenge this mighty Quarrel, the Authority of the College muſt be exercis'd upon every one that ſeem to diſcountenance this Grand and Laudable Deſign. I ſhall therefore here take oc⯑caſion to obſerve how fitly qualified moſt of theſe Worthy Subſcribers were for Apothecaries? What Choice they made of Operators? And how their Medicines were at firſt prepar'd. In the firſt place, I wonder to hear ſome of theſe Men of late ſet up for great Operators, and can now tell in every Coffee-houſe, how Mithridate and Diaſcordium is com⯑pounded, when a few days ago they made many modeſt Miſtakes in Simple, Waters; nay in their own Laboratory, one that mounted the Guard for that day, leſt there ſhould be any Minute difference in the Compoſition, had like to have ſent for a Conſultation to the Committee, to diſtinguiſh betwixt Liquoriſh and Gentian. If theſe be the Men that are to regulate the Practice of Phyſick, to Inſpect the Apo⯑thecarie's Medicines; nay to ſet up Shops, and diſpence bet⯑ter Medicines of their own Making; ev'n the Lord have mercy upon us. I never thought theſe Diſpenſary Men were really in Earneſt before, but that this was only done to bring the Apothecaries to ſome reaſonable Compliance, to take their Submiſſion, and ſend 'em to their Shops again; but this is the ready way to make 'em all forſake their Shops; and Sell their blue Aprons to the Diſpenſary Doctors. For one of the firſt Operators theſe ingenious Men employ'd in [4]this great Work, was one that had been ſome time Prentice to an Apothecary of New-Caſtle upon Tine, who there are gene⯑rally Grocers as well as Apothecaries; but (by the by, obſerve all their Skill in Pharmacy has been learn'd from the Apothe⯑caries, or their Boys that inſtructed ſome of 'em, to my know⯑ledge) where after ſome Years Experience in Diſtilling of Mint, Camomil and Aniſeed Water, he is at laſt advanc'd to the great Truſt of Prime Operator to the Diſpenſary (always obſerving he is under the Care and Management of the Com⯑mittee.) Now I leave you to judge, if the World muſt not needs be very well ſupplied, when I ſhall tell you this Coun⯑try Booby knew not the Names, Form, or Figure of his U⯑tenſils, much leſs how to uſe them: For by Chance I hap⯑pen'd to be preſent, when a grave Diſpenſary Doctor and this Philoſopher by Fire, were hotly Diſputing which was the Head, and which the Body of a Cucurbit, and how to hit the Junctures cloſe; This occaſion'd me (when the Ma⯑giſterial Doctor was withdrawn) to ask ſome few Queſtions about the Preparations of ſome Medicines, which I imagin'd they cou'd not be without: But I ſoon found the Aſſuming Operator (who was not a little Proud of his new Title) as ignorant as his Maſter. But I fear this will give ſo much Offence, that theſe Gentlemen will never think I can have that Reſpect for them, as to offer any thing for their Ad⯑vantage; but indeed they are miſtaken: and I think they have taken the wrong Meaſures themſelves, either for pro⯑moting the Honour or Advantage of the Faculty of Phy⯑ſick; For certainly nothing can tend ſo much to the Intereſt and Reputation of Phyſick, as a hearty Union amongſt the Profeſſors of it; and ſuch a right Underſtanding amongſt all thoſe that profeſs any part of it, that neither the Phy⯑ſician may encroach upon the Office and particular Duty of the Surgeon or Apothecary, or either of them upon the [5] Phyſicians, or each other's proper Buſineſs, but that every one of 'em act diſtinctly in his own Sphere, and not endeavour to Uſurp the Practice of one another. But inſtead of all this, every one of theſe 3 diſtinct Bodies have promiſcuouſly interfer'd with each other's Buſineſs, and ſo at laſt brought a Confuſion and Controverſie in the Profeſſion, therefore it ought to be enquir'd into, who were the firſt Aggreſſors; And 2dly, What Remedy ought to be taken to cure this growing Evil, both to themſelves and the whole Nation. And firſt of all, I think it highly unreaſonable, that the College of Phyſicians ſhould have any ſuch Power in them to Cen⯑ſure and Condemn the other two Bodies of Surgery and Pharmacy; or that they ſhould have a Power to practice all the parts of Phyſick, and to vend Medicines, ſince there are two Bodies likewiſe incorporated, as well as themſelves, to exerciſe the particular Parts of Surgery and Pharmacy; For I think it the higheſt Injuſtice to make 'em a Body Politick, and afterwards reſtrain 'em to the Juriſdiction of another, ſince the Incorporating of any Perſons, is with Deſign to bring 'em under the Limitation only of their own Laws and Government: Therefore we are to enquire who were the firſt Aggreſſors. I cannot but think it was, and is always the Apothecary's Intereſt to call in a Phyſician to the Pa⯑tient as ſoon as he can; and therefore, why he ſhould err in this, I cannot underſtand; beſides, if it was not always his Intereſt, it would be his Safety, becauſe then the Care of the Patient lies wholly on the Phyſician, and the Miſ⯑carriage ought to be imputed to him. But when the Apo⯑thecary meet with poor Patients, he muſt either Advice him ſomething himſelf, or elſe he muſt have nothing: Becauſe moſt of the Phyſicians, and eſpecially of late, will not take the Trouble to Preſcribe and give Advice gratis, and ſo they may thank themſelves. But therefore, to take off this Ob⯑jection, [6]the College ſet up the Diſpenſary, as a Pretence to aſſiſt the Poor, when, before they ſold Medicines, it was difficult to get any of 'em upon Requeſt to give any Advice, without ſuch Fees as poor People could not give; then the continual Threats, and Trouble, and Suits at Law they have put ſeveral of the Apothecaries to, is a very great Reaſon why the Apothecaries have been neceſſitated to make the beſt advantage they cou'd of their Buſineſs, and the Permiſſion the College have given to Quacks, and others that daily Vend Medicines to the great Detriment of the Apothecaries, while on the other hand, they unjuſtly, and contrary to all Right and Reaſon, proſecute the Graduate Phyſicians of our own Univerſities, upon pretence of an Act of Parliament, that ne⯑ver had the Royal Aſſent to it; nor can it be reaſonably ſup⯑pos'd it ſhou'd, ſince there is no reſpect had of the Privi⯑ledges of our own Univerſities, which yet never was unex⯑cepted before. And I hope thoſe two Learned Bodies will take care to vindicate and aſſert their own Rights againſt a Monopoly of a few Men, (I call 'em ſo) becauſe the greater Part, and thoſe Men of the beſt Buſineſs will never conſent to their unreaſonable Proceedings. Therefore to remedy this, there is only this way left: viz. To petition the next Seſſions of Parliament, either to explain the Acts of Parliament granted already in behalf of the Faculty, and to reſtrain all their illegal Practices, or elſe to grant Leave to bring in a Bill for the Regulation and better Eſtabliſhin [...] the Practice of Phyſick, wherein every diſtinct Body ſhoul [...] have their Priviledges free to themſelves, and the Exor [...] ⯑tances of the College Practices taken away, ſo that the [...] ſhould have no Power to oppreſs others, nor want any Power to vindicate themſelves; and ſuch Laws as ſhould not be detrimental to the Priviledges of the Univerſities And firſt, That none ſhould be permitted to be Members o [...] [7] [...]he College of Phyſicians but Dr's of our own Univerſities, [...]awfully create and made. 2dly, That all ſhould have equal Right to enter themſelves in the College ſo qualified, with⯑out the hindrance of the reſt; And laſt of all, to be all of one Denomination and Community, and admit none as Li⯑centiates in diſcouragement to all Univerſity Education. That none of this Body ſhould be permitted to Practiſe Surgery, or Compound, or Sell Medicines, nor Pra⯑ctiſe Man-Midwifry. That the Surgeons be govern'd by their own Laws, and not ſubject to the College, nor be permitted to give any Phyſick inwardly, except the Pox alone, but that they buy all their Medicines of the Apo⯑thecaries; and that ſevere Penalties be inflicted on 'em for doing the contrary. That the Apothecaries ſhall not ad⯑miniſter Phyſick inwardly or outwardly by Bills, as a Phy⯑ſician, or Practiſe any Part of Surgery, but that all Medi⯑cines be rated by the Laws of their own Corporation, and Tables hung up in every Shop; and that they be no ways Subject to the Phyſicians or Surgeons, but act ſeparately by themſelves.

Note. I would have the Reader obſerve I am no intereſt⯑ed Man to any Party, but am for the College, when they act like Men of Learning and Honeſty; and againſt 'em when they expoſe themſelves to the World, as Men of [...]either Conſcience nor Honour.

Again, I am no Advocate for the Apothecaries or Sur⯑ [...]ns, but have a Deſire that the Faculty may flouriſh; [...]d that no one Party may be oppreſs'd, by the Injuſtice [...] Arbitrary Proceedings of any of the others. And to [...]at End I write this Sheet, to ſtir up all Perſons that [...]ave a Concern or Intereſt in the Welfare of the Pra⯑ [...]tice of Phyſick, that they may endeavour their utmoſt to [...]ocure ſuch wholeſom Laws, as may eſtabliſh the pra⯑ctice [8]of Phyſick upon a better Foundation; that it may he both more Serviceable to the Publick, and more Ad⯑vantageous to the Faculty of Phyſick, and every particular Perſon that have their Dependence thereon.