A Short View of the Frauds and Abuses Committed by Apothecaries | Page 4

Sixthly, Many of the London, and most of the Country-Apothecaries,
buy of the whole-sale men, who affirm of one another, especially of
such who gain great Estates in short time, that they cannot sell their
Medicines honestly made at so low a rate as they do.
Seventhly, I shall need to say little of such distilled waters, as discover
themselves neither to smell, nor tast, but shall only recite a known
Story of an Apothecary, who chid his man for sending away a
Customer that came for Plantan water, telling him there was enough at
the Pump.
Eighthly, As for Ointments, and Plasters, they are sold by some at so
low a price, viz. 3 d. per l. for Ointments, as I have been informed, that
'tis not possible to make them at, and yet such however falsifyed
maintain a trade amongst Country, and low-priced City-Apothecaries,
and the Chirurgeons profess they cannot effect their Cures with the
Shop-Medicines, and that this is the reason why they make their own
Oyls, Oyntments, &c. as the Apothecaries Charter allows them to do;
and why may not Physicians think this to be the cause why they
sometimes fail in their Cures, as well as Chirurgeons? and also make

their own Medicines as well as they, especially since the Apothecary
may as easily falsify, and to greater profit in the one, then in the other?
Ninthly, As to their use of bad or decayed Drugs, 'tis so common a
practice that I shall need to give but one notorious instance of it, and 'tis
this, I having occasion to use some Seeds, sent for them to a Seeds-man,
the Messenger desiring to have those of the same Year. The Tradesman
knowing him to live with me, asked, if they were for Physical use, he
replyed in the affirmative, whereat he presently shewed him others,
which were of 6 or 7 years old (as he confessed) affirming them to be
as good for that use as the newest, which he sold only for sowing, and
that he kept the others, though never so old, for the Apothecaries only,
who still asked for them, buying them though 20 years old, not
regarding if they were decayed and wholy effete (for no Seed will
preserve its vegetative faculty above 7 years much less its Physical) so
they could but have them cheap. Besides their pretty knacks (as they
call them) of making their Compounds fair to the eye, more vendible,
but worse for use, by restoring them to their colour and consistence,
that they may pass for good, which perhaps 'tis better to pass over in
silence, lest by confuting I should teach the younger Fry, who may
better be honestly ignorant of them. Now for their substituting one
thing for another, and detracting where they please, I shall add but one
Story of an Apothecary, who commanded his man (who told him they
had no good Rhabarb in the house) that he should put in double
quantity of what they had. Nay I have known one simple of a quite
different nature used for a whole composition.
Tenthly, I shall conclude this ungrateful Discourse, with saying that by
reason more frauds may be committed by the Apothecaries, then by any
other Trade, and by supposition that gain will tempt most men to
dishonest actions, especially where they may act undiscovered; I say;
that this seems to be the cause why they have two Supervisors set over
them more then any Company that I know of, viz. the Censors of the
College of Physicians, and the Master and Wardens of their own
Company.
The next thing is the inlarging and multiplying their Bills and
Medicines.
First, When in Chronical Diseases a Physician is consulted, they go on
of their own heads with the same prescription, frequently enough to the

Patients great disadvantage, both of health and purse.
Secondly, By giving and intermixing Medicines of their own Phancy,
with the Physicians prescriptions, viz. some pleasing Medicine,
whereby too often the Physicians intention is quite crost, and the effect
made uncertain, and hazardous.
Thirdly, By giving Medicines themselves on small accounts, and such
as require only a good ordering, and no more.
Fourthly, By repeating long courses of Physic unadvisedly, and
needlesly, when either nothing, or very little is needful to be done.
Fifthly, By creating diseases in easie mens Phansies, and so decoying
them into courses of Physic.
Sixthly, Some of them get private and worthless receipts, and sell them
at what rate they please; Mr. Delaune by one Pill alone, though not a
very safe one, got some thousands of pounds.
Seventhly, If one of them get a private receipt from a Physician called
by the inventor his Nostrum, if another Apothecary have occasion to
use it, he shall