The case of the apothecaries. [Against the Royal College of Physicians] / [Society of Apothecaries].

  • Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London.
Date:
1748]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The case of the apothecaries. [Against the Royal College of Physicians] / [Society of Apothecaries]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I T II E C A S E OF THE APOTHECARIES. r\ O prevent the Mifchiefs arifing from Ignorance, or Temerity in the Admini- Jlration of Medicines, King Henry the VIII th, by his Charter eftablifhed the College of Physicians, excluding all Perfons, who fhould not be licenfed by them, from the Practice of Phyfick within London, and feven Miles thereof: Which Charter was foon afterwards confirmed by Parliament, and the faid Exclufion from Practice extended all over England. And to prevent the like Mifchiefs in the Preparation of Medicines, the faid Col¬ lege were by fubfequent Adis directed to elect, yearly, Four of their Fellows, who, after taking an Oath of Office, were impowered (with the Afliftance of the Wardens of the Company of Grocers and Apothecaries) tovifit all Apothecaries Houfes within London only, and to deftroy fuch Drugs and Medicines as they fhould find defective; which Power of Vijitation was afterwards, by a Charter of King ‘James the lit, ex¬ tended to the Diflance of feven Miles round London. But the Exercife of this lafl Power being limitted to four Perfons, the fame ap¬ peared to Sir Theodore De May erne, and Henry Atkins, Phyficiansto King James the lit (and who, being the then moft illuflrious Members of the College, may be fuppofed to declare the Senfe of the whole Body) fo very infiifficierA for fappreiTmg the variety of Abufes intended to be remedied, that at their Defire, and for the more effectually preventing thofe Abufes, the faid King very foon after, by another Charter, formed the Apothecaries of London into a diftinCt Society, with the like Powers of Vifitation, and exprefsly prohibited all Perfons from exercifing the Bufinefs of an Apothecary with¬ in feven Miles of London, unlefs firfi: examined, approved, and licenfed by the faid Society. True it is that the Validity of the faid Charter being doubtful, and the Extent of the Powers thereby granted uncertain, and there being no Provifion for rectifying any Abufe of thofe Powers, the faid Society have ever been very cautious in the Exercife thereof, and of late Years efpecially, have kept up the Form only of a Vifitation'. Whence it has happened, that feveral ignorant, and illiterate Perfons have been encouraged to en¬ ter upon the Bufinefs of an Apothecary, whilfl others, of perhaps a more regular Edu¬ cation, and better Knowledge, have in order to engrofs the Trade, by under-felling the fair Apothecary, ventured to compound their Medicines of damaged, Hale, and coun¬ terfeit Ingredients; fo that upon the whole, great Quantities of pernicious Medicines have been fold in the Neighbourhood of London, and tranfmitted into all Parts of the Kingdom. These Practices being notorious, the College in 1722, procured the ACt of Parlia¬ ment (now propofed to be revived) to eftablifh their Power of Vifitation agreeable to their Charter. But a Claufe having, upon their Attempt to obtain a Bill for reviving the faid ACt in 1729, been added by a Committee of the Houfe of Commons [for granting an Appeal from the Judgment of the Cenfors to fix Phyficians and fix Apo¬ thecaries to be determined upon Oath, and in Cafe of Equality of Voices, by the Opi¬ nion of the Prefident or Vice-Prefident of the College] the faid Bill was drop’d, and the College have not fince thought proper to apply for any Bill of that kind, notwith- Itanding the Continuance and daily Increafe of the bad Practices above-mentioned. At length feveral Apothecaries, [whofe Profefiion affords them but too frequent Op¬ portunities of obferving the Extent and mifchievous EffeCts of thofe bad Practices,] thought it their Duty, as well in Regard to the Publick, as themfelves, to reprefent the fame to the Legislature. In