I know it will be said, that diffusing medical knowledge among the people might induce them to tamper with Medicine, and to trust to their own skill instead of calling a physician. The reverse of this however is true. Persons who have most knowledge in these matters, are commonly most ready both to ask and to follow advice, when it is necessary. The ignorant are always most apt to tamper with Medicine, and have the least confidence in physicians. Instances of this are daily to be met with among the ignorant peasants, who, while they absolutely refuse to take a medicine which has been prescribed by a physician, will swallow with greediness any thing that is recommended to them by their credulous neighbours. Where men will act even without knowledge, it is certainly more rational to afford them all the light we can, than to leave them entirely in the dark. It may also be alleged, that laying Medicine more open to mankind would lessen their faith in it. This would indeed be the case with regard to some; but it would have a quite contrary effect upon others. I know many people who have the utmost dread and horror of every thing prescribed by a physician, but who will nevertheless very readily take a medicine which they know, and whose qualities they are in some measure acquainted with. Hence it is evident, that the dread arises from the doctor, not from the drug. Nothing ever can or will inspire mankind with an absolute confidence in physicians, but an open, frank, and undisguised behaviour. While the least shadow of mystery remains in the conduct of the Faculty, doubts, jealousies, and suspicions, will arise in the minds of men. No doubt cases will sometimes occur, where a prudent physician may find it expedient to disguise a medicine. The whims and humours of men must be regarded by those who mean to do them service; but this can never affect the general argument in favour of candour and openness. A man might as well allege, because there are knaves and fools in the world, that he ought to take every one he meets for such, and to treat him accordingly. A sensible physician will always know where disguise is necessary; but it ought never to appear on the face of his general conduct. The appearance of mystery in the conduct of physicians not only renders their art suspicious, but lays the foundations of Quackery, which is the disgrace of Medicine. No two characters can be more different than that of the honest physician and the quack; yet they have generally been very much confounded. The line between them is not sufficiently apparent; at least it is too fine for the general eye. Few persons are able to distinguish sufficiently between the conduct of that man who administers a secret medicine, and him who writes a prescription in mystical characters and an unknown tongue. Thus the conduct of the honest physician, which needs no disguise, gives a sanction to that of the villain, whose sole consequence depends upon secrecy.