LETTER Concerning the present State OF PHYSIC, And the REGULATION Of the Practice of it in this KINGDOM. Written to a Doctor here in London. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Hipp. de dec. Hab. LONDON, Printed for Jo. Martin and Ja. Allestry, at the Bell in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1665. Imprimatur. Mar. 30. 1665. Joh. Hall, R. P. D. Episc. Lond. à Sac. Domest. WORTHY SIR, NOw I am safely arrived here, and retired from the noise and importunity of public business, I have a little leisure to consider the Civilities I received from you at London, and thank you for them: But my Lady— is most particularly sensible of the favour you did her, in sending her that excellent Syrup of your own preparation; and as well for the good effects she has found of it, as for your most exquisite manner of preparing it, she ceases not to commend it infinitely to her nearest Relations, and other Persons of Quality, who will very shortly, I know, desire you to take the trouble of making some more of it for them. And as her Ladyship has been wont always to condemn the Syrups, Conserves, and other Medicines of the Apothecaries, as nauseous, fulsome, and unhealthy, compared with those which herself and other Ladies of the Country make, without regard of expense or charge, to have them perfectly good; so now she does it much more, in consideration of this which you have sent her. These discourses of her Ladyship put me in mind of what passed in that excellent company of Virtuosos at Sir Thomas— House, where you and I had lately the honour to receive a noble entertainment. And in truth all then present did very much resent the unhappy estate of the profession of Physic, as it now stands in this Kingdom, both in respect of the worthiness of the thing itself, and its mighty concernments in humane life, and the society of mankind; as also, as it is an honourable way, wherein all the Gentlemen of England have been ever accustomed to breed and educate some of their Children. And in both these respects there is no Gentleman in the Nation, but aught to take himself concerned to secure it so far from the rude pretences of vain and bold men, that in the first place it may be really serviceable to those ends for which Heaven mercifully gave it, and also may be a decent and worthy means of subsistence, as it hath hitherto been, to persons of ingenuous Birth and liberal Education, who shall in pursuance of those noble ends address themselves to the Study of it. Now because you know very well that my curiosity and inclination have ever led me to a more than ordinary consideration of that which you profess, you will the less wonder to find me offering some propositions, which, in my poor opinion, will remedy the present defects both in the method and practice of it, restore it to its primitive and most excellent form, and effectually establish it in that degree of honour and estimation which all Ages have so justly had for it. And whereas I have several times found both yourself and some other Physicians of my acquaintance possessed with apprehensions, because our House did not pass the Patent, by His Majesty lately granted to the College: though I will not make myself guilty of so much rashness as to censure the advice by which that affair was governed; yet I verily persuade myself, if instead of that long Patent De novo, you had followed the example of your Ancestors, who finding some defects in the first Act of their Incorporation, made in 14. H. 8. Chose rather to bring into the Parliament small Additional Bills, praying such new powers as might enable them to put in execution the true intents of the first Act, as that of 38. H. 8. In which they desire the privilege of visiting the Wares of Apothecaries: and afterward, Primo Mariae, another Bill requiring the Magistrates to be assisting to them in the execution of this Power, which was forgot before. And likewise another clause was desired, commanding Gaolers to receive and keep in safe custody such Prisoners as should from time to time be committed by the Authority granted to the College, till they should by them be thereof discharged: I say, if some such course as this had been taken, I make no doubt but the zeal and care of this House is such for the honour and advancement of all true Learning in the Nation, that it would have passed without much debate: But considering the length of the new Charter; the great numbers of men of several sorts that made opposition, and pretended high exceptions against it; the many weighty and important things at that time upon their hands, and so the little leisure they had then to examine a business of that nature, as they ought to do; It is to me no great wonder that it was for the present laid aside. I have great hope, That whatever may be proposed for the effectual advancement of this noble Art, that does not only serve the necessities of humane Life, but also furnish Philosophy with so great a number of real and useful Experiments, will be sincerely regarded and considered; from the particular genius and inclination of the Age wherein we live, which to me seems in a peculiar manner directed to the contemplation of Nature: And although many admirable Spirits flourished in the former Age, and laboured in most kind of humane knowledge; yet the honour of the true method of penetrating into the causes of natural things is due only to ours: For, excepting the Divine Wit of Copernicus, none that I remember of that time did any thing of moment in natural Philosophy. And I look upon Galileo as the first that introduced any sound and real speculations in that way, by first discerning the necessity and use of Geometrical Theories in the considerations of Nature. This fortunate beginning was well pursued by Kepler, and brought to a great degree of perfection by D. Cartes, whose incomparable Books have kindled in men's minds such an ardour of searching into the causes of things, that the great Spirits of our time seem all in a flame; and not only such persons as have been bred in Letters, and Study, but men of all Conditions and Businesses, even Princes themselves are touched with this inclination, as the Prince Leopoldo in Italy, but especially His Most Excellent Majesty, who has set on foot the greatest design for this end that ever any Nation saw, by Founding his Royal Society for the advancement of Natural Philosophy by Experiments, which will certainly be as Immortal as his own Name and Fortunes. If then we consider how much the business of Physic, well constituted and managed, will not only administer infinite occasions to the speculative men of this busy and enquiring Age; but likewise of how much greater importance all its Experiments are, both to the public, and to every one in particular; we need not doubt but His Majesty will believe that His College of Physicians is worthy of the same Royal Care, that other Princes, his Predecessors of Famous Memory, have had for it: And the Parliament afford that Countenance and Authority, which shall be requisite for it in Affairs of so great Consequence. And I easily persuade myself, That if that most Learned and Excellent Society of Men would take so much leisure from their Affairs as to consider the most effectual ways of advancing all the Desiderata of their Profession, and supplying the present Defects of it; they would not only have the Countenance of the Government, but also the Thanks of it, and of the whole World. In the mean time give me the favour to deal frankly with you about this matter; as one also a little transported with the same passionate love of real and useful Philosophy which I have noted in others; and besides, have a particular kindness for their most deserving Profession. The Imperfections then which I note in the present Method of exercising Physic in this Nations are these: It loses all the noble opportunities it might have for the Advancement of itself, and of the knowledge of Nature in General. It is more exposed to Errors and Mistakes, dangerous to the Life of Man; and lastly, it is too great a charge to the People when they stand in need of it. All which I conceive to happen by receding from the ancient Form and Method of Practice, which came early into the world with Physic itself, and is in all considerations most natural to it, and was indeed the use of former times, till good Learning came to be overthrown and laid waist by the furious irruption of the Goths. In those Ages, that which now stands divided between the Chirurgeon and Apothecary, was the care of the Physician himself, who did not think it too mean a work to dress Wounds, set Bones, travel in the inquisition of Herbs, Stones, Metals, compound Medicines, with his own hands; and do innumerable other things necessary for this Profession, which are now accounted the ministry of inferior Persons: And as the quitting of this noble way was the most fatal thing that ever fell upon this Godlike Profession; so doubtless the true means of restoring it to its first Beauty and Divine use, were to resume the course of wiser times, and settle it again in its ancient Constitution. But because a long course of time has so confirmed this unhappy evil, and that out of those Parts of Physic (for such they really are) which the Physician has despised, as below him, are risen two very worthy Societies of men as well in this as in other Nations, I look upon it for many respects as a thing extremely unreasonable to undertake such an alteration as the restoring of that ancient way would necessarily introduce: yet I do not despair but that an expedient might be thought on, which although it do not arrive to the full perfection of that method, yet it approaches (I think) nearer to it then the present way, or any other I have yet heard of; and is likewise very facile, ready, and practicable, not overturning the present state of things; so far from doing injury to the Surgeons or Apothecaries, as it serves rather to preserve for ever a true and right understanding between them and the Physician, and to defend them all against the assaults and pretensions of Mountebanks and other indirect practisers of Physic, and yet comprehends a great deal of the true way of the Ancients abovementioned, so as it maybe fairly hoped that it will fully answer the greatest part of those ends we have already spoken of, and for which Physic has been so valued in the world; and all this without any great trouble, expense, or difficulty either to the ancient Practitioners of this City and Kingdom, or to such as now enter into this Profession. Now the Idea I would represent, does particularly regard these three things: First, to render Physic of greater service and use towards the advancement of Natural Philosophy, which is so universally the design of the present Age. Secondly, To make it more effectual for the great ends of preserving life, and the restoring of health. Lastly, That these ends may be obtained with less charge and hazard to the people then heretofore. And for what concerns the Philosophical consideration of Physic, I must beg the pardon of such as you call Rational Physicians, if I so far descent from them, as to believe Physic (such as it is at present) rather to be a mass of noble Experiments, in which Philosophy might find excellent matter to write upon, than a Science perfectly formed and established upon sound and unquestionable verities. For, If we contemplate the common principles explicated in the Physiological part of it, we shall find them very barren and unfruitful of such Notions as are presumed to come from them: and very far from opening a prospect into those most intricate and numberless Phaenomena which happen in the Body of man, and instead of that good which might well be expected from principles of true and demonstrated Reason, by which you might have been directed to such a Methodus medendi as should grow out of the true knowledge of the causes of things. These principles have produced two great evils. 1. Instead of the true way of the Ancients, of educating Youth in exercises of Anatomy, visiting the Sick with their Masters, examining the nature of Simples in Fields and Gardens, practising to compound Medicines with their own hands; they are bred only to Disputation and the fond Controversies of Books. And 2dly, They have caused the cares of Anatomy, inspection of Vegetables, Minerals, etc. (although from these arise the greatest part of those Experiments which are to be the foundation of a Medical Philosophy) to lie unobserved and neglected in such hands as are no way capable to make a true use of them. Therefore for the effective application of the principles of a better Philosophy to the noble Experiments of Physic, in which vast design Des Cartes hath resolved to spend the whole remainder of his life; it will be necessary to bring again those Experiments into the hands of such persons who know how to manage and employ them for the service both of Philosophy and Physic. I look upon your learned College of Physicians as the only company of men in this Kingdom, who are in a just capacity of advancing this good design; being such men, as (without the vanity of over-admiring our selus) may truly be said to have advanced Physic more these last forty years, than any one Society of Physicians in Europe: Especially, since I hear they have made so great an accession of worthy and ingenious persons to their number, and that not only of such as are residing in London, but also in all other parts of the Kingdom; by which means, a noble correspondence may be established, concerning the Diseases incident to several parts, as Where they take their rise, and what their motion and progress is, as was of late years observable in the Rickets, etc. The nature of the respective Soils, as to Vegetables, Earth's, Minerals, Metals, etc. Alterations of Wether and Seasons, and many other things relating to the Business of Physic. Also by this increase of their number, you have the assistance of so many worthy persons for the carrying on of this excellent design. I should think it therefore advisable in the first place, that your Learned Society would divide all their affairs (after the example of the most Honourable Assembly of the Nation) among several Committees to be assigned for that purpose. And although the Physiological part, which takes upon itself to explicate the causes of all that follows after, be I confess in order of Nature the first, yet will it be found the last in order of Time: as being indeed the result, product, or issue of many laborious and careful Experiments, which are first to be made in the other parts of this Noble Art, before a Medical Physiology can be well and firmly constituted. Therefore your first care will be (in my opinion) to appoint the Committee for Anatomy's, which should consist of such a sufficient number of men, as that the whole business of Anatomy might be distributed in easy proportions amongst them all. As for instance, to some the consideration of the Brain should be assigned, to others of the Heart, to others the Juices of the Body, to others the Bones, and the like, which you know better how to digest than I: And these to be considered as well in all other Animals, as in the body of Man, that so by comparing one with another, we may come to investigate their true and genuine uses: Inspection also to be made into all morbid Bodies that can be procured (for which reason all or any Member of this Committee to have free access to the several Hospitals) to find out the Anomaly's which Diseases introduce: Likewise these considerations should be in part Geometrical, noting the just figure, weight, and proportion (as near as can be) of every thing, and that not only of its whole bulk or manifest cavities, but by the advantage of the Microscope, as far as may be discerned, of its more minute parts, their frame, and texture. Partly also Physical, according to all their sensible qualities, partly Chemical, by the Analysis of the fire, or any convenient Menstruum. Nor would this create much trouble to any man, being divided into so many hands; and yet the general design would advance more in a few years this way, than it could by the single industry of particular men in a whole age. For neither this nor the other Committees should be required to bring in an account of their proceed above once in a year, nor to meet together above once a month, unless they or any number of them should be willing to meet oftener to discourse of their affairs, and suggest Experiments to one another. After this manner, another Committee should be instituted for the History of Diseases. (For what I design to propose concerns only matter of Fact, and the true stating of Experiments in order to the building a Philosophy upon them.) By the History of Diseases I mean a perfect and exact Narrative of those Signs which you call Diagnostic and Prognostic, together with the experienced method of Curation: And I think a work of this nature well performed would be one of the most useful things to a Physician in the whole world; and I note it as one of the great Desiderata in this Art: all which should be done as well out of all the best Authors, as from their own Practice and Observation. For as to Medicaments, by which the effect is done, that which ought to be esteemed matter of Fact is so obscure, and the Experiment so uncertain, that unless they can meet with some effectual operations of Simples (which will require both good Learning and Judgement too observewell) as yet this part will afford little matter for the consideration of a judicious man. Then the whole Materia Medica, both simple and compound, should be referred to the examination of another Committee; every member whereof should have one, two, or more Simples or Compounds (either Mineral, Animal, or Vegetable) the nature and virtues of which they should labour by all means possible to find out, as by colour, taste, scent, infusion, decoction, distillation before and after Fermentation, and all other possible ways, etc. Endeavouring in this manner to find out what things are most operative with or without any exquisite and elaborate preparation, by which Chemists do often rather destroy then heighten the virtues of the Simple: Also for compounds to inquire the true method of mixing things together, that some may not annihilate the force of others, and so altogether become ineffectual, which will produce an incredible alteration in most of the Pharmacopaea's now in use, bring in the true and ancient way of medication by Simples, and so furnish us with real Experiments both of use to humane life, and also to the advancement of Philosophy, being without doubt the most easy and effectual way (by dividing a work so vast amongst so many) to form and build up such a natural History both of Galenical and Chemical Medicines as has been long desired, but never yet seen in the world. And this were a more likely and hopeful way, then to put the business of Chemistry (which as I hear some do so importunately labour for) into the hands of a few men (for the most part) unlearned, and unprovided of such principles and helps as should make them able to reason and conclude intelligibly from that brave stock of Experiments which this Art affords: And for this cause only it has been (until of late) so unserviceable to Philosophy, and produced nothing but idle and extravagant Theories, such as those of Paracelsus and Helmont; who, if they had been as good Philosophers as they were Operators, would have done a great deal more service to mankind. Lastly for Medicaments themselves, and the application of them to the cure of Diseases, which is the principal thing the generality of mankind expects from Physic; I take that not to be the business of any one or more Committees, but of their whole number united in one common consent; and I am persuaded it were no difficult thing to take such a course here, as might secure your Practice entirely to yourselves, and hinder others, who now are suspected (how justly I do not say) to go about to usurp it; take away the excessive charge of Physic, which renders it very burdensome to the people, and less profitable to yourselves; and lastly, make it become more effectual and powerful for the curing of Diseases, and preserving the health and life of Man. And all this seems to me to consist in the execution of one facile and easy thing, That is to say, That the College of Physicians would please to enact, under a severe Penalty, That from henceforth none of their Members should make use of the common and more modern way of sending Bills to Apothecary's Shops; but instead of that, To buy their Physic of the said Apothecaries more or less, as their practice shall requi●e. Together with express order, That no Physic should be given to any Patient without setting it first down in such manner and form as was accustomed before in the Bills sent to Apothecaries, with the Patient's name, Year of our Lord, and day of the Month; and every such Bill to be filled up and kept by the Physician. And the Physic so bought to be dispensed at home to the Patient by the Physician himself, or his Servant, (or some young Student, educated under him for that and all other things appertaining to his Art) at reasonable rates: The Physician not to demand or expect any other payment but for his Physic only, unless he be sent for out of his own House, and then to be paid his accustomed Fee, according to the Ability of the Patient. Yet this not to prejudice any other Physician of the College, who would take on him the Trouble and Charge of preparing all his Physic himself, which was the use of the Ancients. The reasons of this Proposition, and the advantages it brings are very many, and of great consideration. 1. It appoaches as near to the genuine and true Method of Hypocrates, Galen, and other great Masters of Physic, as the present constitution of things will admit. And though yourself very well know what they did this way, yet give me leave to put you in mind of some passages of Hypocrates and Galen to this effect; for which I was lately beholding to Dr.— our worthy friend; He first acquainted me with the Letter of Hypocrates to an Herbarist his acquaintance, to provide him things for the Cure of Democritus, where he demands only Simples, as Juices and Tears of Plants, which he order to be sent in Glass Vessels, and Leavs, Roots, and Flowers, which he bids him put up in earthen Pots well closed; he directs him to the time of gathering them, and the place, which was not difficult for him to do who was so well knowing of their Natures, since he tells us how often he visited his Gardens, and contemplated with wonder that Mysterious place the Earth, which brings forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animals, Plants, Food, Medicine, and Riches. And these Simples so bought and received were by himself to be prepared and compounded, as occasion should require. I need not describe to you the Physicians Shop out of the same Author, who has a whole Treatise of it; I shall content myself with a passage out of his Book, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The conversation and manners of a Physician, which evidently shows, how that Physicians of that time, did not only dispense their own Medicines themselves, but make them too in Shops of their own, by Hypocrates called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. His words are these, A Phycsiian, says he, aught to have his Shop or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provided with plenty of all necessary things, as Lint, Rulers, Splints; all sorts of Chirurgical Instruments; also of Medicines, as for Wounds, for the Eyes, etc. always ready prepared. Let there be likewise (says he) in readiness at all times another small Cabinet (as it were) of such things, as may serve for occasions of going far from home; have also ready all sorts of Plasters, Potions, purging Medicines, so contrived that they may keep some considerable time; and likewise such as may be had and used while they are fresh. The advantage of this will be very great; for when you come to a Patient you will be more ready and certain what to do, having all things prepared by you for your occasions. Which is indeed a most excellent reason to persuade this course, and much better than the hasty and praecipitate way of writing Bills. And for Galen, the same worthy Person has informed me, There are so many things in him to this effect, that it would be too great a vanity for me to tell you how he travelled to Cyprus to inquire the nature of Metals, see Pompholyx, Cadmia, Diphryges', Vitriol; and brought home such quantity with him as might serve him all his life; how he visited Palestine for its rich Balsam, and the Bitumen found there; or how curious he was at Lemnos, to see the Terra Lemnia there: he went likewise to Crete, Alexandria, and several other places for the same end, and most earnestly conjures all who designed themselves to this Study to do as he did, and provide against the frauds and abuses of Impostors; notwithstanding the great expense necessary for such an undertaking. And a little after complains of a sort of men, who contented themselves to know Simples out of Books, Because (says he) the knowledge of sensible things can never be acquired but by frequent inspection, and often repeated views. I need not add that he had a Repository, which he called his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (from whence the name of Apothecary came) where he tells us his Medicines were always under his Eye, or in his hand. To acquaint you that he made the Emperor's Treacle with his own hands, or dressed the wounded Gladiators himself; nor ever gave any Medicine of which he had not first tasted and smelled, nay, made experiment of it (he says) upon his own person, and how he was hated by the Roman Physicians for using Simples and plain Medicines; would from me to you be extremely impertinent, who know all this so much better than I. I shall content myself for the present to rectify a mistake of some who think that there was a trade of men in Galens time, such as our Apothecaries now are: but this proceeds from want of understanding the ancient sense of the word Pharmacopola, which in those times signified not an Apothecary, but such a person as we now call a Mountebank; one who sold Physic in Markets, Fairs, and other places of public Concourse: And these were ever reputed at Rome among the basest and meanest men of the Town, and were obnoxious to the common Laws made against Rogues and Vagabonds, as Pliny has noted; And if there were nothing else we might take their Character from Horace. Ambubaiarum Collegia, Pharmacopolae, Mendici, Mimi, Balatrones, hoc genus omne Moestum ac sollicitum est Cantoris morte Tigelli. And out of Max. Tyrius, We shall find (says he) that there is no kind of good thing but some evil will endeavour to counterfeit it; so a Sycophant will imitate an Orator, a Sophister a Philosopher, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And a Quack will pretend himself a Physician. And for the Word Apothecary in Scripture, 'tis so well known, that word means only sellers of rich Ointments, Perfumes, Balsams, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such other Cosmeticks as were in use in those Countries (which sort of men were after by the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and among the Romans from the place they inhabited Seplasiarii, & Vnguentarii:) that I shall not give you any further trouble about it. 2. The second reason for this Method is this: The Physician is hereby obliged to make himself throughly acquainted with the Nature, Goodness, and exact Preparations of Medicines now sold by the Apothecary, whether Simple or Compound. Otherwise he will not know how to lay out his money, and may easily be imposed upon by the dishonesty of another, to the ruin of his Patient, of his Reputation, and consequently of his Livelihood and Subsistence. For what ever accident may happen from the ill preparation of the Physic, it will now become the fault of the Physician, whose ignorance, or neglect it was, that he did not provide what was good for his occasion. 3. For the reason before alleged, The Physician will be also engaged to frequent visits of the Apothecary's Shop, to view his Simples, and consider his manner of preparation; from which he will likewise gain many opportunities of Improving Medicines already in use, both as to their Essicacy and Operation, and also as to their Taste and Scent, which ought to be one great part of a Physicians care, and is now too much neglected; although nothing can be more his interest then this. He will be also more able to invent new Medicines, and bring in the use of Simples yet undiscovered: Lastly he will have frequent occasions of observing many excellent Phaenomena, which now pass unregarded through the hands of Apothecaries and their Servants, for the use and service of Philosophy. 4. This renders the Physician much more acceptable to every Patient, and affords him many real opportunities of gaining his hearty kindness and affection, which others now enjoy: and also takes away the Scandal and Reflection which is cast upon the Physician by some Apothecaries, and upon both the Physician and Apothecary by Mountebanks, and those that call themselves Chemists. For the first, Although the writing of a Bill and directing proper Remedies for every Distemper be the result of the pains, and careful Study of many Years, and the Physician that prescribes well may justly be said (under God Almighty) to be principal in the cure of the Disease; yet an ordinary Patient is not sensible of this, but thinks it very hard to part with ten shillings for a few words in Paper; especially when he must go from thence to the Apothecary, and there be at another extraordinary charge for what was prescribed, and also use some means beside, to oblige the Apothecary to prepare it well: Whereas if the same Physician should, instead of that, give the Physic itself that is to be taken, at a reasonable and moderate price, assuring the Patient of his care to prepare it as it ought to be, and also his counsel and advice for nothing (unless sent for out of his own house) he must needs infinitely gain the heart and good will of every man. Besides many occasions would be offered of giving to the Poor for nothing, which is Christian Charity; and sometimes also to the Rich themselves, of which a wise man will know how to make an honourable and discreet advantage, and put frequent obligations upon them. For the second, I remember well the Apothecaries counsel laid a great and unhandsome scandal upon all your College, and that in public, before a Committee of our House, affirming you incompetent to visit their Shops, or to make a judgement of their Medicines; and though it was then said with much rashness and passion (there being so great a number of your Learned Members excellently knowing this way) yet I wish there had been no cause to think it in some part true. But this will for ever prevent all calumny of that nature; for now you will understand them better than the Apothecaries themselves. On the other side, the Mountebanks, Chemists, etc. have nothing to boast of so much, as the making their own Physic, recommending their great industry and care to find out and prepare exactly the best of Medicines: and accusing the Shops of dull, enactive, and slight preparations, and yourselves of too much delicacy, pride, sloth, and ignorance, for not providing better, and taking pains (as they pretend to do) in searching into the Rich and large Stock of Remedies, which the wisdom and bounty of Nature has created in so great plenty for the benefit of men. 5. This will restore the ancient, true, and only fit way of breeding up young Students in this Faculty: That is to say, in exercises of Anatomy, knowledge of Herbs, mixing and compounding Medicines, visiting the Sick under the direction of a grave Physician; not as they are now for the most part, in speculative discourses only, and reading of Books. Thus was the late famous Dr. Wright the younger educated under Dr. Fox, and was the first Physician that dissected at the College, which till his time had ever made use of Surgeons in their public Theatre. And while the young Physician employs his industry in such services as these for the elder, he gains, (besides what is learned from Books and Authors) the long experience of the other, sees his Patients, hears him discourse of their several cases, considers the Medicines provided for them, and observes their several effects: All which advantages you now in vain give away to Apothecaries, to whom the Practice of Physic does not belong. And if this has been the course that all mankind has ever taken to raise and propagate Practical Arts and Trades of daily use in humane life, why should it not be used in Physic, which is a Practical Art of so much greater consequence? especially if we consider how dangerous the errors of this Profession are, and how necessary a Practical Education is for any man that intends the exercise of it, as Galen, and more particularly Hypocrates, often inculcates, and the nature of the thing makes it evident. I need not tell you how it was confined till the time of Hypocrates to one single Family, under a curse not to communicate it to any other, nor reckon up the many famous men who were Galen's Masters, from whom he learned this Art, and whom he mentions with so much honour. Yet give me the favour to recall an excellent Passage of Hypocrates to this effect. He advises a Physician when he carries his Disciples with him to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. a Patient, to appoint in his absence such a one of them to observe the Patient as is well advanced and studied in this Art, and knows what is fit to be done, and how to give him an account of the case, that so he may be ignorant of nothing that is material, though he could not be there himself. These things considered, if a person of three or four years standing in either of our Universities (for none else should be entertained by any) should agree with a Physician for a reasonable consideration and acknowledgement to be made (which was held very honourable in Hypocrates age, as appears in his Oath, and was the practice at that time) to live with him till he be Doctor in that Faculty (being obliged to take his Degrees in due time with performance of all the accustomed Exercises: nor to be admitted to them without the Certificate of the said Physician, both concerning his Time and good Deportment.) Or if a person already Bachelor in Physic should contract to stay till he become Doctor, taking his Degrees, as was before expressed: and these two absolutely prohibited Practice till they have taken the degree of Doctor: Or if any already Doctor should contract for as long a time as he and an elder Physician can agree (not to Practise during his continuance with him, without his knowledge and consent) I should think for the reasons alleged, it were the best and most way to institute men for that Profession, and might with great facility be brought into practice, and is at this time the use of many parts of Italy. Nor does a Physician run half the fortune of other men who breed up Youth to their Trades, since the old Physician will ever be held by the world for the more able man. Nor let any man think to disgrace this Method as Mechanical, by the imputation of taking Apprentices; since the word Apprentice is entertained by the honourable Profession of the Law, whose younger Students have been called Apprentices to the Law; but however this be, it were very fond for so poor an occasion, to neglect a thing that is founded upon the evidence of true reason itself. Nor indeed should they be received in the capacity of Servants, or under that name, but rather of young Students, Friends, or virtuous Companions to be instructed in this worthy Profession; the drudgery of all things resting wholly upon some ordinary Servant kept by every one for the uses of his Family: and I make no doubt but there are very many ingenious young men in England, who would be very glad, and take it for a great honour, to be thus received by some of the Grandees, and great Practitioners; and their Friends believe whatever is bestowed on them in this way very well and honourably employed. 6. This will bring all sorts of men both rich and poor to apply themselves immediately to the Physician, and so in a short time quite overthrow the practice of Mountebanks, and other Persons ignorant of the Art of Physic, who now take upon them to administer it, contrary to the Laws of the Nation, and to the great prejudice and damage of the people: For it is not to be thought, but all men who have occasion to use Physic would much more willingly address themselves to a sober and intelligent Physician, then to this sort of men: But first, the charge of advice is great, and then as great the charge of Physic, at the Apothecaries; which things so affright the ordinary sort of people, that they very unwillingly come to a Physician, and many perish for want of due help. And I am persuaded if there were no other reason then this, every Physician who is touched with Conscience, Honour, or Philosophy, will be very glad to entertain some expedient, that may remove the scandalous Reluctancy that most people have of using this Profession. 7. This will render the practice of Physic more successful, plentiful, and of no less advantage than before: As for the success; besides that the Physician may justly have a greater confidence in his Physic, now he takes care himself to have nothing but what is good, than he could before when it was made up out of his sight; he has also the opportunity of seeing every Disease in its first rise, and beginning, which gives him a mighty advantage for the true understanding and cure of it. And for the increase of his Practice the bringing so many people of all sorts to him for advice, who before durst not come, will much enlarge his Business and Experience, and not make his Profit less: for though he gain nothing more, by the Physic he gives, than what will barely recompense the trouble of himself and his Minister for dispensing it; yet he will not lose, since in all acute cases, and such as hinder the Patient's attendance in person, (and he is seldom sent for in any other) he must necessarily be brought home, as he now is to all people of condition. 8. The trouble of undertaking is but little, especially after the first entrance into it, and valued with the great good it will bring to so noble a Faculty; and the great case, profit, and advantage it affords to an Elder Physician, not unworthy of consideration. First the ancient Physician may employ the eye, hand, and youthful vigour of the younger to aslist the frailties of Age, and humanity. Also it will take off much of the labour of visits in his own person, or when called up unreasonably at Nights, or when he goes into the Country to other Patients, or to refresh himself a little from the toils of Business: For the people would find greater satisfaction in the visits of another Physician bred under him they so much confide in, than when he is forced to send his Apothecary. On the other side the Physician himself would be much better satisfied in the report of his Patient's case, as Hypocrates has excellently noted. 9 In some respects, this way is much better than that used by the Ancients of making all their Physic at home. 1. It is less troublesome; public Shops being now open, furnished with all sorts of Medicines commonly used, or where all such Physic may be suddenly and dextrously prepared which any man shall in particular desire for his own occasion. 2. 'Tis less expensive, for now every man buys only so much as he shall have use for, be it more or less; so that the charge of money thus laid out is exactly measured to the proportion of every one's practice: such as are but just entered into business, will accordingly expend but a small matter in Physic, and that too may easily be dispensed by themselves, with the assistance of an ordinary domestic servant, remitting a great many things, as, common Clysters, etc. to the Patients own making, giving him only the ingredients, as is now the use of the Physicians in Paris. 3. 'Tis more certain: for a man that provides his own Physic, and makes it himself, will never know well how to estimate his quantities; he will have sometimes too much which turns to loss; or too little, and so want when he has occasion to make use of it; but now he buys only what is necessary, and can never want, unless you suppose all the Shops in Town exhausted; for there will be nothing in common use, but one or other Shop will afford it: to which we may add, that he has now his choice of what is both cheapest and best, whereas the negligence of a Servant might either make a thing ill, or in the making spoil it so, that he might begin a new, though present occasion may require it for use. 4. It will enlarge the materia Medica, and make a greater variety of Practice, which must needs be of excellent concernment, unless we think (as some overbold men have lately done) that nature has made so ample provisions in vain: but they who provide at home, will be lead (to save expense as much as they can) to confine themselves to a very scanty and narrow method of Practice: as some foolish persons know no other Medicaments but what are made from Mercury and Antimony, despising all the royal Apparatus of God's Creatures beside; though we cannot doubt but the vast alterations, and various dispositions of Bodies, Climates, Diseases were particularly aimed at by Nature in her so infinite and magnificent provisions of help. And though I do not deny that Medicaments, Antimonials, and Mercurials decently prepared are of wonderful efficacy; yet it is so well known they cannot perform half that is so idly promised by their admirers at all times, and in all bodies; and that a mean and ordinary decoction has in some cases effected what they could not do. 5. By preserving the public sellers of Medicines or Pharmacopolae, you comply with the present State of things which cannot well admit any other change then what has been said. 10. And whereas many apprehensions, and suspicions have lately arisen between the Physician and Apothecary, as if the Apothecary did invade the Physician's practice: This way will for ever most entirely and absolutely secure his Practice and Profession to himself. For now the Apothecary will never see a Physicians Bill (from which they always take direction) nor the Patient himself, and so be utterly ignorant of that case for which the Physic is prepared and used; nor will he hear the Physician reason and discourse of the due times and manner of administering it, or explain the nature and cause of the distemper, nor have occasions of officious intervening between the Physician and Patient, nor dispense the Physic with praise of his own great pains and care in preparing it, as he was wont to do: so that he will quickly free himself of the imputation some now lay upon him, and be for ever unable to do the Physician that injury which is now supposed to be done by some of them. All this the Physician obtains by only concealing his Bills (the writing of a Bill being, as I may say, the mystery of his Trade) in which therefore he does nothing but what is held most reasonable among all men. 11. This will likewise secure the Physician another way against the supposed usurpation of Apothecaries: for if any Apothecary shall take on him to practise Physic, upon notice given to the College, it may be enacted among yourselves (without troubling the Parliament for new power, and without the envious way of sinning and imprisonment) That no Physician shall buy any Medicines of such Apothecary till the College be fully satisfied that he is sensible of the injury done to them, and will cease to do the like for the Future. 12. It gives every Physician as many, or more opportunities of doing kindness to his particular friends that are Apothecaries: And that is, by being himself, and engaging as many Physicians as he has interest in, to become their customers. 13. As to matter of Consultation among Physicians, it is here sufficiently provided for by fileing up Bills of all the Physic they give; and therefore this is to be required of every man by the College, under severe Penalties. And if any man have particular Medicines of his own which you call Nostra, the case is here the same as in the former way. For I am informed, every Physician is obliged to acquaint the College with them if it be required. Besides, this filing of Bills (or entering them into a Book) may have another excellent use: For doing it Alphabetically, a Physician may by some private note discern a great while after, which of his Medicines had a good effect, and which had not, or failed, and in what Tempers of Body, and how to accommodate himself to the same persons at other times: and lastly, may from hence (if he pleases) produce great numbers of observations, which may well deserve the Public, and be highly useful to Posterity. And it would be very much for the good of their Profession, If no Physician would for the future write any thing in the practice of Physic but what had been experimented by himself, and that all the practitioners of it would be more careful to set down such remarkable accidents that come under their observation. 14. This way by making the Physician a perfect Master of the Materia Medica, has these three great effects, besides what has been mentioned already. 1. It renders him more able to discover the use of Simples, when he has occasion to travel into Foreign Parts, so enlarging both Physic and Philosophy with new and useful discoveries. 2. He will be more fit to serve the Prince in His Navy or Army; where, if his stock of Medicines be all spent or corrupted, without this knowledge he is utterly uncapable of providing himself a new, to his own dishonour, and prejudice of others. 3. By observing the several mutations that happen in the preparations of things as well Simple as Compound he will be assisted to consider what effects like them may happen upon their mixture with the Blood, and other juices of the Body, and to give a huge light to the reasons of the Phaenomena both in Health and Sickness. Of this that very worthy person Dr. Willis has already given the world an excellent taste, and promised an entire Discourse upon that subject, which would be of vast use, and in which he stands indebted to the public. 15. It is a generous and worthy thing, that Physicians should be knowing in the materia Medica, as was Hypocrates, Galen, and all the old Masters of this Science. It has been already said how great the endeavour of these brave men was, to acquire a perfect understanding of all they made use of. And without doubt it is a thing most indecent and unnatural for a Physician to despise the knowledge of that by which all his great works are to be effected. In the old and heroical times of Physic, Medicines were excellently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The hands of the gods: And I think it is the highest sort of shame to see a Physician at a loss for Medicaments in the Country, where Nature, the bountiful provider of them has so rich and large a Shop open, because he wants his Apothecary to write to, or the knowledge of the things themselves, or the way how to make use of them. 16. This way has in many great respects the advantage of the common course of writing Bills to the Apothecaries. For in the first place, by seeing the very things they administered, by mixing, ordering, compounding them as they have occasion, by consideration of the tastes, scents, and colours of Medicines, and how variously all these are changed and altered by the mixture of several things together, they will be much more able to preserve in memory what is proper and useful for every Distemper, then by reading their names in Books only, and so direct better, and with greater ease, and certainty. Likewise by understanding the true ways of mixture, and being acquainted with the tastes and scents of things, a great many errors will be avoided, and Physic be rendered much more pleasant and palateable: Finally, a great many excellent Experiments will be drawn from it, for the use of Philosophical speculations. Now in the present Method of your Bills, either the Physician depends wholly upon the memory of what he has read in Books (which Galen greatly condemns) and then we shall never hope to promote this Art beyond its present limits, although 'tis well known there are so great treasures of powerful and active Medicines yet undiscovered: Besides, if we do not exactly remember the very proportions and measures of every thing in every Medicine (which is impossible) we cannot reasonably hope well from it, because (as my Lord Bacon observes) the Experiment was made in such quantities only, which when we alter, considering the nature of things à priori, are altogether unknown to us, we know not what we do. And though Physicians commonly endeavour to provide themselves rather of the general materia medica then of particular Receipts, yet if we duly weigh the strange alterations that happen upon the blending several things together, and the unexpected results of quite different qualities, the unpleasing scent and taste they acquire many times, especially if their proportions are not precisely just, we shall not think it strange, that so wise a man as that great Person was, blamed this last and uncertain way. And as to the common proportions and quantities by which Physicians govern themselves in the usual forms of Medicines, they vary so much, according to the several natures of things, that whoever is not well acquainted with the things themselves shall never be able (as Galen notes) to direct as he ought to do. And none will doubt but any Physician could make a better Apozem, Potion, Julep, or the like, by measuring the Proportions of each ingredient by his taste and scent, then by writing a Bill from the unexact proportions of Authors, especially if he be not very well acquainted with the things he prescribes. In a word, neither these proportions themselves, nor their Books had ever been at all, if Physicians had not in former times been knowing in all Simples, examined their virtues and tempers, enquired into their effects, and mixed them with their own hands. 17. Lastly, if any still think this way too troublesome, and are unwilling to excuse a little trouble for so many great conveniences both to themselves and their whole Profession, there remains yet another expedient for them, which they may make use of, without doing prejudice to those, we are contented to enter into the course already proposed: They may (if they please) have an Apothecary of their own, and send their Bills to be made up by him as now they are; provided only, 1. That the time and manner of using it be not set down; nor 2. The name of the Patient. 3. That it be not sent by the Patient, but by their own Servants. 4. That it be returned to the Physicians again with the Physic itself, to be filled up by them with the Patients name added, or entered into a Book, as was said before; and the Physic so made and provided by the Physician's order, to be fetched at their own houses (as it is now at the Apothecary's Shops) or from thence sent home by their own Servants to the Patient. Now if we consider how this way respects the Apothecaries, 'tis evidently a fair and moderate course between them and the Physicians, not taking away, nor lessening any of the privileges and immunities granted to them by their Charter, or which they claim, and enjoy as Freemen of this City, or other Cities and Corporations. For it hinders not their making and selling of Physic to any that please to buy of them, which thing only belongs to their Trade: To visit the Patient, feel his Pulse, consider his Urine, discourse of the state of the Disease, and prescribe proper Remedies for it, is the business and care of the Physician. So that I dare presume no Apothecary who is content to live on his own Trade without invading the Profession of another (and I doubt not but the greatest number and ablest men among them are such) will think ill of it; but rather be pleased to see, that for the future all causes of jealousy and suspicion between Physicians and them, will for ever cease, the interests of both be preserved, and the practice of Mountebanks and Quacks brought to nothing. 2. It will very much conduce to the profit and advantage of the Apothecary: For now the people finding encouragement to address themselves to the Physicians, who before to decline the charge and expense of a Doctor's advice, went only to the Mountebank, who made and gave all his Physic himself; It must needs come to pass, that the Apothecaries must provide and vend much greater quantities than they could before; And thus all that which went away to Quacks and other ignorant pretenders be brought into the hands of the industrious and careful Apothecary. 3. It will insensibly lessen that exorbitant number of Apothecaries, which makes the Trade burdensome to itself, and scarce a competent subsistence for a man after he has spent a good sum of money, and seven years or more in an Apprenticeship to understand it. For as things are now, while the Masters or their Servants are employed by the Physician to visit his Patients, and carry Physic about, if an Apothecary have great business, he will be under a necessity of taking several Apprentices, else he cannot perform such attendances abroad, and the business of the Shop too: And this has made so vast an increase of the Trade within a few years, as has rendered it but a mean way of livelihood to a great many, and very dangerous to the sick: Now as their number will by little and little grow less, so the Trade will become better, and they who are of it, both for skill and estate much more considerable. To come now and consider how much more this way is for the common good and welfare of the people, and in general of all men. First, it mightily abates the charge and expense of Physic: and this is the only reason, why so many persons not of the poorer sort only, but even some others of a better condition, daily put themselves into the hands of Mountebanks and other ignorant persons, to the great prejudice of the lives and health of men. Also many Poor of this City and other places (to the high dishonour of Religion) perish for want of necessary help; whilst on the one hand they are terrified by the Physician's Fee, and on the other by the unconscionable and unbounded prices of Apothecaries. A course therefore is taken here, that all sorts of people may apply themselves to the Physician both for advice and Physic too, at moderate and reasonable rates: Nor can it be thought the Physician will use a greater excess in the prices of his Physic than others have done, because he does not depend upon the gains of the Physic he sells to such as come home to him, but (as he did before) upon the Fees which he receives from persons of condition and ability, when he is sent for out of his own house: For the trouble of selling his own Physic to such as shall come to him, he takes upon him only to advance the public interest, satisfy himself more in his own Profession, serve Philosophy, minister to the necessities of the Poor, consult for the greater security of all, and to gratify and oblige those Patients whose more ample condition of life makes them able to pay such Fees as have formerly been accustomed. But if any man should sell at as dear rates as others have before, yet is it to be considered, that then nothing is paid for advice, which till now was a great and particular charge of itself; and, beside, Physic cost as much as now 'tis supposed to do. So that according to this Method, the charge of advice is wholly taken off to the great ease of the people, who will have at least both Advice and Physic too, for the same rate which they before paid for Physic alone. But I dare not allow a supposition so unreasonable, and so much not only against the honour, but also against the interest of every Physician: for admit he should make his Patients pay (as has been formerly done) for the formalities of a Bill, as for a Clyster, a Potion, or Julip, half a Crown or more, and not for the Ingredients, which (it may be) never cost six pence: I say, if any should take this course, it would quickly be his utter undoing; nor would any Patient make use of him another time: but especially they would extremely murmur to pay him those Fees which otherwise he might justly expect, and upon which it is his interest chief to depend, and not upon the inconsiderable gain of the Physic he sells, and chief when that slight gain shall make him so great a loser; whereas by neglecting so poor and mean a profit he may have so handsome and generous occasions offered him of obliging his Patients in such a manner, as to get much more than he could have done by his Physic. And if I may take a conjecture from yourself, and some other Physicians my acquaintance, these of your College are such as would scorn from Patients so civil as to pay the ordinary Fees duly, to take more for their Physic then what it barely cost; nay, often would give it for nothing. And yet if they should make some small advantage, it might be allowed them for the money they lay out, for the trouble of themselves and Servants to make up and dispense the Physic, and still it would cost the people much less than before. And that all persons would very frankly allow this, we have little reason to doubt, if we consider, 2. The many advantages all men receive this way in the more speedy, safe, and effectual cure of Diseases, both in respect of the Physician, the Disease, and the Physic itself. 1. The Physician administering his Physic himself will be under a necessity of taking greater care to have all he uses very good, and most exactly prepared: for no man can now lay the fault upon the neglect or ignorance of an Apothecary. It rests altogether upon himself, and he becomes responsible for it: also by this means secret mischief by poison, or other ways is more easily prevented, when the public knows where certainly to charge it then when it is divided among several parties who transfer the fault from one to another. And since the Commonwealth must trust some body, they may as well trust the Physician as the Apothecary: for though he writ a Bill never so good and wholesome; yet if it be not made as is prescribed, any kind of mischief may follow: And, as far as the Apothecary or his Servant is now believed for making Physic according to prescription, so far ought the Physician to be credited, for using only such Physic as appears by his Bill filled up or entered; and this is no more than what is now allowed to every Mountebank and Chemist, and what all ancient times have securely put into the Physician's hand. 2. In respect of the Disease; it is now the general unhappiness both of Patient and Physician, that he is never almost sent for, till things are brought to extremity, and all opportunities of curing near lost: where, if the Disease had been encountered in the first rise of it with powerful and convenient Medicaments, the Patient had been again restored to Health, whose life it may be must now answer for the first omission. 3. In respect of the Physic itself; for the Disease thus met in the beginning is often carried off with a little matter, which neglected, requires a long and chargeable course. Again, the public may be assured, That all Physic shall now be as good as the Apothecary can make it (else no Physician will buy it of him) or the Physician possibly contrive it, for his own honour and advantage. Thus in a short time will the Shops of Apothecaries be rid of all that unwholesome trash, that too many now abound with; and the poorer sort of them who are forced to buy of others to set up as for the Country (which commonly is the refuse of their Shops) will, as they justly deserve, be quite discouraged. For though such stuff might serve well enough to make up a Physician's Bill, who is not present to see what ingredients are used, yet they can never vend them to a Physician himself that comes to buy. Likewise the visitations of Apothecary's Shops will be more frequently, carefully, and sufficiently managed. And lastly, Apothecaries will be more in their Shops, and not leave things to raw or negligent Servants as is too often done; for not being sent about by Physicians to their Patients, or with Physic; nor engaged in any quacking practice of their own, they will have more leisure and opportunity to attend making good Medicines, which is their proper business. 3. The charge of the people for Physic will be much lessened both as to the quantity and quality of it. For now many Physicians are forced to abandon my Lord Bacon's counsel, who advises by no means to recede rashly from any experimented Receipt or Form; because this would bring them into the contempt of Apochecaries, and also discover their practice so, as the Apothecary might use it to their prejudice, as some have done: Not to mention how many are obliged to write a great deal more than is necessary, putting in things of great price and little effect to serve dishonourable interests. I have heard some worthy Members of your College wish also that a new Pharmacopoea were agreed upon: But it was quite of another Nature from that now in use: For although this be better than any other extant. Yet I know they well understand, it has many things that need Reformation: but that is a business that requires mature consideration, and the present perplexity of affairs will not permit it; yet I think you are not unwilling the world should know, you can take notice where it is defective, as well or better than any of those men, who would go about to disgrace it with vain and impertinent clamours taken out of Zwelfer and some other Writers. It was wished that the Shops instead of the Medicines now commonly made, were furnished with Simples only. Of which, such as are best and most effectually used with a little, or an easy preparation, as powdering, infusing, boiling, and the like, should be so kept as might longest preserve their virtue and operation: and such as are most operative by a more curious way of preparing, as in Tinctures, Extracts, Essences, Elixirs, Spirits, Syrrups, Juices, Robs, Conserves, etc. to be likewise in such manner prepared, as may retain their virtues most, and likewise render them most durable. By which means, although the present expense of making them be more, yet considering their long duration, it will in effect be less than it is in the present Method. The Physician that comes to buy will be able to make a better judgement of their goodness, and may use them either either simple (which was the way of ancient times) or compound them as he sees occasion, by which he will likewise come to observe the many and great alterations that happen from mixtures of several things together; he will also be more able to make them gustful and palateable; thus preserving the Tone of the Stomach, which is so much destroyed by ordinary Physic, that in Chronical Distempers it may be doubted whether it do not more hurt this way than it can do good another. Likewise in all compositions he will be sure to have the virtues of every ingredient, which will scarce be found in the compounds of the Shops, as has well been observed by Zwelfer: yet he himself is not without his faults in the same kind too, as my little experiments have informed me: In a word, Simple Medicines thus prepared and kept, are not so subject to corrupt by the usual fermentations of mixed things, and so will be more effectual for the use of such Physicians or Surgeons as have occasion to carry them abroad with them (as Hypocrates has well noted;) or such as are employed in the Service of His Majesty's Armies or Navies. But, not to give you too much trouble with my long Letter, if we please to consider the strange and intricate variations of Diseases, brought in partly by new Diet, discoveries of new places, the nature of particular Soils, and how these are mixed, combined, and complicated both with the old, and with one another; it will be the rather necessary to put something of this nature in execution. I have often heard yourself, and several others of your ingenious Colleagues discourse well and substantially on this Argument, which makes me the more wonder at the late Writer of Medela Medicinae, who would, contrary to his own reason and conscience, endeavour to persuade the world, that this was a thing altogether unthought of, not only by your College of Physicians, but all those who are commonly called Galenists: and yet he himself hath said not one thing in that whole discourse, concerning this matter, that can be pretended new, for which he has not cited the very Books, and words of some Galenist, or Methodist, as he calls them: And to me it seems the greatest Argument in the world on your behalf, why his Majesty and the Parliament should show you all manner of kindness, that such various and irregular changes daily appear in the Distempers of humane Body: For if we allow Physic to be altogether Empirical (as he pretends) it must needs follow, that in such things he ought to be esteemed most able and sufficient, who is furnished with most and best Experiments, either from his own observation, and these are properly his; or by reading of Books, which afford him the experiments of all the rest of the world, and can best conclude and argue from the Analogy, Correspondence, and Harmony, they have to one another; so that a studied Physician must in all consideration of reason have far the advantage of any other. But 'tis alleged, You are too rigoroufly confined to the rules and methods of the Ancients, who had few or no experiments of this kind; and likewise neglect that high and more potent way of Medicine, which the Chemists only know how to make use of. But 'tis evident, this is a very unkind and unjust imputation; for though in the former age, when Chemistry first began to show itself in Europe, It was condemned for its novelty and dreaded as full of dangers; yet for any to affirm in these more illuminated times that Physicians so oblige themselves to ancient Methods, as to despise or not consider the differences and alterations of several times, Regions, Diets, Tempers, changes of Diseases caused by these; The new and more exquisite ways of preparing Medicines: If he be a man of learning and understanding, he must needs be thought to abuse his own reason for some particular interest; since he brings so great a scandal not only upon many worthy private persons, but upon the freedom and ingenuity of the whole age; whose happiness and honour it is to be unconfined, and disdains the Pedantry of being enslaved to any name or sect whatsoever: and when an Inquisition of truth comes before them, can as little regard the names of Hypocrates and Galen, as of Paracelsus or Helmont: and as freely make use of any thing it finds good in these, as reject what is untrue or mistaken in the other. And to measure the temper of the present time by that of the past, is so great an injustice, that I will desire no other instance to show it, than out of that Book. For those very men who were (as he says) at first condemned by public censure of the College of Paris, Sir Theod. Mayern, and Quercetan, came by his own confession, in after times to be held and reputed among the greatest Physicians of their Age: nay further, to see how little you despise Rational Chemistry; One of these very same men Sir Theod. Mayern, a great Chemist, and an excellent Physician, was one of the chief men of your College in his time, and had a great share in making the Pharmacopoea. Since than yourselves look upon Rational Chemistry, as an excellent way of enquiry into the natures of things, and managed with sound Reason and Philosophy, an excellent way also of preparing Medicines; since you are as much conversant in Chemical Authors as any others, and have as many and more assistances, of learning and experience to judge of them (by which I am sure you discern every day, as many vain and absurd things in the best of them as any pretended Chemist can find in the Pharmacopoea) since you condemn no sober person that loves this noble Art, but such idle and vain men only, or, to say most softly of them, such melancholy Operators, who being wholly destitute of those principles that should make them able to judge with reason of their own experiments, and transported with the novelty and strangeness of things they do not understand, boldly adventure through the lives and blood of men, to make trial of such preparations, of which they (lighting on them by accident only) neither understand the reason, nor the use; since I say these things are so, you ought not to believe the wise men who govern the Affairs of the Kingdom will ever consent to take away so important a part of Physic out of the hands of so many ingenuous, learned, and inquisitive men as your College now consists of, or so much discountenance an honourable Profession, and way of educating Youth in the Nation, and give it to such as these; especially since the very Philosophical freedom you own and profess, has raised you so far above the poor and empty name of any Sect or party. If therefore your Committee for the materia medica be settled, as before was said, it will more improve Rational Chemistry in all its parts, than any design these men can pretend to; Particularly in the Analysis of Vegetables, hitherto almost wholly untouched, which will I doubt not afford more noble as well as more amicable Medicines than Minerals. And in pursuit of that, if you would address yourselves to his Majesty and His Honourable Council, and assure them you are ready to erect a public Laboratory, for the use of his Majesty's Subjects, where all Chemical Medicines fit to be used shall be well and faithfully made upon the Faith and Authority of the College, and expressly appoint, that all Apothecaries whose Physic you shall think fit to buy, shall provide all their Chemical things from thence; unless any Physician be satisfied to let him prepare them with his own hand, nor to permit the use of any other Chemical Preparations to any of your own number, except he himself make and prepare them You have no reason to doubt but all wise men will think you are as able to perform, as those, who if they could do but one hundreth part of what they so impudently promise, would be equal in fortune and estate to the greatest Princes of the Nation. And if to all these real performances you please to add a little of outward show and appearance, and assume at convenient times, and on public occasions, the decent use of those Ornaments of Habit, and other Insignia, which the wisdom of our Ancestors has thought fit, upon grave and deliberate advice of Princes and Universities, to bestow upon your Profession; you will find it was not done in vain, and that they well considered, with these things the wise in all Ages have been wont to govern the frail and weak understanding of the vulgar. And that among those who are no good Judges of real worth, it is the only way to secure it, both from being affronted and contemned. I hope you will excuse the much freedom I have used with you, the truth is, I have so great a zeal to see something of this nature effected for public good, that if your own particular interest joined with it, will not prevail, I could desire it may be thought adviseable to provide for it by public Authority: that so the burdensome charge of Physic might be removed, and that noble Art rendered of more ample consequence to the world, the professors of it be so encouraged, as Gentlemen may think it a worthy course of breeding for their Children, that Philosophy may receive the benefit of its many excellent experiments, that a right understanding may be ever preserved between Physicians and Apothecaries, that every man in particular may find greater comfort in the use of those numerous Remedies, that Almighty God has provided to secure us in our afflictions: and last of all, that as our Nation has had the honour of one of the best things that ever was discovered in the Theory of Physic, The Bloods Circulation; so it may give an example to all the world of the best, and soundest, and most rational way of Practice. With her Ladyship's Service presented to you, I remain, Sir, Your assured Friend and Servant. T. M. FINIS. ERRATA. Page 13. line 23. read had, p. 20. l. 20. r. require. p. 21. l. ult. r. Friend. p. 22. l. 18. insert Of. l. 20. deal that. p. 24. l. 2. deal there. p. 29. l. 23. r. unactive. p. 34. l. 25. r. his. p. 36. l. 2. r. worthy l. 8. r. unseasonably. p. 37. l. ult. r. must p. 38. l. 32. del. so. l. 23 r. what. p. 42. l. 23. r. for. p. 45. l. 12. r. lax. p. 60. in mar. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉