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usurped by the Apothecaries, as leting of blood, applying Leeches,
Plasters, Cupping-Glasses, Syringing and Salivation, wraping up bodies
in Cere-Cloaths, &c. which indeed do more properly belong to them then
to the Apothecaries; hereby also haply many occasions of quarrel
betwixt Physicians and the Apothecaries will cease, each party acting
according to his own way.
By this means Pseudochymists, and other Mountebanks mouths and
revilings will be stopped, only exclaiming for this, that Physicians
make not their own Medicines. But since the publication of these
papers I am informed that the said Pseudochymists and Mountebanks rail
against me, this Book, and the way propounded, as much as the
Apothecaries, though before equal Enemies each to others. So that they
have fulfilled the Proverb, of like to like. And no wonder since
hereby their Kingdom of darkness is brought to light, and they are
obliged to oppose it, as the Copper-Smiths were to revile St. Paul for
speaking against the Idol of Diana of the Ephesians, whereby their
trade was lost.
And as for the reasonableness of it, that the Physician ought to
support himself by all lawful ways and means, and to have praeeminence
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 sham
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