A Short View of the Frauds and Abuses Committed by Apothecaries: As well in Relation to Patients, as Physicians: And Of the; only Remedy thereof by Physicians making their own; Medicines.Merret, Christopher
Philosophy
A Short View of the Frauds and Abuses Committed by Apothecaries: As well in Relation to Patients, as Physicians: And Of the; only Remedy thereof by Physicians making their own; Medicines.
Merret, Christopher
Pharmacists; Pharmacy -- England
And as for the reasonableness of it, that the Physician ought to
support himself by all lawful ways and means, and to have præeminence
above those ignorant persons that incroach upon his profession, 'tis
confessed by all that have considered the great charge, study, and
labour, before he can arrive at any benefit from it; for he must take
the chargeable degrees of Batchellor, and Master of Arts, Batchellor
of Physic, and after 14 years standing, the degree of Doctor; besides
his bare expences for his maintenance in the University, Charges in
Anatomies, knowledg of natural things; Travels abroad, Chymistry, and
Experiments; his Library, Habit, his more free way of living in a
suitable house, and Attendants, greater Taxes, &c. insomuch that a
Doctor of Physic spends more before he comes to practise, then will
set up perhaps a dozen Apothecaries in a way of livelihood; and
besides, great sums of money before he can put himself in a fitting
Equipage: whereas on the contrary, many young men before their time of
Apprenticeship is out, provide well for themselves by Quacking; and
certainly the Study of Physic, and consequently the knowledge of
Nature, must bid farewel to the Universities, if Shops be permitted to
make practisers, for such the people will soon create Doctors, which
title the Apothecary takes upon him, though he understand not the
reason of the name, to the great shame of the Universities, and
Faculty, when ignorant people shall give, and they challenge the same
title for nothing, attained by the Physician at a great rate and long
study, the vulgar taking Practiser and Doctor to signifie the same
thing. And which no persons of knowledg and education do, and perhaps
most other persons give them in way of Jeering.
From the handsom support of Physicians these benefits will accrue to
the publick, that thereby the honour all Nations yield to the English
Physicians will be kept up, who in the late times, when the reputation
of the Nation was well neer forfeited abroad, the Physicians then in
being, most whereof are now living, and Members of the College,
maintained the credit, for learning and value, of this Kingdom, and
since his Majesties happy return, some of them have kept up the honour
of the Faculty; which manifestly appears by the great esteem
Foreigners have of their Books, by often printing them, and
translating into Latin what hath been published in English, though
they are no where so depressed as in England.
A second benefit to the publick is, that men of competent Estates will
breed up their Sons in the Art of Physic, giving them such education
as is necessary, and will not vouchsafe to place them out to
Apothecaries, though now adays want of learning and degrees are
adjudged as needful a qualification for the exercise of Physic, as
formerly 'twas for Preaching, and the Shops fit to supply both.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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