pertinent Speakers, That they talk like
Apothecaries.

Fifthly He will avoid the mischiefs from their Visits, who by their
shrugs, signs, or words, may diminish the Physicians reputation, and
good opinion, whether in his skill, or Medicines, whereby good
Medicines are neglected and the expectation of a good success upon the
use of them taken away, or at least causing an averseness to them;
which actings do exceedingly prejudice the Patient, in reference to
his Cure.

Sixthly, He will avoid this inconvenience, that some Apothecaries have
attributed the Cure to some of their intermixed Medicines, or
alteration of the Doctors Bill.

Seventhly, He will avoid that incivility of such of them, who in the
Physicians presence, will feel the Pulse, judg of the Urine, discourse
the Cause, Nature, what the Disease is, and what will be the issue of
it, propose Medicines, nay sometimes endeavour to advise with the
Physician, to contradict and dispute with him, to compare and set
himself above the Physician; and to say truth, these odious and
intolerable Comparisons and intrusions daily complained of by my
Collegues, were a great cause of my departing from them.

Eighthly, He will avoid those Scandals they have opportunity to raise,
that such a Physician is Covetous, Proud, Negligent, and minds not his
practice, and the like without the least ground, and are frequently by
such Artifices, the Cause of introducing another Physician, knowing
that thereby more Bills will come to their File, and many times the
former Medicines be layed aside, and in this shuffling in and out of
Physicians, they have commonly a great share.

Ninthly, Apothecaries being now Competitors with Physicians for
practice, and down-right Enemies to such as make their own Medicines;
why should not we suspect them of this false Play, by telling the
Patient the Doctors Medicine will not work (which he knows well enough
how to effect) and then to tell him he will prepare him one of his own
that will work, when perhaps that he calls his own preparation, was
nothing but what the Doctor had prescribed before; and by this
Artifice to advance himself above the Physician.

Another mischief in sending Bills to the Apothecaries is, that though
the Apothecaries be honest (and who can tell which of them is so?) yet
the Servants neglect, or ignorance (to whom they commit the whole care
of dispensing, and are intruth the Apothecaries (and not their
Masters) may mar all in t