THIS Following Treatise [A short Account of the Proceed of the College of Physicians, etc.] having been considered and examined by the Committee of the said College, they thought fit to recommend it to the Precedent and Censors to be published.   

IMPRIMATUR.  
Datum ex Aedibus Collegii nostri in Comitiis Censoriis Junii 11. 1697. 

Tho. Millington, Praeses.  


Tho. Burwell,  
Rich. Torless,  
W. Dawes,  
Tho. Gill,   Censors.     

A Short Account OF THE PROCEED OF THE College of Physicians, London, In relation to the SICK POOR Of the said CITY and SUBURBS thereof, With the Reasons which have induced the College to make Medicines for them at the Intrinsic Value.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1697.   

A Short Account OF THE PROCEED OF THE College of Physicians, London, In relation to the Sick Poor, etc.  
SINCE it hath been the fate of many good Undertake though in themselves highly beneficial to the Public, to miscarry and come to nothing, not so much by the open opposition of interessed and designing Persons, as by their private insinuations and misrepresentations, whereby they prepossess the People to their own great hurt and damage: That the like misfortune may not befall the charitable Design now set on foot by the College of Physicians, LONDON, for the Relief of the Poor Sick in and about this great City and Suburbs, We have thought it necessary to give a short historical account of the Rise and Progress of this matter, whereby we hope it will appear, That this Undertaking, as it was several years since begun (before there were any differences or misunderstandings either amongst ourselves, or with the Apothecaries) upon no other ground but the commiseration of the deplorable condition of the Poor Sick, (especially poor Housekeepers) not usually taken care of by the Parishes; so also that the same hath been ever since carried on with the same honest intention: And we doubt not but a work so advantageous to the Sick Poor, and so honourable to this City, will in the same manner be shortly finished and brought to its utmost perfection.  
To omit therefore what has in former times been attempted of this nature by our Predecessors (of whose early Charity we have several Instances recorded in our Annals) the first step we find tending directly to this purpose is a Vote of the College in their public Meeting, July 28. 1687. to this effect: It was this day appointed and ordained by the unanimous Vote of the College, That all the Members thereof, whether Fellows, Candidates, or Licentiates of the said College, shall give their advice gratis to all their sick neighbouring Poor, when desired, within the City of London, or seven miles round.  
This Order being carried by several of the Members of the College to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, They (Aug. 23. 1687.) did by Dr. Betts, one of our Elects, return the College Thanks for this their charitable Order; with this further request to the College, That they would explain themselves, as to whom they meant by Poor? which they did, by declaring, That all those should be esteemed Poor, that brought Certificates under the hand of the Rector, Vicar or Curate of the Parish wherein they dwelled, of their being such.  
An account of this was by the respective Aldermen sent to each Ward. But partly by the industry of some Persons, with whose private Gain it was not so consistent, and especially by reason of the high Prices of Medicines above the purchase of Poor Housekeepers, it was for that time stifled. Which the College perceiving, and desirous that so good an Intention to so many poor People might not be frustrated, several methods for the removing this obstruction were proposed at their general Meetings, as, The expending all the Fines of the College in providing Physic for the Poor, and the like: And at last they came to this Resolution, (which was passed into an Order, Aug. 13. 1688.) viz.  
The College having considered that the Charitable Vote which formerly passed for prescribing to the Poor gratis, hath not had the effect intended, by reason of the great Prices they are obliged to pay for their Medicines, have this day unanimously voted, That the Laboratory of the College be forthwith fitted up for preparing Medicines for the Poor, and also the room adjoining for a Repository. And the College further gave a power to those Members who would subscribe to this Charitable Work, to choose a Committee from among themselves who should order what Compositions and Simples should be kept at the College for the benefit of the Poor, and manage the whole affair as they thought fit.  
It was expected that upon this Order the Apothecaries (rather than the College should make Medicines themselves) would have so far concurred in this Charitable Work, as to have born their part therein: And that as we had freely offered our pains to prescribe for the Poor for nothing, so they would have given them their pains also, in furnishing them with necessary Medicines at the Intrinsic Value, or at least for some small Profit. But instead of that, several amongst them set themselves by all the art and industry they were capable of, to frustrate the whole design; and finding no method so promising as to stir up a party among ourselves to oppose our proceed, they fell to intrigueing with several of our own Members, who were too easily lured off to serve the Apothecary's interest, for their own private advantage. And from this cause, as we have too much reason to believe, have chief sprung the unhappy Differences that are still fomented among us.  
But notwithstanding all the discouragements we met with from those of our own Members, who contrary to all the Obligations of Honour and Conscience, constantly discovered to our Adversaries whatsoever passed in the College relating to this design, and exposed to them the Names of such as were Promoters thereof, that they might be kept out, as far as in them lay, from all Patients where they should be proposed, and themselves brought in; These and several other difficulties were (though after a considerable time intervening) at last broke through, and the College proceeded to enforce their former Order by another of the 18th. March 1694. to this effect: Whereas in the year 1687. there was an Order made by the unanimous consent of the College, obliging every Member thereof to give his Advice gratis in their respective Parishes in the Cities of London and Westminster, and Suburbs thereof, to all Poor Sick, as should be recommended to them for such by the Rector, Vicar or Curate of the said Parishes by Certificate under their Hands; which said Order was presented to the City: Now we judge it necessary that the said Order be again presented to the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen and Common Council, and do hereby again require strict Obedience from all our Members to the aforesaid Order. And a Committee was then chosen by the College to take care of the managing this matter to the best advantage of the designed Charity (consisting of the Elects, Censors and 8. Fellows, whereof 5. to be a Committee.  
This Order was accordingly presented to the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen and Common Council, June 18. 1695. Upon which the Common Council did nominate, appoint and choose Sir John Moor, Sir William Hedges and Sir Jos. Smart, Aldermen; Mr. Dorvile, Mr. balow, Mr. Egglestone, Sir Edmund Wiseman, Mr. Richer, and Mr. Palfreman, Commoners, (whereof any one of the said Aldermen, and two of the said Commoners, to be a Committee) to return the Thanks of that Court to the College of Physicians for such their Order, and with them to consult how to improve the advantage proposed by the said College for the relief of the said poor Inhabitants.  
July 24th. The Committee of the City and College met, where the Thanks of the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen and Common Council, was returned to the College of Physicians for their Charitable Order.  
The Committee of the College delivered in a List of the Names of all their Members, with the places where they lived, which was desired by the City to be printed.  
Then the Committee of the City made several Proposals or Queries; as First, Who should be recommended as fitting objects of this Charity? Secondly, Who should be the Persons, that should make up the Physicians Prescriptions, in the several Wards and Parishes of the City? Thirdly, Who should price the Medicines prescribed by the Physicians Bills?  
After which they with the College-Committee, passing over the first Proposal (which was sufficiently answered by the College's Order) proceeded to debate the second and third, and came to this Resolution, That some Apothecaries should be found out who should supply the Poor with Medicines at such Rates as should be adjudged reasonable by the Physicians, in or near the several Parishes; which the Committee of the City earnestly recommended to the Physicians to take care of, and promised that they would do the same on their part.  
Upon this the Committee of the College applied themselves with great diligence to answer the said desire of the City-Committee, and after some time found out several honest and charitable Apothecaries, who very cheerfully and readily embraced the offer, and at the solicitation of the Physicians, entered into this following Subscription: We whose names are here underwritten are willing to furnish the Poor, within our respective Parishes, with Medicines at such Rates as the Committee of Physicians shall judge reasonable. Witness our hands. Which subscription we have now by us, but for the Subscribers sakes, do not divulge their Names.  
When the Committee of the College had got a sufficient number of Apothecaries, to furnish all the Wards of London, they acquainted the Committee of the City therewith, requesting them at the same time, that they would for their Encouragement, endeavour to have an Act passed in the Common Council, to excuse these Charitable Apothecaries from any troublesome Office.  
Then the Committee of the City did desire the College-Committee to get a further Addition to their former Order, whereby the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, or any of them, might as well as the Ministers, recommend by Certificate, fit Objects of Charity, as also that all hired Servants, and Apprentices to Handicrafts men, should be reckoned as Objects of Charity; which the Committee of the College promised to endeavour.  
Now the College thought they had surmounted all Difficulties, and had attained their end: But the Apothecary's Company having got knowledge of our Meeting with a Committee of the City, did not only draw up and present a Paper to the Committee of the City tending wholly to frustrate the charitable ends of our design, which was sufficiently answered Article by Article, by the Committee of the College, Copies of both which are hereafter inserted; but also hearing that the Committee of Physicians had gotten Apothecaries enough to supply this Charity, they were extremely alarmed, and presently called a Hall, wherein partly by threatening to impose upon them the most troublesome and expensive Offices of their Company, and partly by charging them upon this compliance with the Physicians, with breach of their Oaths to their Company, they affrighted most of these Apothecaries from this undertaking, as if their Oath obliged them, Not to do any thing charitably.  
September the 4th. 1695. The College made such addition to their Order as the City-Committee had desired. At which Meeting the College did likewise approve and confirm all that had been done by their Committee, giving them thanks for the care and trouble they had already taken, and desiring them to proceed and perfect this charitable Work: owning and declaring all that the Committee had done to be the Act of the College, and not the Act of Six or Seven men, as some had industriously though falsely given out, and that the College would accordingly stand by their Committee in what they had done.  
At the next Meeting of the Committees, the addition by the College to their former Order desired by the City-Committee, was delivered to them, who were much pleased therewith. Then they proceeded to consider who should price the Medicines. And the College-Committee was content (because they would avoid every thing that might obstruct this designed Charity) that the Master and Wardens of the Apothecary's Company should do it every Year, and afterwards bring it to the Precedent and Censors of the College for their Approbation: but even this was also opposed by the Apothecary's Company.  
Thus it appearing that the Apothecaries were resolved to obstruct this Charity in every particular, the City-Committee asked the Physicians then present, Whether their College would provide Medicines for the Poor at reasonable Rates, if the Apothecaries should continue to refuse so to do? To which they answered, That they believed, rather than so Charitable a design should fail, the College would undertake it; and promised that they would propose it at their next public College-meeting.  
Hereupon the City-Committee being fully satisfied with the Physicians Answers to their Proposals, and with their sincerity in transacting this whole affair with them, as also that the methods offered by them were the most proper for obtaining the end proposed, drew up a Report accordingly, of the whole matter, which the Chairman Sir William Hedges offered to read at the next Common Council: but some affair that required a quicker dispatch intervening, it was put off for that time; and this happening at the latter end of the year, the Common Council was not long after of course dissolved, and another chosen, in which several of the then Committee were left out; which probably was the cause that this Report was never after called for.  
The matter resting thus, and the College being in expectation to hear from the City, they did nothing further in it till Decemb. 22. 1696. when a Proposition was made in the public College for a Subscription by the Fellows, Candidates and Licentiates, for carrying on this Charity, which being therein approved, (about nine or ten only dissenting) a Subscription to the effect following was immediately made.  

WHereas the several Orders of the College of Physicians London, for prescribing Medicines gratis to the Poor Sick of the Cities of London and Westminster, and parts adjacent, as also the Proposals made by the said College to the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen and Common Council of London, in pursuance thereof, have hitherto been ineffectual, for that no method hath been taken to furnish the Poor with Medicines for their Cure at low and reasonable rates: We therefore whose names are here underwritten, Fellows or Members of the said College, being willing effectually to promote so great a Charity, by the Counsel and good liking of the Precedent and College declared in their Comitia, hereby (to wit, each of us severally and apart, and not the one for the other of us) do oblige ourselves to pay to Dr. Thomas Burwel, Fellow and Elect of the said College, the sum of Ten Pounds apiece of Lawful Money of England, by such proportions, and at such times as to the major part of the Subscribers hereto shall seem most convenient: Which Money when received by the said Dr. Thomas Burwel, is to be by him expended in preparing and delivering Medicines to the Poor at their intrinsic Value, in such manner, and at such Times, and by such Orders and Directions, as by the major part of the Subscribers hereto, shall in Writing be hereafter appointed and directed for that purpose.  
In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands and Seals this Twenty Second Day of December, 1696. 

Tho. Millington, Praeses.  
Tho. Burwell, Elect and Censor.  
Sam. Collins, Elect.  
Edw. Browne, Elect.  
Rich. Torless, Elect and Censor.  
Edw. Hulse, Elect.  
Tho. Gill, Censor.  
Will. Dawes, Censor.  
Jo. Hutton.  
Rob. Brady.  
Hans Sloane.  
Rich. Morton.  
John Hawys.  
Ch. Harel.  
Rich. Robinson.  
Joh. Bateman.  
Walter Mills.  
Dan. Cox.  
Henry Sampson.  
Thomas Gibson.  
Charles Goodall.  
Edm. King.  
Sam. Garth.  
Barnh. Soame.  
Denton Nicholas.  
Joseph Gaylard.  
John Woollaston.  
Steph. Hunt.  
Oliver Horseman.  
Rich. Morton, Jun.  
David Hamilton.  
Hen. Morelli.  
Walter Harris.  
William Briggs.  
Th. Colladon.  
Martin Lister.  
Jo. Colbatch.  
Bernard Connor.  
W. Cockburn.  
J. le Feure.  
P. Sylvestre.  
Cham Morton.     
THIS Instrument being thus subscribed by the Precedent, the Censors, all the Elects, but two, most of the Signior Fellows, and several of the Candidates and Licentiates; a College was called, That a Grant might be forthwith made by way of Lease to the Subscribers, of the Laboratory, and other Rooms and conveniencies necessary for executing the intended charitable design. Which, notwithstanding the opposition of some few, was by a very great majority granted, and afterwards sealed in open College. And now the Laboratory, Repository, etc. are preparing with all imaginable expedition, that so the benefit of the present season for making all sorts of necessary Medicines for the use of the Sick Poor may not be lost, but that we may be in a condition shortly to receive, make up, and distribute, all such Bills and Prescriptions as shall be directed to the Repository by such Physicians as have been so charitable as to subscribe to this Undertaking for the benefit of their Poor Sick Neighbours.  
Here follow the ANSWERS offered by the Apothecaries to the Proposals of the City-Committee, with the Physicians Reply thereunto.  

ANSWERS humbly offered by the Society of Apothecaries, to the Proposals made by the Worshipful the Committee appointed by Common Council to treat with the Physicians in relation to the Poor.  
THAT in pursuance of your Worship's Directions, We the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the said Society have maturely considered the Proposals to us made. And in the first place crave leave to return our Thanks and due acknowledgement to this Committee, for communicating the said matters and Proposals of the Physicians to us, and do most willingly take this opportunity to declare, That as we esteem it our principal Glory to be Members of this great and honourable City, so we shall be ever ready to contribute to the utmost of our Power to the Honour and Welfare thereof, or any the Members depending thereon. And to that end,  

To the First Proposal, Who may be fittest persons to recommend the Objects of Charity?  
WE take it, That the Minister, Churchwardens, and Overseers of the Poor in each Parish are the most fit, as best knowing the Poor and their necessity.   

To the Second, Who shall administer the Physic, & c?  
WE do with submission think it most convenient, That it be left to every Parish from time to time to make use of what Apothecary they please, being a Freeman, within their own Parish, either one or more, according to the smallness or largeness thereof. And in case any Parish be without an Apothecary, then to take any neighbouring Freeman as they shall think fit.   

To the Third, Who shall price the Medicines delivered for the use of the Poor?  
WE are humbly of opinion, That every man in his own way is best able to make his own Bill, and hope it will be sufficient satisfaction in this point, that we undertake, That all our Members shall use the greatest moderation possible; and in case any dispute arise, That then as to all Medicines delivered to the use of such Poor for whom the Churchwardens of each Parish shall be obliged to pay, the price shall be regulated to the intrinsic value of every Medicine by the Master and Wardens for the time being.  
And for the better promoting so good a work, the Master, Wardens and Assistants of this Company do further offer, not only from time to time, to sell such Poor their Medicines when prescribed by a Physician at their intrinsic value, but (if it may be acceptable and approved of by an Order of this Honourable Court) They will being thereto summoned by the Churchwardens or Overseers of any Parish in the absence of a Physician, and until one can be called in, give them all the assistance they are capable of, by administering such Remedies as may be necessary, and that without reward or payment either for Pains or Medicines.    

The Opinion of the Committee of the College of Physicians concerning the Answer of the Apothecaries to the Proposals made to them by the Worshipful the Committee appointed by common Council to treat with the Physicians in relation to the Poor.  
TO the First Proposal we agree, viz. That the Ministers, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of each Parish do recommend to the Physicians such as they shall judge Objects of Charity.  
To the Second, We think it most proper that the Common Council should choose and appoint one or more Apothecaries, being Freemen, in each Parish or Ward, or any Neighbouring Apothecaries, if the Parish or Ward be without one; and that the Shops of such Apothecaries be distinguished by some Inscription, or other Mark, whereby they may be publicly known to the Physicians and Poor. Provided that no Apothecary be so appointed, nor continued in that employ, who has done, or shall do any thing to prejudice or affront the City, or College of Physicians.  
To the Third, We humbly conceive the Answer of the Apothecaries to be unsatisfactory, both in relation to the Almes-poor, and the Poor Inhabitants. Because First, For the Alms-poor it sets no certain price upon their Medicines, but only allows, That if the Parish be dissatisfied with the Rates of any Medicines, then upon application made to the Master and Wardens for the time being, those Medicines for that time shall by them be rated at the intrinsic value, and so toties quoties. Now we judge this Branch of their Proposal inconvenient to the Parishes for these Reasons.  

1. Because the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor being supposed to have no skill in the prices of Drugs and Medicines, cannot tell when they are well, or ill used therein, and consequently know not when to complain.  
2. Because, If they did know, that yet such frequent Applications (as it is possible there may be occasion for) will be burdensome to them; besides that they may be unwilling to disoblige their Neighbour Apothecaries by complaining of them.  
3. Because the Parishes cannot judge of the charge they are likely to be at upon the account of any Alms-Poor; But if either a certain Intrinsic Rate, or a moderate Profit be put upon Medicines, than all these inconveniences will be prevented.   
But than Secondly, as for the Poor Inhabitants; it seems to us yet more necessary, that a certain moderate Price be from time to time (as Drugs shall considerably rise or fall) put upon the Medicines, for these Reasons.  

1. Because then such Poor Patients may certainly know from the Physician the Price of any Medicines prescribed for them, and so may be encouraged to take them. Whereas, if when they have a Bill from the Physician, they be still left to the discretion of the Apothecary, the Price may prove too high for their Purses, and they by this means be defeated of their Health, and the Charity intended.  
2. Because Poor Patients ignorant of the Price of the Medicines ordered for them, cannot tell when they are charitably used, or otherwise; and consequently cannot complain of such Apothecaries as shall exact upon them.  
3. Because the Apothecaries cannot then clash amongst themselves, nor be censured by the Patients, upon the account that one fells his Medicines dearer, and another cheaper; nor on the other hand can they agree together to raise their Medicines above the purchase of ordinary Poor Persons, which they may otherwise insensibly do, and so make this public Charity ineffectual by degrees.  
4. We conceive this to be the best, if not the only way for the Apothecaries to demonstrate to this City, That they are in earnest (as no question divers good men among them are) when they offer so freely to concur in this public Charity. For whilst they are left to their own Prices, it cannot be certain and clear, whether they are Charitable therein or no; but when the moderateness of their Rates is once fixed and certainly known to be so, their Charity will then be beyond suspicion and contradiction.   
In the mean time we are much misrepresented, if we be thought desirous arbitrarily to fix the Prices of the Medicines: We are very willing the Apothecaries should do it themselves: Only we think it highly necessary, both for their Credit, and the Service, as well as satisfaction of the City, That a Committee of the College (whom the like service done the Public both in the Armies and Navies demonstrate to be competent Judges in this matter) should agree to, and approve of those Rates as moderate and charitable.  
Wherefore we cannot but here express ourselves doubtful of the Apothecary's Sincerity in this matter, not only because when this Proposal was Seven Years ago offered to this City, they then made not the least step to comply therewith: but also because at this time when several charitably disposed Members of their Body offered to concur with the College of Physicians in this good work, they did publicly in their Common Hall, threaten and intimidate them, pretending that any compliance herein with the Physicians in agreeing to the Rates of Medicines, would be against their Oaths. Whereas indeed it is so far from being so, that divers eminent persons amongst them, have for their profit in making Medicines for the Armies and Navies, several times, freely and without scruple consented thereto. And we doubt not but if this City will so far influence the Apothecaries as to take off the terror they are now under, that there will appear a sufficient number of charitable persons amongst them, very ready to serve in this Charity.  
As to the Offer they make in prescribing Medicines to the Poor in the absence of a Physician gratis, if it may be approved by an Order of this Court: We are sorry to meet with so clear a proof of their great Ambition to meddle with what belongs not to them, to set themselves up for Physicians, and run themselves into practice upon pretence of Charity to the Poor; for otherwise in the absence of one Physician, there is no need of running to an Apothecary, since another in that case may be called: nor can we imagine why they should be willing to give their Medicines gratis, whilst they practise themselves, and not so after a Physician is called in, if they did not intent practice thereby, and to hinder a Physicians being sent for: this seems to be something else than mere Charity. And for any Order of this Court to authorize them to practise upon the Poor, we conceive it wholly improper: for in Cases of great and urgent necessity, not only any Apothecary, but any person that thinks he can do his poor sick Neighbour good, may do it safely without any such Order; and for giving Licence to practise in other Cases, the Laws of the Land have settled that wholly in the College of Physicians. And therefore we desire that all Certificates for the Poor, be immediately directed and sent to the Physicians from the Officers of the Parishes, so that if any Physician shall find that an Apothecary without urgent necessity (as that Physician conceives,) has prescribed to the Poor Patient, he shall not be obliged to take care of that Patient.  
Therefore upon the whole we humbly offer this as our opinion to this worshipful Committee, That the only way to make this public Charity effectual is, That the Minister, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, do recommend all charitable Objects immediately to the Physicians; That the Common Council do respectively choose fitting persons in each Parish to be the known Apothecaries for the Poor; And that moderate and charitable Rates be fixed upon all Simples and compounded Medicines of the London Dispensatory by the Apothecaries (if they like it best) to be agreed to, and approved by a Committee of the Physicians, and known only to the Physicians, and themselves, and that only for the Public benefit of the Poor of the City.  
Lastly, we judge this proposal of fixing a certain Rate upon the Dispensatory-Medicines both so reasonable, and so absolutely necessary for the attaining the end designed in this public Charity, that if the Apothecaries do refuse to agree thereto, rather than it should fail, we make no question but that the College of Physicians will undertake it themselves, and Print the Rate of their Medicines for the satisfaction of the Public.  
These two foregoing Papers were respectively delivered to the Committee of the City during the Treaty between them and the College in the year 1695.  
And now we desire leave from the foregoing History and Papers to make these following Observations.  

1. That this great Charity was long ago set on foot, before any differences were arisen either amongst ourselves or with the Apothecaries as to these matters; and therefore is neither a rash nor hasty undertaking, nor entered upon with any intention to injure any body, or with any other sinister design, but out of mere Charity.  
2. That it was at first unanimously undertaken, and the same reasons for it still continuing that at first moved us to it, those that now oppose it amongst ourselves must necessarily do so for their private advantage, and the benefit of such as they are pleased to favour.  
3. That all that was at first and for a great while after thought of in this Undertaking, was only to do our parts to the Sick Poor in prescribing to them gratis, not doubting then but the Apothecaries would do theirs, in concurring with us to afford them their Medicines at low and moderate Rates.  
4. That to encourage them to do so, the Committee not only consented that the Master and Wardens themselves should price the Medicines (with the approbation of the College) but that such prices should be kept private, lest (as we supposed they chief feared) the rich coming thereby to understand at what Rates their Medicines might be afforded, should see clearly into their unreasonable Gains, and so bring down the excessive Rates of their Bills.  
5. That the reasons which have induced the College to undertake the making up of Medicines for the Sick Poor, themselves, are as well their willingness to comply with the proposal hereof made by the City-Committee, as the necessity put upon them by the Apothecaries, who (as appears in the foregoing History) would not consent to any reasonable and satisfactory way of their own doing it. Besides that in their Answers to the City they did not take notice of any, but the mere Alms-Poor; whereas one main design of the College was to provide for Poor Housekeepers, and their Families that did not receive Alms.  
6. And therefore if the Apothecaries come to any prejudice thereby at present, or in times to come, they must wholly blame themselves for it, and not the College, who were very far from intending them any harm by their Charity to others: But it is not reasonable that a work so highly commendable in itself, and so beneficial to the Poor Sick of this City and Suburbs, should miscarry, only to gratify their humour and private interest.  
7. However we hope this Undertaking will do the honest charitable Apothecaries no real injury, since we intent not to retail single Medicines, but to write prescriptions for the Sick Poor, to which every Physician so prescribing shall underwrite the price of the Medicine, and the Patient to be at liberty to go either to any honest Apothecary that will faithfully make it up at that Rate, or to the College Repository, where it will be so afforded. And certainly it will be no small comfort to a Poor Patient to know presently what his Physic will cost him, and thereby to be freed from the dreadful apprehensions of a chargeable and costly Bill, to be brought him afterwards by the Apothecary.  
8. Upon the whole, As the Subscribers being conscious to themselves of their Sincerity and Integrity in this Undertaking, rest assured of the favour and applause of all good men: so if any of their Enemies shall be so void not only of Charity, but even of all Modesty, as to continue their opposition against it, they are confident that a design so apparently beneficial to the Public good, will not want the Encouragement and Protection of those in whose Power it is to give it.    
FINIS.