ll known to many Physicians, who have seen them
sell the Apothecaries Herbs, Roots and Seeds, under other Names than those
they do really bear, for many among them cannot distinguish between
Ingredients noxious and salutary: So that we have not Patients daily
poisoned is rather from the Care of Herb-women than Apothecaries. Another
just Cause of Complaint against the Apothecaries are, their old Medicines;
for suppose them as faithfully prepared as they can pretend or we desire,
yet Length of Time will make some Changes in them, which are not often
Improvements: The Syrups grow acid, and Waters full of Mother, Electuaries
and Pills dry and deprived of their most active Parts, Powders themselves
are not free from this Fate, whose Virtues in Time we find marvelously
diminished. But were they to be told of this, you may with as good Success
preach to a Wall, for not a Dram of any other Medicine will the
Apothecaries part with but for Sale: So that many times they sell their
Preparations five or six Years after they were made, and whether their
Medicinal Properties are not much impaired, if they have any left, we
leave to others to determine. And indeed the Apothecary has many Things in
his Shop which are not called for in many Months, yet these must be vended
with the rest; all which, when they have lost their Virtues, should they
be rejected, it would be much to their Prejudice, and they have a
fundamental Practice that no such Thing should be allow'd of: For 'tis
much better the Patient should suffer somewhat in his Body than the
Apothecary in his Estate; and if he has injured by his bad Physick,
perhaps he will take Pity of him, and the next Prescription shall be
better prepared; whereby he makes him abundance of Recompence for the Hurt
he receiv'd by that which was bad: And he himself makes an Advantage of
both, although perhaps if he had consulted the Patient, he would rather
have chosen to keep his Head sound than have it broken, that a proper
Plaister might be applied for the Cure. This is so notorious a Truth, that
all the World, even their best Friends, exclaim against them for it, and
'till they amend this among many other Peccadillo's, it behoves the
Patient to take care how seldom he employs them. Another, that the
Apothecaries and their Servants are so careless, slovingly and slight in
preparing of dispensatory, or prescribed Medicines, that neither the
Physicians, or the Diseased, have Reason to repose that Trust