HEALTH being the great­est of Natural Blessings, 'tis as needless to say any thing in its Praise as to enlarge up­on the Usefulness of Physick, which preserves and restores it. But as there is nothing which would more [Page 2]advance the Usefulness of that Di­vine Art, (and is therefore of great­er Importance to the Publick Good) than a Regulation in the Practice of it; so there is nothing conse­quently more recommendable to the Consideration of the Queen and Parliament than the present State of Physick in this Kingdom. The Encouragement which Quacks and Empiricks have lately met with, is not only so surprizingly great, but so vastly detrimental, that in the best of Governments, where Civil and Religious Properties are so hap­pily secured, there seems nothing more wanting than some speedy and powerful Expedient to restrain so growing an Evil.

But before I proceed to offer any of my Reasons for the Necessity of a Regulation in the Practice of Phy­sick, or enter into a Detail of the evil Consequences (deservedly to [Page 3]be lamented by all who have a just Sense of them) which attend the Encouragement of Quacks and Em­piricks, 'twill not be improper to give the definition of, or to let the Reader know what I desire may be understood by the Words. The Word Quack, says the Gazophylacium An­glicanum, is of a Dutch Original, signifies a frivolous and vain Tat­ler, and so is applicable to all Per­sons of any Profession, who often­tatiously pretend to a great deal of Skill and Knowledge in Matters which they are really ignorant of, or do very little understand: And by a Quack or Empirick, I mean any and every one of those who pretend to practice Physick without Knowledge of the Praerequisita to that most useful but most difficult Art. There are some, 'tis true, who would fain perswade us, that the Medical Art is only to be pro­moted [Page 4]by Experiments, or obser­ving what things are hurtful, what beneficial in Diseases; that the Study of Nature and the Know­ledge of the Body are only trifling Curiosities, and things altogether superfluous. But it's agreed, I am apt to think, amongst the more in­telligent part of Mankind, that there are several things perfectly and absolutely necessary to be known, before a Man can reason, and make Judgment either of the Nature of Diseases, or the Use of Methods and Medicines for the re­medying them, and therefore ought to be understood before he presumes to take the Care of Mens Lives in­to his hands: For how can he pre­tend to cure Diseases, unless he first apprehends what they are, and in what they consist? How can he rationally prescribe Medicines if he understands not their Operations? [Page 5]Or how can he expect any manner of Advantage from them if he does not consider the Relation between the Disease and the Operation? And how can he be qualified to do any of these things, unless he be first acquainted with the Nature, Properties and Functions, of a hu­man Body, the Subject of his Art, and to which they relate? And that this was the Opinion of the ancient Physicians, is evident from the Variety of Medical Introducti­ons and Institutions publish'd by them. For it was not in those days thought proper that the Care of Mens Lives should be entrusted with Persons, till they were in­structed in the Methods of preser­ving them.

But that there are several things absolutely necessary to be known by Men before they ought to pre­tend to the Practise of Physick, and which are what I mean by the Prae­requisita to the Medical Art, will more fully appear by a particular Enumeration of them, viz. the Knowledge of

• I. The learned Languages.
• II. Natural Philosophy.
• III. The Animal Oeconomy.
• IV. Pharmacology.
• V. Nosology.

I. The first of the Praerequisita then, which I shall mention, is the Knowledge of the learned Langua­ges: For Physick being the Wis­dom which is heap'd up in the va­rious Labours and Observations of the Learned of all Ages, or the Judgments of many Men wound up, [Page 7]as it were into one ^*, 'twill be found necessary in a Physician to be vers'd in the Writings of the An­cients as well as the Moderns, and to be well acquainted with their Rules, Cautions and Remedies, they having laid the first Foundation of the most excellent Art, by both observing and describing the Na­ture of Diseases. Most of the Di­agnostick and Prognostick Signs of Diseases are the Result of their la­borious and solid Observations, and will continue to be faithful Guides to all that can make Use of them, as long as human Bodies and Na­ture it self remain. Nothing there­fore can be more previously ne­cessary [Page 8]to the Practice of Physick than an Acquisition of the Greek and Latin Tongues; for as in those Languages the Art is deliver'd; so without them the Terms in the English Translations are not possibly to be understood.

II. The next of the Praerequisita is Natural Philosophy: For as the Art of Physick is only the Natural Knowledge apply'd to the Preser­vation of Health and Life; so whoever intend to apply themselves to that Art will find it necessary to consider the Human Body, the Sub­ject of their Art, as a meer Natu­ral Substance, before they proceed to the Consideration of it as an A­nimated Being. For tho' the Hu­man Body, as an Animated Be­ing, is, strictly speaking, the im­mediate Subject of their Care; yet the peculiar Properties of A­nimated [Page 9]Substances cannot well be distinguish'd or understood, un­less the common Affections of Mat­ter be first known, out of which, the Human as well as other Ani­mated Bodies are compos'd. And notwithstanding those Particles of Matter, which are modify'd into a Human Body, during that State, are enrich'd with Properties and Perfections, distinguishing them from all other Beings, yet there re­main in them some Affections com­mon to other animated Beings, and some promiscuously to be found in all Natural Substances. Whoever, therefore designs to apply himself to the Art of Physick, ought to com­prehend the general Properties and Affections of Matter; the Origin and transitory Nature of Forms and Qualities; and how the Parts of a Human Body consider'd as a Na­tural Substance may be mov'd, be­fore [Page 10]he begins to inform himself (or indeed rightly can) of the Af­fections observable in a human Bo­dy, as animated or endued with Life. And this seems to have been the Method by which Novices were heretofore initiated into that Art, as appears by the Institutes of Ga­len, Rhases, Sennertus, Fuchsius, &c. as likewise in that they have blended and interwoven the Philo­sophy esteem'd in those Ages with that most excellent Art, and have form'd that proverbial Saying,

But Natural Philosophy is not on­ly absolutely necessary to form a right Apprehension of the Human Body as a Part or Portion of Mat­ter, but also to frame a true Idea of Medicines and their Operations, [Page 11]as will more fully appear under that Head.

III. The next of the Praerequisi­ta is the Knowledge of the Animal Oeconomy, or the Consideration of the human Body as animated or endued with Life, and that as well in its natural or healthful, as in its praeternatural or morbid State; it being altogether necessary to un­derstand the natural State of the Body before the Nature of a Dis­ease can be rightly comprehended. The Animal Body is now known to be a pure Machine, and its A­ctions and Motions demonstrated to be the necessary Consequences of its Structure. And as the Actions of the Body, from which Life and Health do flow, are the necessary Consequences of its Oeconomy; so likewise Diseases and all their Symptoms, are nothing but Alte­rations [Page 12]or Disorders in it. It de­monstratively therefore follows, that the greater the Knowledge of the one is, the better the Nature of the other must be known; and that a Physician ignorant of the A­nimal Oeconomy is ignorant of the Structure and Uses of the Machine he undertakes to regulate. The Parts of Animated Bodies are aptly and usefully divided into Solid and Fluid. Anatomy, or the Art of Dissecting the solid Parts of Ani­mal Bodies, in order to an exact Discovery of their Situation, Stru­cture, Uses, &c. as it is absolutely necessary to the Knowledge of the Animal Oeconomy, so it has ever been justly esteem'd one of the Foundation Pillars of Physick. Nor indeed of less Use is the Doctrine of the Fluids; under which Head I include a right Apprehension of the general and particular Proper­ties [Page 13]of the Animal Fluids, and of their different Motions, Nature, Uses, Offices, &c. There are se­veral other things also included in the Knowledge of the Animal Oe­conomy (and some few of them I shall just mention) which tho' not strictly referable to either Branch of the above-mention'd Division of the Parts, are yet equally necessa­ry to be understood; viz. the dif­ferent Dependencies the Parts have on, and the different Relations they bear to each other; the Powers of Motion (both Voluntary and In­voluntary) and Sensation; the ge­neral Reason and Nature of Secre­tion; the Velocity of the Blood's Circulation, with the Reason of its Differences at different Distances from the Heart; the Necessity of Breathing after Birth, with the Force of the Air upon the Blood in that Action, &c. &c. &c. But an [Page 14]exact Knowledge of the Animal Structure and Oeconomy, will after­wards appear more particularly ne­cessary, as well to explicate the Vir­tues and Operation of Medicines, as to ascertain the Diagnosis, and comprehend the Aetiology of Dis­eases.

IV. Another of the Praerequisita is Pharmacology; comprehending the Knowledge, 1. Of simple Na­tural Medicines, whether of the Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral Kingdom. 2. Of the several Parts of Pharmacy, both Galenical and Chymical. 3. Of the general Na­ture, Virtues, and Operation of Medicines. For as a Man cannot be said to understand an Art, with­out understanding the Instruments as well as the Subject of that Art; so the Human Body being the Sub­ject, and Medicines the Instru­ments [Page 15]of this Art, the Knowledge of the one must consequently be as necessary as the Knowledge of the other.

1. By the Knowledge of simple Natural Medicines, I here mean that of the Substances themselves as well as of their Medicinal Vir­tues and Efficacies. 'Twould be altogether needless to wast any Time in insisting upon the Necessi­ty of understanding this part of Pharmacology: For as without knowing the Substances, a Man in his Practice must wholly confide in, or rely upon the Gatherers and Venders of Medicines; so indeed the Knowledge of their Virtues and Efficacies, without knowing the Substances themselves, seems to me, if of any, of a very dangerous Use.

2. Pharmacy contains the Man­ner of Preparing and the Method of making such simple Substances into [Page 16]Medicines, and consists of several Parts, whether according to the Ga­lenical or Chymical Forms. All the several Parts of Pharmacy, and of Chymistry in particular, viz. as it teaches the most Compendious and Efficacious Preparation of Medi­cines, are, and have been so often demonstrated to be so absolutely necessary to be understood by all who design for the Practice of Phy­sick, that as there is nothing in which Men seem more agreed than in the Necessity of understanding these things; so it would be but Loss of Time to enlarge any further upon them. I shall therefore con­clude what I have to offer under this Head, with the following Obser­vation; That since it is so necessa­rily incumbent upon every one who pretends to the Practice of Phy­sick, to understand all the Parts of Pharmacy, there can be no Obje­ction [Page 17]made upon that Account, I mean, against a Physician's prepa­ring his own Medicines, but either by ignorant or interested Men. But tho' this Observation is suffici­ent to excuse the Physicians for gi­ving their own Medicines (which indeed is only resuming what their Ancestors either out of Pride or La­ziness left off) yet it does not fol­low that there is any manner of A­pology to be made for the Apothe­caries intruding themselves into the Practice of Physick, as will more fully afterwards appear.

3. Under the third Branch of Pharmacology is compriz'd the Knowledge of the general Nature, Virtues and Operation of Medi­cines. And as Natural Philosophy was proved to be necessary towards forming a right Notion of the Hu­man Body, so 'twill be found as necessary towards comprehending [Page 18]the general Nature, Virtues and O­peration of Medicines. For Medi­cines being only natural Substan­ces, only Parts or Portions of Mat­ter, 'tis evident, that their Powers and Properties are not only under the same common Laws and Rules which are observed in the other Parts of Matter, but are also to be explain'd in the same Methods; and therefore Medicines are not only Natural Substances, but they also operate in a Natural Way, [ i. e. by different Kinds and Degrees of Mo­tion] such Natural Substances loo­sing only their Denomination, and not their Natures, by being term'd or applied as Medicines. By a due Apprehension of these things, and without which it is impossi­ble for a Practitioner in Physick to be really useful or serviceable in his Generation, Men will know what Effects to expect, and be prevent­ed [Page 19]from a credulous Expectation of Effects, which can in no wise pro­ceed from them in a natural Way. Medicines, notwithstanding the Materia Medica is made up of so vast a Variety of Natural Substan­ces, may, in respect of their gene­ral Virtues or Operation, be com­priz'd under such as produce some Evacuation, or such as only effect some Alteration in the Body. And not only Natural Philosophy, but a due Knowledge also of the Animal Oeconomy is absolutely necessary towards framing a right Notion of these Things: For unless Men un­derstand the Structure, and com­prehend the Uses and Offices of the Parts of the Body, it is impossible for them to know how, or by what Organs, or in what Regions, Parts or Juices, Medicines perform their Operations.

V. The fifth and last of the Prae­requisita, which I shall mention, is Nosology; containing whatever re­lates to the General Nature, Signs, Causes, &c. of Diseases. For as the Consideration of the Human Body, in its natural or healthful State, is, by Physicians, only in order to the Consideration of it in its Praeternatural or Morbid one; so consequently there can be no­thing more previously necessary to the Practice of Physick than what­ever relates to the Knowledge of the General Nature, Signs, Cau­ses, &c. of Diseases.

1. And first the Want of a clear Idea of the General Nature of Dis­eases must be a certain Means of laying a necessary and afterwards unalterable Foundation of Error and Miscarriage in Practice. One would be tempted to think, from [Page 21]the erroneous Proceedings of unin­telligent Practitioners, that Diseases were really separate Essences, (or I know not what substantial Forms) and as such enter'd and possess'd the Bodies of Men. Whereas, by a due Consideration of their Na­tures, they will be found to be no­thing different or distinct from the Body, but only Changes or Altera­tions in the Modification of its con­stituent Parts, or different Modes of Indisposition in the same Body.

2. Secondly, the Doctrine of the Signs, both Diagnostick and Prog­nostick, is not less necessary to be throughly understood, before a Man undertakes the Practice of Physick, than the General Nature of Diseases. For as by a due Know­ledge of the Diagnostick Signs, he may be instructed truly to distin­guish one Disease, tho' never so much alike, from another; so [Page 22]thro' want of that Knowledge, one Disease is very often mistaken for and treated as another. How of­ten, for Instance, has a Colica and a Nephritis, a Fluor Albus and a Go­norrhaea, a Chlorosis and a Phthisis been confounded? So that the Foundation of Cure seems prima­rily to be laid in a right Apprehen­sion of the Diagnostick Signs of each Distemper. But here it ought to be observed, that the better a Man understands the Animal Structure and Oeconomy, the more capable he will be both of comprehending and ascertaining the Diagnosis, and that a Man ignorant of those things must necessarily mislead himself by the Use of a common Name, and apply it to denote Circumstances which are so far from being always alike, that they will be sometimes found extremely different.

And as to the Prognostick Signs of Diseases; tho' it be certain that the Recovery of the Sick is the great Design of the Medical Art, and undoubtedly more necessary than Presaging the Event of Di­stempers, yet the Advances which have been made in the Prognostick Part of Medicine, as acquiring no small Esteem and Authority to the Physician, ought diligently to be collected from the Observations of the Ancients, particularly of the Divine Hippocrates, as well as from the Writings of the Moderns.

3. Thirdly, the Aetiology of Diseases; I mean more particular­ly as to the immediate and conjunct Causes, will be found as necessary to be known by every Practitioner, as either the General Nature of Diseases, or the Doctrine of the Signs. For if, as is very evident in Practice, Diseases even of the [Page 24]same Denomination, arising from different Causes, do administer different Indications, or indicate different Methods of Cure; the Aetiology must consequently be a grand Source from whence Ratio­nal Indications can be drawn. 'Twere very easie to give Instances in almost all the Diseases incident to the Human Body, but thinking it altogether needless, because the Medical Writings are so full of them, I shall conclude this Head with ob­serving, That as an exact Know­ledge of the Animal Structure and Oeconomy is absolutely necessary to comprehend the Aetiology of Diseases; so the Modern Improve­ments in Anatomy have very consi­derably advanc'd the Aetiological Part of Medicine.

Having thus, with the utmost Brevity demonstrated, that there [Page 25]are several things perfectly and absolutely necessary to be known by Men before they ought to pretend to the Practice of Phy­sick; my present Design does not at all oblige me to enquire whether I have enumerated all the Praerequisita to the Medical Art; but from that Enumeration of them which I have made, and from what I have advanc'd, under each of those Heads, may very fairly venture to draw the following Con­clusions, viz.

• I. That Experience alone will not make a Physician.
• II. That the Enumeration of the Praerequisita to the Medi­cal Art is a sufficient Argu­ment with what Difficulty, a due Qualification for the Practice of it is attain'd.
• [Page 26]III. That it is a plain Demon­stration, how unqualified the Quacks are for exercising the Profession they pretend to.
• IV. That it is an evident Indi­cation to the rational Part of Mankind, who do, and who do not, and that the far great­est Part of the Practioners in Physick do come under the Denomination of Quacks.
• V. That an Apothecary can no more be said to be Qualified for the Practice of Physick, than any other Mechanical Tradesman.

I. That Experience alone will not make a Physician: For if there are, as I have already proved, se­veral things absolutely necessary to be known by Men, before they can judge of the Nature of Disea­ses or Remedies, which are what I [Page 27]mean by the Praerequisita to the Medical Art: It evidently follows that Experience alone, i. e. Expe­rience without the Praerequisita will not make a Physician. The Art of Physick then may very aptly and use­fully be said to consist two Parts, viz. The Theoretical and Practical. And as there is nothing truer on the one hand, than that the Theory, viz. the Knowledge of the Praerequisita is, as has been fully prov'd, abso­lutely necessary to the Practice: so there is nothing more evident on the other, than that the Know­ledge of the Theory, tho' previ­ously necessary, is only in order to, and therefore useless without, the Practice. For tho' 'tis impossi­ble (I affirm) a Man should make any considerable Figure in the Pra­ctice, who is ignorant of the praeli­minary Arts which compose the Theory of Physick: And if with­out [Page 28]the Knowledge of those Arts, a Man jumps, as I may say, into Practice, such a one is never to be trusted, tho' he had seen Thousands of Patients, and ten thousand Pre­scriptions; yet do I not (as it is ri­diculous to) suppose, that Men should rest here, or dwell upon the Theory; or that the speculative Part of Physick should teach them to cure all manner of Distempers in their Closets, without a constant Attendance on the Sick, without a diligent and unwearied Observa­tion on Diseases. A due Appre­hension of these things may be a Means to determine the many un­necessary Disputes concerning the Preference of one Part of Physick to the other; the Knowledge of the one absolutely depending on, and consequently being altogether as necessary as that of the other. And as Theory and Practice, so [Page 29]Reason and Observation ought not to be compar'd with, or oppos'd to, each other, but join'd together, as mutually adorning and illustra­ting one another to the fully com­pleating of a Physician. A Man may be an Advocate for Experience, and well appriz'd of the Usefulness of accurate Observations, and at the same time not discard the Use of Reason in Physick. True Ob­servations will never be found to contradict Right Reason, nor will Right Reason exert it self in, oppo­sition to matter of Fact. But lest any of the Empirical Tribe should pretend to take Shelter under Au­thorities, or to interpret what Ba­glivi says concerning Experience and Observation in favour of themselves, I've purposely read over all the Works of that celebrated Author, and from innumerable Passages in his Writings, think nothing more [Page 30]evident, than that it is a Literate, and not an Empirical Experience, which he contends for. 'Tis not Experience without the Praerequisi­ta, but such a well grounded Ex­perience as a Man duly qualify'd for the Practice of Physick, may daily with Reason, be suppos'd to acquire. And 'tis as evident, that what he has advanc'd, concerning the Importance of Observation in the Way of Physick, ought to be interpreted in that very Sense. For tho' he says, That nothing so na­turally tends to the Improvement of Physick, as Experiments and Observations, yet 'tis certainly true, that he desires it might be under­stood (as indeed it ought to be) of Experiments directed by the Know­ledge of the Animal Oeconomy, and of Observations grounded on that and the other Praerequisita. So notwithstanding what Dr. Syden­ham [Page 31]declares, viz. ^* Artem Medi­cam haud rectius esse perdiscendam, quam ab ipsius Artis Exercitio atque Usu; and ^† Praxin esse Medicinae Profitentium Lapidem Lydium, 'tis evident from Passages enough in that worthy Author, particularly from the whole 81st Page of the last mention'd Treatise, that he never design'd, by what he says, to advance an Empirical Ex­perience, or to preclude the Ne­cessity of understanding the Prae­requisita. As there is nothing more ridiculous than to suppose all Men capable of making a good Use of Experience, or able to draw right Conclusions from the Motions of Nature; so Quacks and Empi­ricks, who set out without either [Page 32]Light or Method must undoubt­edly prove stupid and erroneous Observators: It being indeed im­possible that Men ignorant of the Medical Praerequisita, should be capable of improving either them­selves or the Art by their Experi­ence and Observations. What there­fore is daily said in praise of Expe­rience (to which no one pays a greater Deference than my self) and in Recommendation of expe­rienc'd Physicians, ought to be un­derstood with such a Restriction as not to include the Practitioners, who never had Opportunities of Understanding the Praerequisita. How ridiculous then is the Folly of those People who magnifie an Empirical Experience, or cry up a Quack of whatsoever Figure or Fame, for a Man of Experience, which wanting a Foundation, can­not be of any real Use and Ser­vice [Page 33]either to himself or others.

II. That the Enumeration of the Praerequisita to the Medical Art, is a sufficient Argument with what Difficulty a due Qualification for The Practice of it is attain'd. For if it be so absolutely necessary, as has been already prov'd, to under­stand the Praerequisita to that Art, 'tis very easie to infer, both what Length of Time and Labour of Thought the Acquisition of so much Knowledge will require. 'Tis not then a Raw and Superficial Knowledge of Receipts and Medi­cines of Diseases and their Cures, which will qualifie a Man for the Practice of Physick, but a gradual Advancement thro' all the above­mention'd Foundations of the Art. 'Tis not to be suppos'd, that the Ars longissima should be so quickly acquir'd, or the most difficult of [Page 34]Sciences so instantly attain'd. And this Truth is not only confirm'd by Hippocrates, in his very first Aphorism ^*, and in his Enume­ration of the Necessaries which he requires to constitute a Good Physician ^†; but by the con­current Testimonies, both of the Ancients and the Moderns. Yet notwithstanding what has been ad­vanced, concerning the Praerequisi­ta to the Medical Art, and the Difficulty of acquiring the Know­ledge of them; it is very surpri­zing to consider what a vast Num­ber of Persons there are, what would fain become Physicians without La­bour and Study, and be saluted Sons of Apollo, without any man­ner [Page 35]of Right to the Title. But all and every one of those who are ignorant of the Preliminary Arts, which compose the Theory, are but Pretenders in Physick, do jump, as I said, into Practice, and are ne­ver to be trusted tho' they had seen thousands of Patients, and ten thou­sand Prescriptions. But I now pro­ceed, in the third Place, more par­ticularly to consider,

III. That the Enumeration of the Praerequisita to the Medical Art, is a plain Demonstration how unqualified the Quacks are for ex­ercising the Profession they pretend to. And if, as has been prov'd, there are so many things absolute­ly necessary to be known, before a Man can either reason or judge of Diseases; it evidently follows, that a Quack, ignorant of those things, is absolutely unqualified for that [Page 36]Profession. Were but the Matter indeed, as impartially consider'd as it ought to be, there seems no­thing more ridiculous than to pretend to the Practice of Phy­sick, without a previous Know­ledge of them; it being im­possible but such People must make either Improper, Dangerous and Destructive, or Insignificant and Useless Applications. It is not on­ly true in Fact, that the most ge­nerous often prove the most dead­ly Medicines, if administred with­out Judgment; but it is an every day's Observation, that those very things which have the Reputation of being harmless and inoffensive, if improperly applied, do too often create very great Mischiefs. In the Practice of Physick there is requir'd not only great Labour of Thought, in searching into the several Ap­pearances and Circumstances of [Page 37]Diseases, but also great Strength of Judgment in duly weighing and comparing them together. And it is not here, as in many other Cases, where Experiments may be repeated without any great Injury; for this perhaps admits but of one single Tryal, which possibly may terminate in the Death of a Man, and one false Step, especially in an acute Disease, may be of the most fatal Consequence. Physick, 'tis true, abounds with a very large Number of excellent Medicines: But Medicines, being Relations to Human Bodies, can only be said to be good or bad, as applied; and like all other Instruments to do ei­ther Good or Hurt, according to the Nature of the Hand which u­ses them. As there is nothing more conspicuous on the one hand, than the useful Effects of Medi­cines, when Methodically and Ju­diciously [Page 38]diciously administred: So there is nothing more obvious on the other, than the deadly Effects even of those of the very first Rank, when us'd, without either Method or Judgment. Can any thing then more fully demonstrate the Vanity of Empiricism than the daily Ex­perience how Inefficacious and Use­less, even the most celebrated Spe­cificks are without a Judicious and Methodical Application? For tho' a more Noble Specifick than the Cortex, for Instance, was never known, yet Experience convinces us how frequently we are forced even in intermitting Fevers, to call in to our Assistance, the Know­ledge of the Animal Oeconomy; and by Vomiting, Purging, or o­ther proper Means, to render that Specifick useful, which would o­therwise have been of no Effect: So that nothing seems more ridiculous [Page 39]than for a Man to pretend to cure Diseases, tho' arm'd with the best of Medicines, without the Know­ledge of the Animal Oeconomy, and the Nosological Praerequisita. It may as well be expected that a blind Man should shoot flying, or a deaf one tune an Organ.

I cannot therefore conclude this Head without observing (which indeed naturally flows from the foregoing Considerations) how un­accountably infatuated they are, who apply themselves to any of the Empirical Tribe; there being no­thing so monstrous as their Preten­ces; nothing, but the no less mon­strous Credulity of those who em­ploy them. But,

Does any one Man more deserve [Page 40]to be ridicul'd, than he, who thinks his Gold Watch of too great Value to be put into the Hands of an un­der Workman, and at the same time, trusts his Body, a Machine of infinitely more curious Structure, with an ignorant Pretender in Phy­sick. Can a Man put a greater Affront upon his Reason? Or can he give an odder Demonstration of his Kindness to Wife, Children or Friends, than to commit any of them to the Care of such unequal Managers? In Matters of far less Moment, Men generally are more guided by the Dictates of Reason, and not so easily impos'd upon by any kind of empty Pretensions. If the Title of an Estate, wherein they are concern'd, be never so lit­tle suspected, they immediately ap­ply to the Best Advice, and will spare neither Cost nor Pains for a Right Information; but which is [Page 41]the most unaccountable Piece of Folly imaginable, are extremely less sollicitous about the Care of their Bodies than their Estates.

IV. That the Enumeration of the Praerequisita to the Medical Art, is an evident Indication to the Ra­tional Part of Mankind, who do, and who do not, and that the far greatest Part of the Practitioners in Physick do come under the De­nomination of Quacks: I appeal to the Rational Part of Mankind, because they are the fittest Judges in the Matter; for as they are ca­pable of distinguishing who have, and who have not, had Opportuni­ties of understanding the Praerequi­sita; so they cannot but at the same time be convinc'd, that the far greatest Part of the Practitioners in Physick, come under the Deno­mination of Quacks. There is no­thing [Page 42]more Evident than that there are Pretenders in Physick, who are so far from having any Knowledge of the learned Languages, that they cannot write their own; are so far from having made any Search­es into the vast Collection of An­cient Learning, that they never perus'd even the Observations of the Moderns; are so far from un­derstanding Natural Philosophy or the Animal Oeconomy, that they never had Opportunities of learn­ing Anatomy or Chymistry; ne­ver saw a Dissection, or one Pro­cess of the Preparation of Medi­cines. What a melancholy Re­flection then is it, that such a Trade of deceiving should be carried on under the Pretences to so useful an Art; and to consider, what a Num­ber of People there are who ha­ving no other Foundation but Im­pudence and Ignorance, bubble so [Page 43]many Thousands out of their Mo­ney and Lives?

V. That an Apothecary can no more be said to be Qualified for the Practice of Physick than any other Mechanical Tradesman. Tho' the Preparation of Medicines, ac­cording to the Prescript is properly speaking the Business of an Apothe­cary, and which Preparation re­quires only the Knowledge of the Substances themselves, and not of their Medicinal Virtues and Effi­cacies; yet let us suppose an Apo­thecary endued with that Know­ledge also, and let us consider how far it will qualify him for the Pra­ctice of Physick. We will then suppose him to know that this Me­dicine will purge; this, vomit; and this produce other Evacuations, or perhaps only Alterations in the Bo­dy. But as to know what is Indi­cated [Page 44]is one thing, and how to an­swer such an Indication another; so the Knowledge of the Virtues and Efficacies of Medicines will not at all instruct or direct him in the Application of them. For Me­dicines being Relations to Human Bodies, can be only good or bad, as justly or unjustly applied: And therefore, as I instanc'd, tho' we suppose a Man to know that such a Medicine will undoubtedly Purge, i. e. sollicit the Bowels into that Motion we call so; yet whether this will be to the Advantage of the Person to whom it is given, de­pends not on the Man's Know­ledge of the Medicine's Operation, but on the Fitness and Disposition of the Patients Body to receive it. Again, a Man may know, that there are some Preparations of An­timony, &c. which will always pro­duce Vomiting. But tho' by the [Page 45]Exhibition of a Vomit, a Vitiated Stomach is sometimes restor'd; yet when the Stomach is deprav'd from a Cause which cannot be removed by Vomiting, 'tis plain, that the Use of such Medicines cannot pos­sibly effect its Recovery. And a great many more Instances might be given in respect to the Opera­tion of Medicines, which only pro­duce some Alteration in the Body. The Excellency then of the Medi­cal Art consists in a right Appre­hension of the Relation between the Powers of the Medicine, and the Circumstances of the Disease. Now such a right Apprehension of this Relation, as is sufficient to qualify a Man for the Practice of Physick, cannot possibly be acquird by the Knowledge of Medicines, their Preparation and Virtues; but of all the abovemention'd Praere­quisita to the Art. And this single [Page 46]Consideration of the Relation be­tween the Medicine and the Body, as it distinguishes a Regular from an Empirical Practice; so it suffi­ciently exposes the Vanity of con­fiding in Receipts or Nostrums, and plainly demonstrates that the most celebrated Preparations (even of the Philosophers by Fire) are not capable of curing Diseases, without a Judicious and Methodi­cal Application, and that there can be nothing consequently more ridiculous than to suppose an Apo­thecary capable of advising from seeing the Prescripts of Physici­ans. If then the Knowledge of the Preparation of Medicines, if the Knowledge of their Virtues, and Efficacies, nay, if seeing the very Prescripts of Physicians, will not amount to a Qualifica­tion; it demonstratively follows that an Apothecary can no more [Page 47]be said to be Qualified far the Pra­ctice of Physick, having no other Means or Opportunities of acqui­ring The rest of the Praerequisita, than any other Mechanical Trades-man. That small Pittance of Learning which is acquird at School, if not afterwards lost in the servile Offi­ces of the Shop, can claim no man­ner of Consideration: No; the Prolix and Laborious Study of Phy­sick, ought assuredly to commence upon a more Literate Foundation; and the Knowledge of it is not pos­sibly attainable, but by an Educa­tion of a quite different Nature.

Twill be very pertinent to my present Design, and not unaccepta­ble to my Reader, I hope, to ac­quaint him, how the Apothecaries first crept into Houses, and intro­duc'd themselves into the Practice of Physick. Their officious Visits were at first made under Pretence [Page 48]of carrying the Physick themselves, which indeed might procure them the Reputation of careful Men, tho by running on the Errands tis plain they chang'd Offices, with their Servants, and left them at home to do the Duty of their Ma­sters. This gave them Opportu­nities of insinuating themselves in­to Nurses, Servants, and, other weak Persons attending the Sick; and by their Means of being ad­mitted to give their Opinions; and thence under Pretence of good Husbandry for the Patient, to re­peat the Physicians Bills, without his Order; and at last to prescribe without his Advice. Yet I am not, I must confess, for wholly laying aside this Order of Men, they being, in my Opinion very useful and serviceable in their pro­per Station and Business, which is the Preparation of Medicines ac­cording [Page 49]to the Prescript of the Phy­sician. But when an Apothecary deserts his Station in the Shop, neglects the Business of his Trade, and runs about advising in all Di­stempers; he becomes an Empi­rick, and invades a Profession which he cannot be suppos'd to under­stand. Can any thing be more a­stonishing than the levelling of a Learned Liberal Science, with a Mechanick Trade of the Hand di­rected by that Science? I could wish the Fool's Character had been preserved in our Chronicles, or that his Features were now to be seen in his Statue of Brass, who first sent for the Handy-craft La­bourer of the Medicines to answer any Questions concerning the Na­ture of the Distemper.

There is certainly no more Re­lation between the Business of an Apothecary, and that of a Physi­cian, [Page 50]than between the Grinding of Colours and the Art of Painting: And therefore an Apothecary, who, without Knowledge of the Praere­quisita, pretends to the Practice of Physick, is altogether as ridicu­lous as a Colour-grinder, who, without any Skill in Drawing, should presume to manage a Pen­cil The one may hear the Pa­tients examin'd, make up the Me­dicines himself, and observe their Effects; the other may see the first Stroaks chalk'd out, prepare the Colours himself, and afterwards see his Master at Work; yet nei­ther of them, without being first instructed in the various Rules as well as first Rudiments of the re­spective Arts, shall enter into the Skill of either the Physician or Painter, tho' they look'd on them till Dooms-day. What Pity 'tis the Imitations of both cannot be e­qually [Page 51]expos'd to view, that the unskilful Management of the one might be as conspicuous as would be the ridiculous dawbing of the other.

There is also another Body of Men, I mean the Surgeons, who notoriously enough (tho' not in­deed so frequently in great Towns as the Apothecaries) invade the Profession of Physick. But as the Rules above-mention'd are suffici­ent to distinguish an Empirical Pre­tender from a Qualified Practitio­ner; so by the Application of those Rules to the Surgeons, 'tis very ea­sily demonstrable, that they cannot but come under the Denomination of Quacks in Physick.

Tho from what has been alrea­dy advanc'd, both concerning the Praerequisita and the Conclusions which have been drawn from the Enumeration of them, it may seem [Page 52]altogether needless; yet I shall now proceed to offer three or four Rea­sons more, which will further de­monstrate the Necessity of a Re­gulation in Physick: And those may be said to regard,

• I. The Good of the Publick in General.
• II. The Universities in Parti­cular.
• III. The Art of Physick it self.
• IV. The Regular Professors of it.

I. The first Reason then for the Necessity of such a Regulation (concerns the Good of the Publick and) is the Loss of her Majesties Subjects. And if I affirm that the Encouragement of Quacks tends as much to the dispeopling of the Kingdom as the Wars; The Com­putation must be allow'd to be mo­dest, [Page 53]provided they, kill as many in other Parts of the Kingdom as they do in those within the Sphere of my own Observation. But the Truth of this Assertion will more evidently appear to any one who does but fairly consider the Num­ber of Quacks with which every Corner of this Kingdom has the Misfortune to abound. For what but the most dismal Execution up­on the Lives, or the most dreadful Destruction of Mankind, can be ex­pected from such a Prodigious Number of Men, who under­standing not what they profess; may truly be said to be Qualified, as they are Licenc'd, to kill. And tho' the most horrid Slaughters are daily committed without any Fear of Punishment or Reproof; yet 'tis not a more melancholy Reflection to consider what a vast Number of Men fall by the Hands of these [Page 54]Executioners, than that the Execu­tioners themselves should escape the Hands of Publick Justice. I am not able to express my Indig­nation against such presumptuous Homicides: They ought to be ex­tirpated, if not at once, yet by Degrees, as the Wolves out of the Kingdom.

But to return; I hope to be ex­cus'd (for whosoever is well appriz'd of her Powers may be pardon'd) for asserting, That it is better trusting to Nature than to an ignorant Pre­tender in Physick. That Physicians are only Servants to Nature, and that she is Morborum Medicatrix, are Truths known to the Ancients, and confirmd by the irrefragable Experience of the Moderns. And as Nature alone will conquer some Diseases, and judiciously assisted the greatest part; so nothing is a brighter Demonstration of the [Page 55]Greatness of her Strength, than that even the Mismanagement of Nur­ses, Apothecaries and other Quacks, is not able to hinder the Recovery of very large Numbers, which fall under their Hands. The greatest part of the Symptoms of Diseases are the Efforts of Nature, but which Efforts being easily disturb'd, or soon oppos'd, require the most strict and wary Observance, and without Judgment, we may sooner injure than assist her; sooner op­press than relieve her. A Physici­an ought therefore religiously to observe and obey the Motions of Nature, to look upon them as his surest Guides in the Cure of any Distemper, and to be advis'd, ac­cording to them, what to do, and when, and in what manner to pro­ceed. The Art of Physick is not understood till the Artist compre­hends, in the Words of my Lord [Page 56] Bacon, Quid Natura ferat, & faciat. But if the Calamities of the Sick are encreas'd by the very Means which are used for their Relief; if instead of carefully assisting Na­ture in her Progresses to the Pre­servation of Life, she be clogg'd with useless and insignificant, or oppress'd with dangerous and de­structive Applications: I may just­ly conclude the Condition of those People who have the Misfortune to fall under such Hands, to be indeed a very deplorable one; and the Loss of her Majesties Subjects, from the fatal Mismanagement of so vast a Number of Quacks, to be con­sequently so very great, that the Encouragement of them may truly be said to tend as much to the dispeopling of the Kingdom as the Wars.

II. Another Argument for the Necessity of a Regulation in Phy­sick, is, that the Encouragement of Empiricism has already been a very great, and will hereafter be a far greater Detriment to the Uni­versities: For it can never be sup­pos'd, that Men will be at the Ex­pence of sending their Sons to any of the Seminaries of Good Litera­ture and ingenuous Education, when the Honours and Employ­ments of a Faculty may be obtain'd without it, and there is so little Distinction made between a Regu­lar and an extempore Doctor. The Apothecaries, and other Quacks, now openly avow their Resolutions of seizing on the Practice of Phy­sick; and of excluding in time all the University Physicians. They give not only Examples, but also Assurances of Success to all the In­truders [Page 58]into Divinity, and others, of the pretended Education in the Liberal Sciences. It would indeed be no great Matter of Wonder or Complaint, were Empiricks encou­raged only by the Ordinary Sort of People; or as the French call them, the Petits Gens; there being, as I have often observ'd, a Sort of Sym­pathy between Understandings. But 'tis very unaccountably surpri­zing, and a just Matter of Com­plaint, that any of the distinguish'd Part of Mankind should venture e­ven in dangerous Cases to employ such illiterate, and consequently ignorant Pretenders. And what still enhances my Amazement is, that any of those Gentlemen, and especially any of the Clergy, who have had the Happiness of an Uni­versity Education; should give any manner of Encouragement to this sort of People. They have all laid [Page 59]themselves under the highest Ob­ligations of Preserving the Honour and Dignity of those Fountains of Learning. And the Physicians of the Soul in particular being obliged to visit their Parishioners in Sick­ness, ought not only to inform them that it is their Duty, but to press them also to apply to the Physicians of the Body, whom the Divine Laws ^* as well as our own have appointed; instead of either making use of Empiricks them­selves, or advising others to make use of them. I can never sufficient­ly deplore these Indignities offer'd to our Universities, nor ever e­nough blame and condemn the A­bettors and Promoters of them; but am not without Hopes that such growing Mischiefs as these are, [Page 60]will sometime be thought worthy the Consideration of those in whom alone is lodg'd the Power of Re­dressing them.

III. Another Argument for the Necessity of a Regulation in Phy­sick, regards the Art it self; the Encouragement of Quacks and Em­piricks threatning the Ruin of the Profession as well as of the People. 'Twould be no very difficult Task to demonstrate the Certainty of the Medical Principles, and consequent­ly the real Usefulness of Physick to Mankind. But such an Attempt does not at all seem necessary in my present Design; because 'tis not to be suppos'd, that Persons should apply themselves even to the most ignorant Pretenders in Physick, un­less such Persons really thought they should receive some Benefit from the Directions of those to whom they [Page 61]did apply. Yet notwithstanding Physick is undoubtedly establish'd upon such Principles as do wholly free it from those Reproaches of Uncertainty which it has often, tho' falsly, been charg'd with; it must, at the same time, be con­fess'd, that the Malignity of some Acute, and the Stubbornness of some Chronical Diseases, do often elude all the Assistances of Human Art: For the most judicious and the most experienc'd Physicians can have no Power, as the Wise Man expresses it, in the Day of Death. But this can be no manner of Ob­jection to the Certainty of the Me­dical Principles, because it may happen and not proceed from any Defect in the Rules of the Art it self. For from a due Considera­tion of the Materials which com­pose a human Body, the Elegancy of its Structure, and the continued [Page 62]Flux of its Parts, 'tis very evident that it must necessarily be obnoxi­ous to Disorders, which are Disea­ses; and sooner or later as necessa­rily to a Dissolution, which is Death. So that whoever is well appriz'd of the wonderful Fabrick of the Hu­man Body, how curiously contriv'd and divinely fashion'd a Machine it is, may consequently be rather amaz'd at our living so long, than at our dying so soon. But tho' it must be acknowledg'd that it is not in the Physician's Power at all times, or in all Extremities, to retrieve or preserve his Patients from the Jaws of Death, (since to die is an Entail upon our Natures) yet it may with Modesty be affirm'd, Experience abundantly proving it, that there is so much Power in Medicines, and so much Virtue in Methods, as to enable him, if he but heedfully weighs and judiciously applies them, [Page 63]to give Ease to such as are in Pain, Sleep to such as are wearied out with Watching, and Strength to withstand the Approaches of grim and dreaded Death. But a Phy­sician cannot, I say, be suppos'd capable of doing these things with­out a due Consideration of Circum­stances, and a Judicious Applica­tion of Medicines. For if Medi­cines are promiscuously us'd in all Constitutions, or without Regard to the Circumstances of each Case, 'tis no Wonder they so often de­ceive Men in their Expectations of Success. And therefore as the Knowledge pf the Praerequisita is the only Means of Qualifying a Man for a successful Practice in Physick, and consequently of ad­vancing the Credit and Reputation of the Art; so the Ignorance of Quacks, both of the Nature, Cau­ses, and Cure of Diseases, must [Page 64]necessarily produce so many and so gross Mismanagements as can­not but extremely prejudice Man­kind in their Opinion of the Art. Their ill Successes are doubtless imputed to the Uncertainty of the Art it self, especially by the Un­distinguishing, which is much the larger Part of Mankind; and Men from their lessen'd Opinion of it, will by Degrees neglect to apply to any Advice at all; whereas the truly Noble and Divine Art it self ought by no Means to be charg'd with what is only to be imputed to the Ignorance of those who pre­tend to profess it.

Besides, 'tis a true and general Observation, that Arts and Sciences do improve and grow useful, accor­ding to the Encouragement of those who profess them. But the fre­quent Application to Quacks and Empiricks, by Men of all Ranks [Page 65]and Degrees, even to the most ex­alted Stations, is so publick and so vast a Discouragement to the Pro­fessors of Physick, that it may truly be said to threaten the very Ruin and Destruction of the Art it self. For as such a Discouragement must necessarily lessen the Number of the Professors in Physick; so it will consequently obstruct the glorious Progress of the Art, by hindring further Inventions, and future Im­provements in it. And how inca­pable the illiterate Pretenders in Physick are of improving either themselves or the Art, has been al­ready demonstrated. We may then very fairly suppose there will be but few Students in Physick, if after all the Labour and Pains of Acquiring that Knowledge, and after all the Expences of a Learned Education; their Bread shall be taken off their Trenchers, as we say, by every Il­literate [Page 66]Pretender. What a most ingenious Author observes upon a­nother Occasion is very applicable to this. If we consider, says he, the Expensiveness of the Voyage, which is made in search of Know­ledge, 'tis very hard the Under­takers should be plunder'd of what they bring home by Privateers; under the very Canon which should protect them. All which Conside­rations are sufficient to shew, how far the Encouragement of Quacks and Empiricks obstructs the Pro­gress of that glorious Art which teaches the Recovery as well as the Preservation of Health; and con­sequently threatens the Ruin of the Profession as well as the People.

IV. The fourth and last Argu­ment which I shall offer for the Necessity of a Regulation in the Practice of Physick, regards the [Page 67]Physicians themselves, viz. That no Profession is so invaded with un­qualify'd Pretenders, as theirs. I do not doubt, but 'twill evidently appear, that such an Invasion is singular to the Profession of Phy­sick, notwithstanding what some have endeavour'd, tho' without a­ny Colour of Reason, to maintain. 'Tis well known that Divinity and Law have their Palisadoes and In­trenchements; for who dare pretend in their Pulpits or Courts, but those who are fairly initiated ac­cording to Form and Custom? Whereas the Cobweb Fences of Physick are every Day invaded, any broken Weaver, Taylor, Shoe­maker, or merry Andrew, dub­bing himself a Doctor Extempore, and setting up for a AESCULAPIUS. So that Quacking and Ale-keeping are now a days become the last Employments, to which Men of [Page 68]decay'd Fortunes apply themselves to get Bread. And as none but those who are fairly Initiated or Admitted do presume upon the Professions either of Divinity or Law; so there is but one way of Initiating or Admitting Persons into the Exercise of them. Where­as on the other side, Men are ad­mitted to practise Physick by the most Unreasonable, and as they are at present manag'd, I may with Im­punity, I hope, venture to say, scandalous Methods; I mean by Licences out of the Ecclesiastical Courts. But that the Hardship of the Physicians Case may be set in the clearest Light, 'twill be neces­sary to enquire into the original End and Design, as well as pre­sent Management of such Ecclesia­stical Licences: I am well enough satisfy'd that their original End and Design was very good and laudable. [Page 69]The Statute of Hen. 8. 3. ^* very pathetically expresses the Inconve­niencies ensuing by Ignorant Per­sons practising Physick, to the high Displeasure of God, great Infamy to the Faculty, and the grievous Hurt, Damage, and Destruction of his Majesties liege Subjects. For all which Reasons it enacts that the Bishop of each Diocese, or his Vi­car-General, be empower'd to ex­amine all those (except Graduates) who shall practice Physick in that Diocese. But the Wisdom of the same Statute is no less remarkable in obli­ging either of them to call to him such expert Persons in the said Fa­culty, as his Discretion shall think fit. For I hope, I may venture to declare my Opinion thus far, that I cannot but think the Gentlemen of those Courts very unfit Judges [Page 70]of a Man's Capacity to practice Physick. And therefore in 14 and 15 of Hen. 8. 5. it is still, I think, more prudentially enacted, That none shall practice in the Country, without a Testimonial of his Suffi­ciency from the President of the College of Physicians, and three of the Electors. I shall not here pretend to determine how far this posterior may be said to abrogate or null the prior Act. But the very End and Design of these Ecclesiastical Licences, viz. Prevention of the Inconveniences ensuing by Ignorant Persons practising Physick, is not only, as they are manag'd at pre­sent, wholly frustrated, but entire­ly perverted: For they are now a­days so far from preventing, that they are the only Means of bringing those Mischiefs and Inconvenien­cies upon us, which the Statute mentions, by admitting such Shoals [Page 71]of unqualified Persons to practice Physick. That the Examination previous to Admission was former­ly strict and severe, is as cer­tain as that now a days Persons are admitted without any manner of Examination at all. Nay, so far is the Practice of these Courts cor­rupted, and the very End and De­sign of these Licences perverted, that they are now a days granted e­ven from a Testimonial of two Li­centiates. Can any thing then be more evidently apparent than the Necessity of regulating these Mat­ters? For tho' (as I before observ'd) the first End and Design of these Licences was undoubtedly Good and Laudable, and tho' they were not Injurious (and I am apt to think they were not originally design'd to be or indeed really were) to the Regular Physicians; yet if the Rea­son of a Law ceases, the Law [Page 72]it self ought to be annull'd. But since the Method of Examina­tion is so very much alter'd; the Original End and Design of these Licences, so manifestly per­verted, and they themselves be­come so vastly Injurious both to the Faculty, and the Regular Pro­fessors of Physick; these very Con­siderations are so many Arguments a fortiori for the Necessity of a Re­gulation. And now I appeal to the sensible Part of Mankin, whe­ther any Profession be so invaded with unqualified Pretenders as Physick; and consequently whe­ther the Physicians have not the greatest Reason in the World to complain. And to whom should they complain, but to the Legisla­ture? For doubtless, it was one of the Ends of Parliamentary In­stitution to receive the Complaints, and redress the Grievances of the [Page 73]Injur'd. Nay, do we not find the Legislature frequently interposing in other Professions to prevent or remove Grievances; but what Re­gard has there been to the most e­normous ones in Physick? Are not our Lives worthy the Care of the Laws, as well as our Souls or Estates?

I shall now endeavour to obviate some Objections which are general­ly made, tho' indeed without any Shadow of Reason, against what I have advanc'd. And it has been objected in the first Place, that such a Regulation would be an Abridg­ment of the Natural Rights and Liberties of Mankind, to follow those Employments whereby they may get a Livelihood. I should be the most unwilling Man in the World to advance any thing which has the least Tendency to such an Abridgment. No, I have the ten­derest [Page 74]Regard to their Civil as well as religious Properties. But this Objection would equally hold a­gainst the Suppression of Gaming and other disorderly Houses, of the Royal Oak, and other such publick Nusances. For if the Good of the Publick ought not to be consider'd and prefer'd to that of private Per­sons, which I take to be an undenia­ble Maxim in all Governments; the Natural Liberties of Mankind may as properly be said to be abridg'd by such a Suppression, as by such a Regulation as I contend for. The same Answer will serve to some other Objections, which are much of the same Nature, and of no greater Force than the former, viz. That the Legislature is under no manner of Obligation to concern it self in Mischiefs which Men vo­luntarily pull upon themselves; That all flourishing Governments [Page 75]will encourage their People some Way or other to employ them­selves; That every Man is sui Ju­ris, and has a natural Right of making Use of any Body he pleases, and if he be satisfy'd with the Risque he runs, what has any one to say in contradiction to his Humour.

I now proceed to invalidate some Excuses which are frequently made in Extenuation of those Practices which I have been condemning. And a great many People I am apt to believe, will think to clear them­selves from the Imputation of En­couraging Quacks and Empiricks, by saying, That it is only in the Beginning of Diseases they apply to them; That in Cases of Dan­ger, they generally have Recourse to better Advice; and, That this Custom being so very common, does not seem to need any manner [Page 76]of Excuse: But upon a stricter En­quiry into this Matter, the Custom of first sending for an Apothecary or other Quack, will not, I am apt to think, appear the less ridicu­lous, for being so frequent. For, as the Beginning of a Distemper is a very seasonable Opportunity of Assisting Nature, towards the Re­covery of Health, so the Conduct of those People cannot be sufficient­ly condemn'd, who neglect to im­prove that Opportunity, by not then calling in a judicious Assistant. But far more egregious is the Fol­ly of those who then apply them­selves to any of the Empirical Tribe; it being impossible, as has been observ'd, but such Persons must make either insignificant and useless, or dangerous and destru­ctive Applications. And as the Consideration of neglecting the Im­provement of this Opportunity [Page 77]sufficiently condemns the Applica­tion to those who are call'd safe Men; who, as they say themselves, will do no Hurt if they do no Good; so the presumptuous Tamperers, on the other Side, may not only ir­reparably injure the Patient, but so quite change the Face of a Distem­per, as to render it very difficult, if possible, for even a judicious Physi­cian, when call'd in, to discover its Nature. But when a Physici­an has the Care of a Disease from the Beginning, he is able to make right Observations of the Progress and Alteration of its Symptoms; and consequently, not only to form a surer Prognostication of its Event, but more effectually to assist Nature in the Preservation of Life.

Again, there are others who pre­tend to excuse themselves for not ap­plying to the best Advice upon the Account of saving Charges; tho' this [Page 78]Consideration can be of no manner of Force, unless it can be thought an Excuse to have the Chance of be­ing kill'd cheap. But would those very People, who satisfy themselves with the Advice of an Empirical Pre­tender, but use their Arithmetick, they would soon be convinc'd, they acted as much against their Interest as Reason. For by physicking the Symptoms, and neglecting the Cause of a Disease, the Length of the Bill, as well as the Distemper, must be consequently encreas'd. 'Tis not the collusive Pretence of giving Advice without a Fee, which can or ought to be esteem'd an Equivalent.

There are some again who pre­tend to excuse themselves by plead­ing, that those to whom they ap­ply, are Masters of some magni­fied Receipt, or pretended infalli­ble Remedy for this or that Distem­per.

But the Vanity of confiding in such Trifles has been sufficiently ex­pos'd by the plainest Demonstration, That the most celebrated Prepara­tions even of the Philosophers by Fire are not capable of curing Dis­eases, without a Judicious and Me­thodical Application. I shall there­fore only subjoin another Conside­ration, which is an unanswerable Argument of their Insufficiency, viz. That none of these magnified Receipts or infallible Nostrums have ever stood the Test of an Age. Accordingly, our very own Experi­ence is so far from confirming, that it daily contradicts the Pretended Vir­tues which the Alchymical Writers, and the publick Venders of Quack Medicines, with a peremptory As­surance ascribe to them.

'Tis urg'd again, that tho' it must be confess'd, that very easily cu­rable Diseases are often made fatal [Page 80]by Quacks; yet 'tis equally true, that several Persons recover under their Hands. To this I answer, That they recover, 'tis true, when the Patients have more of their na­tural Vigour than the others are able to destroy, and rather to the Strength of Nature is the happy E­vent to be ascrib'd, than to the Judgment of the Medicinal Admi­nistrator; such Particular Cases being no more Arguments of their Skill than a blind Man's throwing Stones, and hitting some People in a Crowd is an Argument of the Goodness of his Aim.

Having thus fairly and impar­tially represented the present State of Physick in this Kingdom, plainly indicated the Number of Quacks, with which it is so unhappy as to abound; and fully demonstrated not only the Impossibility of their being serviceable, but the absolute [Page 81]Necessity of their being injurious to it, in the Exercise of the Pro­fession they pretend to: I think no­thing can be more consequentially evident than the Necessity of a Re­gulation in the Practice of Physick. And I am not without Hopes, that some of the above-mention'd Rea­sons, viz. The Good of her Ma­jesty's Subjects in General; The Honour and Advantages of Her Universities in particular; The Life and Reputation of so useful an Art as Physick; or the Particular Hardships, which the Gentlemen of that Faculty have the Misfor­tune to labour under; I am not without Hopes, I say, that some of these Reasons will so far influ­ence our Legislators, as to prevail with them to take the Representa­tion of this Case into their imme­diate Consideration: It is a Case undoubtedly, of the greatest Mo­ment [Page 82]and Importance; for as the Life and Health of every individu­al Subject, so consequently all Ranks and Qualities, all Parties and Distinctions of Men are in the highest Degree, and equally con­cern'd in it. And as the great Im­portance of the Debate makes it not unworthy the Cognizance and En­quiry of our Legislators; so the ve­ry Nature of it seems more particu­larly to recommend it self to their Consideration. For 'tis certainly a great Shame, as well as an Unhap­piness, that in a Kingdom where so many good Laws are in Force, and in which as much Care is taken of the Liberties and Properties of the Sub­ject, as in any Nation upon Earth, the People should lie open and un­guarded in their dearest and most va­luable Enjoyments, Health and Life. There is nothing, therefore, which in my Opinion seems more plainly [Page 83]to demonstrate a Deficiency in our Laws, than the Want of some to Regulate the gross Miscarriages and enormous Abuses in the Practice of Physick. The College of Physicians, 'tis true, is vested with some Mea­sure of Authority; But as their Au­thority is confin'd to certain Limits; so, through Want of an Enlarge­ment of their Charter, it is not at present of that Use as seems corre­spondent to the Design of its Royal Institution: But either by enlarging the Charter to the Colledge of Phy­sicians, or by such Ways and Means as the Wisdom of our Legislature shall better approve of; there seems nothing more feasible than to make a sufficient Provision against these pernicious and destructive Practices. And whenever it shall seem expedi­ent to those who sit at the Helm of our excellent Government, to un­dertake so useful and necessary a [Page 84]Work; I humbly recommend,

1. That the distinct Spheres of Physicians, Surgeons, and Apothe­caries, be limited and specified; The Surgeons restrain'd to their pro­per Business; the Apothecaries con­fin'd to their Shops; and all illite­rate and Empirical Pretenders in Physick suppress'd.

2. That a Provision be made for the Poor to have their Share in the best Advice and Medicines.

As the Want of such a Regulation in Physick is one of the greatest Flaws in our Constitution; and highly reflects upon the best of Go­vernments, so such a Regulation would undoubtedly tend as much to the Honour of our Nation, as the Preservation of its People; and which not only the present, but all succeeding Generations will have the greatest Reason in the World to ap­plaud.