SELF-Conservation acted from an innate Principle, most powerfully in­clines all Creatures, especially Man­kind, to a full Compliance with such Injunctions, as may best conduce thereunto; which being our chiefest Natural concern­ment in point of Interest, as well as Duty, requires our utmost Endeavor in avoiding what may be prejudicial, and choosing what [Page 2] may promote this, so just and necessary in­tent: External Dangers hereupon Impres­sing a deep sense of their destructive Events, do incessantly sollicite for suitable helps to rescue from those threatning Mischiefs, and by a more Cogent propensity all the Pow­ers of Nature are set on work, and Medicine called in to assist with its Effectual Co-opera­tion to oppugn Diseases, in order to an hap­py Restoration to that State which suffered by reason of their Invasion. So then, Me­dicine is commended to us as the proper Means whereby the proposed end of Sa­nity may most probably be attained; to which application is naturally made in sick­ness, from a well grounded confidence of its corresponding Efficacy, which good opinion of Physick, and the general conformity to those Primitive Dictates of Self-conservati­on, give advantage and opportunity to very many of insinuating their zeal and forward­ness to contribute towards the better satisfa­ction of this obligation to Nature; and most people being easily convinced of the necessi­ty incumbent on them to seek out for Help when seized by Sickness, and not discerning the Deceits of meer Pretenders to the Sci­ence of Physick, from the real abilities of true Physicians, are upon this account fre­quently misguided to imploy those who fru­strate [Page 3] the end of Medicines, and miserably disappoint their (otherwise regular) ten­dency, to preserve themselves.

That this Delusion may no longer prevail in Affairs of such Consequence as Health and Life; I have essayed to distinguish be­tween those who without requisite Qualifi­cations undertake the Practice of Physick, and such whom Learning and Experience have accomplished for the accurate discharge of their Noble Profession. I shall under the notion of Empericks treat of the first sort; and however the term Emperick is notori­ously known in respect of the vastOmnes ho­mines, viri aequè ac foe­minoe, anus ae­què ac virgo omnes inquam medici vide­ri pruriunt ut si omnes qui medicae artis cognitionem atque scienti­am falso no­mine sibi ad­scribunt, nu­mero compren­dere velis, pri­us quot flucti­bus mare à condito aevo agitatum sit ser­mone atque oratione ex­pedias Seidel in praefat. lib. de morb. incu­rab. swarm of them which pester all places, confidently pretending to Physick: yet to avoid mi­stakes, I shall explain what I intend by it. I style him an Emperick, who, without consi­deration of any rational Method undertakes to cure Diseases, whose frequent Periclitations (as he conceits) surpass the notional Theo­ry of Physick, and his proof of Receipts seem to him more satisfactory then the Scholastick odd rules of practice: But what can be ex­pected from such rude Experimentings, not respecting any Indications, or other circum­stances very considerable in the right effect­ing of a Cure? Who questions but that such Morbos Andabatarum more impugnantes, Proceeding blindfold to their attempts, must [Page 4] inevitably err? Indeed the Empericks voice up their Experience, and think it an authen­tick Diploma, capacitating them to practice Physick; I shall therefore enquire what Ex­perience is, and then a right judgment may be made whether these answer their preten­ces herein.

True Experience is constituted of Reason and Sense; for as a judicial observation of sensible Experiments produceth apt Theo­rems, so thereby the Intellect forms Univer­sal conceptions and essays their confirmation by repeated experimental Operations, whence issued what men call Science, together with all its eternal and immutable Truths; hence­forth unquestionable by Sense, which having the Royal assent affixed to them are standing Laws not subject to future Censures: So then there is no cause why we should return to the first more rude and imperfect way, since the Science of Medicine is not only al­ready invented and discovered, but adorned with intelligible Rules and Aphorisms, and thereby improved to general use. The Ex­perience therefore of these Empericks being altogether void of Reason and dissentaneous from the known Maxims of Medicine is meerly the effect of sense, and consequent­ly bruitish; for the enumeration of their pre­sumed successes because of this defect of [Page 5] Principles, is not argumentative to con­clude an attainment of Experience, in re­gard that Reason did not make due collecti­on from those tryals and periclitations; but these in their practice act not unlike some who take pains rudely to heap stones together, designing thereby to erect an artificial Structure, the event being far o­therwise; for the higher the heap ad­spires, the neerer is its downfal and ruine: And so when the Empericks multiply their inartificial Experiments to meliorate their knowledg, and to acquire experience, fruit­lesness attends their labors, and destru­ction those who confide in their promised experience: They in the mean time who have the luck to be the A B C of the Em­pericks first attempts, and patiently submit to their Embrio experiments run no small hazard, when their best grown Endeavors prove Molas-like, unshapen, and monstrous Births.

It is confessed that the advantages to Physick have been very considerable upon the account of dissatisfaction with some old Tenents, whereupon just occasions of further search and inquiry were admini­stred to make new and more useful disco­veries; but yet I cannot allow the infe­rence by some late Writers in favor of [Page 6] the Vulgar Experimenters, from hence de­duced, as if because the Medicinal Science by successive discoveries was so much im­proved, a through alteration of what re­mains, seemed no less necessary to its compleatment and perfection; and there­fore Empericism ought to be encouraged as the likeliest means to advance this hopeful work, for the consequence is al­together illogical, and fallacious to con­clude from some particular defects in Phy­sick, that the whole Art is thereupon im­pleadable of the same misprision of insuf­ficiency and uncertainty; and that rea­soning equally absurd, which pleads for the Empericks to be countenanced as if their experimentings might very much further this pretended Reformation in Phy­sick: the new Doctrines are so far from designing the subversion of the ancient foundations, that they appear considera­ble additions Multum e­gerunt qui ante nos fue­runt, sed non peregerunt multum adhuc restat operis multumque restabit, nec ulii nato post mille saecula praeclude­tur occasio aliquid adhuc adjiciendi, Sen. Quod aevum tam rude aut incultum fuit quo non aliquod medicina si­ve ab ingenio sive ab exercitatione additamentum ceu ornamentum quo lo­cupletior quam ante fieret acceperit, 1 Carolus Pisc. in praefat. lib. de serosa Colluvie. confirming and establish­ing them, and they who have been pro­sperous in making discoveries, did not in order to their scrutiny devoid themselves [Page 7] of all artificial helps, but proceeded un­der the conduct of firme and allowed principles to their succesful disquisitions, nay were it granted that not only every Age (as is abundantly evident) but each person should take notice of something before unobserved, yet would not these hereby ruine the settled constitution of the Medicinal Science, which notwithstand­ing all such successes, is still permanent and unshaken: indeed many who applaud their Service, have troubled themselves ra­ther to question Opinions in Physick, which are conjectural and the Product of Fancy, then well formed Aphorisms drawn im­mediatly from sensible observation on which the Science of Physick is chiefly founded: and to this purpose, not a few have mis­placed their pains in examining and dispu­ting the Hypotheses of Hippocrates, Galen, and their Disciples about the Humors, Qualities, and the like Sentiments of those Authors who thought fit thereby to express their Conceptions, if any quarrel with those notions, they may take the same liberty of substituting others more agreeable to the Phaenomena of Nature; but the substantials of Physick are not al­tered by the various dresses wherein they appear suitable to every Age.

[Page 8] As for the Empericks fitness to enter­prise this pretended renovation of Physick, there seems to be no sufficient ground for any such expectation because they in their experimentings wanting directive precepts, can make no true judgment of their performances; from whence also no Rule can be formed as their natural re­sult: they who would become Physicians are not educated as the raw Lacedemonian Souldiers were wont to be, first learning to fight in the dark, being emboldned to de­sperate attempts by this initiation in night service; for gross ignorance is so far from accomplishing to attain the greatest diffi­culties in Physick, that it utterly incapaci­tates for such undertakings. When I have given an account of the several sorts of Empericks, their inabilities to advance Physick, may be easily apprehended: of which in the next place.

1 The first sort of Empericks are such who try accidental and chance experiments on the diseased, not having any sufficient ground of perswasion that the Medica­ments thus proved are proper: it may seem strange that any who pretend to Reason, should after this manner sacrifice to For­tune, Inexperi­entia facit fortunam, ut experientia Artem. and yet they cannot be numbred whom good luck and presumptuous hopes of [Page 9] success encourage to give Physick: the business is not so much, how likely or contrary the applications are to the Dis­ease, if a Cure is wrought thereby; and I will not deny but that some of these are very prosperous by the use of Medicines, not reduceable to any known Rules of Art; if the reason is demanded, I know not how to avoid the attributing of their successes to any other power then the Infernal Spi­rits assistance: the Divines term this an implicite compact, for that person (as a reverend and late Writer notes) Who ap­plies the Creatures to those ends and uses, to which either by its own propensity or by God's institution it was never inclined, is at length taken in the snare of prestigious and diabolical delusion: And the excel­lent Matthias Mairhofer is of the same judgment; Quando aliquis assequitur ef­fectum propositum non adhibendo causas le­gitimas & legitimas causarum conditiones licet sciens & deliberate non expetat Dia­boli auxilium, dat tamen operam in procu­rando effectu quibusdam occultis dubiisque modis, qui à Viris bonis merito judicantur symbolum Diabolicae operationis clam inter­cedentis (says he) When any person de­signs the attainment of any effect without respect to natural Causes, and not heeding [Page 10] the conditions necessary to its production, although he doth not wittingly, and with de­liberation implore the Divels help, yet working by occult and dubious waies he is most deservedly censured by all good men as guilty of a private and more secret Cove­nant with the Divel to co-operate with him. I cannot distinguish between Charms and other known and solemn methods of Sorcery and Witchcraft, and these no less prestigious and hellish practises; in a business of such consequence, I am willing to speak plain, that the busie and officious people of both Sexes may understand their adven­ture, when either out of an ambition to gain the popular repute of doing good, or for profits sake they give Medicines at random, not being able either to satisfie themselves or others concerning the true Vertues there­of, and the reason of application; if what is thus given, succeeds not, then must they answer (at least to God) the death of the Patient, if the party recovers, then is there just cause of suspition that the evil Feind is their Adjutor with his long expe­rienced skill, being willing to cure the Bo­dy of one to destroy the Soul of another: When Learned and Experienced Physi­cians are at hand, what occasion is there that these Empericks should hazard their [Page 11] best part, and so highly injure themselves in hopes of doing good to others, or any people be so deluded, as to let the Devil practise upon them, and even possess them with health.

The common plea of these Empericks in respect of the hazard of their fortuitous experimentings is altogether vain, they perhaps thought the Medicaments by them thus used at random to be innocent and safe; but I must rejoyn that not only time and opportunity is lost by the interpo­sition of these Empericks with their suppo­sedly harmless Medicines, and Nature thereby suffers an interruption in her me­thodical course, on both which Physicians most judiciously do lay great stress but granting that the things in respect of their nature are not deadly, yet being indirectly given, the event may possibly prove them such: for when a little Saphron (as a good Observator writes) did immediatly kill, a familiar Clyster presently occasioned death, a little Oyl of Roses (which I have seen) threatned the same fate, and an opiate Collyrium (if we credit Avicen­na) straight-ways depriv'd of life; I say, when the safest Medicines are by these Empericks unduly and at all peradventure applied, though contrary to the true and [Page 12] genuine indications of cure, they are so far inexcusable upon the account of such ha­zards, as that they deserve the severest censure, who kill with reputedly safe Me­dicines. Well then, there is no reason why these Empericks should make a Lot­tery of mens healths, and in hope of a prize or cure, hazard Natures stock; for in this business there is not only an extra­ordinary number of blanks, meer negati­ons of advantage and success, but infinite positive evils destructive, and poysonous to mens bodies, and these are most frequently drawn by the unfortunate Empericks: Ptolemeus therefore (as a good Historian affirms) not upon a much different occa­sion, wisely answered, [...], h. e. There ought not to be the same hazard of mens bo­dies as of Dice. I shall conclude this Head with a weighty saying of a late Wri­ter, Fortuita nullo modo censenda sunt re­media; Chance applications deserve not the very name of Remedies.

2 2. They are also Empericks who make experiment of any Medicine or Re­ceipt from an Opinion only of its suffici­ency and fitness to cure, as chance Peri­clitations prompted on the others, so credulity spurs on these to practise Phy­sick, [Page 13] who have no other direction then what proceeds either from Fancy or Hi­story. Geber gives us an apposite descri­ption of the first; Qui animam habent opinantem phantasiam quamlibet, & quod credunt se verum invenisse, fantasticum est totum, à ratione devium, errore plenum & semotum à principiis naturalibus, says he, Such persons who are wholly guided by fan­cy, when they please themselves with an Opinion of true discoveries, they are meer­ly deluded and run into error, wanting the safe conduct of Reason and natural prin­ciples to be the sure foundation on which they ought to build their knowledg. But the Profession of Physick requires the most improved judgment to a right manage­ment and exercise of it, and by no means is the proper business of Fancy, which being uncapable of deliberation cannot weigh all necessary considerations in order to a regular cure.

'Tis true, that the operations of Fancy have oftentimes appeared very powerful, so that many wonderful effects owe their production chiefly to their energy; but yet I deny that the strong conceit of any person can naturally impower any Medi­cine with new vertues to eradicate the Disease for which it is to this end direct­ed: [Page 14] the true Physicians endeavor to beget a good confidence in their Patiens of their Abilities, the properness of the Me­dicaments prescribed by them, but the de­sign is only to compose the Spirits that they may act uniformly in promoting the effica­cy of the Remedies, whereas these Empe­ricks possess the fancies of the sick by the prevalency of their imaginations, Sapienter Em­pedocles asse­rit nervos sapientiae esse non temerè credere. and hope thereby to work something answerable to the impression made upon them; and I question not but that the effect will re­semble its cause, and the presumed cure also prove phantastical and imaginary, yet by all possible means do the Empericks strive to credit these Operations of fancy, per­swading people to obey the strange inspi­rations and secret impulses, which at any time either they suggest, or else happen to those who give themselves up to follow such delusions: did these consider that their fancies are frequently as diseased as their own, or Patients bodies admitting im­pressions according to the acuteness or greatness of the Morbifick invasion, they would seek to physick for help, rather then profess it by the tutorage of fancy, or be matriculated in Bedlam before they at­tempt such kind of practices: I shall pro­duce a sad example to caution others; a [Page 15] Revelation was communicated to one being indisposed, that she must in order to her recovery drink the decoction of an Hearb growing in such a place; but alas! the hearb proved Hemlock, and that impulse of fancy dispatched the Patient to another World.

I pass over the fond conceit of many who pretend familiarity with their Genii or good Angels, from whom, as they relate, they learn effectual Secrets to re­medy most Diseases; for since that the events are not answerable to such extraor­dinary communications, there is just cause of suspition that these Empericks either most pitifully cheat themselves by their easie perswasion, or others by imposture.

By History, I intend Medicines learn'd by reading and report, for the Empericks do sometime study Receipt-books to stock themselves with Medicines against most Diseases, and when they have proceeded so far, they are impatient for an opportu­nity, to give an account of their ripe abili­ties; if also a Receipt or Medicine is well vouched, many think that they may safe­ly experiment its admirable vertues, and as in some places the execution of the Pri­soner precedes his Tryal, so it is here, for these being fully perswaded that such Se­crets [Page 16] are not inferiour to the commendati­on of them, make proof, and afterwards (oftentimes too late) reason about their fitness for the Disease and Patient, be­cause so many employ themselves, their friends and purses, to procure or purchase Receipts or Secrets in Physick: I shall en­quire how far not only such as are ordina­ry, but the extraordinary Arcana may enable to practice, and if an ordinary mea­sure of skill by the help of directions and cautions in the use of either may be suffi­cient for persons not indiscreet.

Were it not confessed that Receipts do little in acute Diseases, I would easily prove it, for almost every hour varies the case, Nature being in a continual Agony to extricate her self by all possible means from the fury of the Distemper, and so­licitously finding out the most expeditious way, respecting the peccant matter and parts chiefly affected, to free her self from imminent danger, in which sharp dispute sometimes she gains and sometimes loses, altering accordingly all the concomitating Symptomes, so that she must be traced in all her anomalous motions, in which hurry what place can there be for a set Receipt most commonly fixed to some general in­tent? Neither in Chronical Diseases can [Page 17] ever the extraordinary Arcana be at the same time Physician and Medicine, for such Diseases are never at a stand, but (if not interrupted) do regularly observe their encrease, state, and gradual declination, in which several tendencies though obscure and almost indiscernable, Nature is yet highly concerned to promote their me­thodical completion▪ and if any defect or obstruction, either delaies or stops this orderly course, it is the Physicians busi­ness by his experienced skill according to that exigency to remove all impediments, and effectually assist Nature in the due pro­secution of this hopeful transaction; but that these Arcana should be so fitted to the successive alterations of Diseases, as by the same operation to carry on diffe­rent Agencies, seems to me as improbable as the doctrine of elective Catharticks; I rather think that the Patrons of these Se­crets will urge their Universal power, as if they were Plenipotentiaries, not tied up to a strickt observance of any either pri­vate or publick instructions, but left at liberty to act according to the exigency of affairs, and the truth is, these need no Physicians if they can rationalize their no­ble Arcana; but since that these pleaders for such like conceited Remedies cannot [Page 18] produce one Medicine to verifie and con­firm their Assertion, we are not obliged to give them credit:Fabrit. ab a­quapend. p. 309. Fabritius ab Aqua­pendente gives us another account, Nihil magis medicos in facienda medicina precla­ros reddat, quam distincta differentiarum intelligentia cujusque morbi, & ea accom­modata ad singulas remediorum admini­stratio, ubi indicationes potissimum atten­dendae, says he, The right distinction of diseases, and apt prescriptions according to their several indications, do chiefly ad­vance the repute of Physicians. But how can these Empericks by the help of their Receipts and Arcana, and the common di­rections about the Dose, the manner and time of giving them, and such like circum­stances be enabled to know the Disease to which their Secrets are appropriated, di­stinguishing it from others, which in most of the Symptomes agree with it, and ex­actly discerning the strange intimate com­plications, of great consequence in the per­forming of a Cure. These Empericks with their noble Arcana the lawful issue of Physicians, but unhappily nursed a­broad, seem not unlike him who having procured the Pensils of an excellent Lim­ner did conceit himself capacitated thereby to draw Pictures to the life as the Painter [Page 19] was wont to do, whose they were, but upon tryal, he quickly found his error, for it was the direction of the Pensil that produced such admirable Pieces of Work, wherein lay his deficiency: So in Physick, an igno­rant person may have Receipts and noble Medicaments which avail nothing without an artificial application by them not ac­quirable.

3. The most plausible part of the Em­pericks rely on their observation of what doth well or ill under their hand, with a resolution to prosecute or reject according to their success or miscarriage, these herein presume to justle with true Physi­cians, but should people be as prodigal of their Lives as these are of their skill, or had they full license for their accomplish­ment to depopulate whole Countreys, yet cannot they make any certain and infal­lible observation to be a sufficient Directo­ry to them in their future undertakings: In medicina cum laude fa­cienda multa & poenè infi­nita sunt ani­madvertenda quae à rudi em­piricorum po­pello non an­notentur, Hieron. b [...]rd. p. 30. I grant indeed that these Empericks do rudely imitate their preceding Experi­ments, with what hopes of success I know not; for should we admit that one of their Receipts or Medicaments wrought a Cure on a Patient, yet why should it have the same effect on another, who it may be differs in many respects more from the per­son [Page 20] so cured, then another Disease from that; and therefore such a Preparation or Receipt may by the same rule as well re­spect distinct Diseases as distinct Persons: Whereas a right practice of Physick con­sists in a due appropriation of Medicines or methods to the several constitutions and conditions of the sick; if the same bo­dy every moment somewhat varies from what it was, and the repetition of the same Medicine upon this account is not alike beneficial, what probable expectation can be had from the same application to all who labour under the same Disease, which more disagree amongst themselves, then the Clocks in London and Paris. The Dialogue in Plato between Socrates and Phaedrus is very pertinent: Socrat. Si quis dicat, ego quidem illa scio corpori admovere quibus & calescat pro arbitrio meo & fri­geat, & vomitus & dejectiones perfician­tur & hujusmodi plurima teneo, quibus cognitis & medicum me esse profiteor, & alium quemlibet medicum me facere posse dico, quid alium responsurum autumas? Phaedr. Nihil aliud quàm percunctaturum nunquid etiam sciat, quibus, quando & quousque singula horum sint adhibenda, quod si nesciat, necessum est eum insanire qui quod ex aliquo medicorum audierit [Page 21] quicquam vel in medelas nonnullas incide­rit à se probatas neque artis aliquid intelli­gat medicum se evasisse putet, h. e. Socrat. If any person says I can dexterously apply those things to the body which at my plea­sure shall heat or cool it, and I understand Emeticks, Catharticks, and other ways of evacuation, besides very many Medi­cines, by which I am not only able to pro­fess Physicks, but be a fit Instructer or Tutor of others; what thinkest thou a stan­der by would answer? Phaedr. I suppose he would enquire of him whether he knew to whom, when, and how long those Re­medies might be useful, and if he satisfies not these Questions and Doubts, although he fancies himself to be an expert Physici­an, yet seems he rather to be besides him­self and distracted, who adventures to give Physick by the help only of some Receipt-books, or a few Medicines learn'd from Physicians, not being acquainted with the very Rudiments of the medicinal Science.

Besides, it many times falls out that these Empericks in their strict noting of the events of their Medicines, do greatly mistake in not rightly distinguishing be­tween a true effect and Cure performed by their vaunted Receipts and the succesful labour of Nature, to be with the same [Page 22] pangs delivered of their Medicine and the Disease for which it was appointed: That deplorate Diseases may be sometimes cured by such desperate irritations is altogether undisputable; as also that theseSibi egregie sapientes videntur ta­men in maxi­ma rerum ig­norantia ver­santur, & ig­norantiae te­nebris circum­fusi doctrinae causas intueri mentis suae acie neque­unt, Shegk. in epist. igno­rant Practitioners do commonly use such Medicaments, but let the World judge what will be the issue, if the Empericks not apprehending how it came to pass that the Patient recovered, shall be invited and encouraged to give the like Medicines as having their Probatum annexed to them. Neither can these Empericks tell when their Arcana, or Receipts infallibly cure, by which the fierceness of the Dis­ease may possibly awhile be check'd, and the raging symptomes so becalmed as if all was well, but soon after like flames sup­pressed, the Distemper breaks out again with more violence. I shall instance in the POX, for which every Emperick pretends a secret Receipt, and if Noctur­nal pains cease, the Gonorrhea stops, and the virulent Ulcers heal, 'tis immediatly concluded that the Patient is rescued from that tyrannical Disease, and the excel­lency of the Medicine is cry'd up, as if it was powerful enough to extirpate cer­tainly this foul Distemper in all who shall make tryal of it, but within a few months [Page 23] at least a year or two, it becomes too ma­nifest that the Cure at first was only palli­ated, in regard that it returns so notably improved, when many hundreds, thus a­bused, are witnesses to the truth of this Accusation; I wonder with what face these Empericks can pretend from such disappointments of their Patients to an observation, emulating the true Physi­cians Collection [...], Gal. lib. 3. meth. med. made by Reason and Experience.

Thus much for the brief discovery of the several sorts of Empericks, who not­withstanding their insufficiency, would yet be tolerated and have full liberty (as they phrase it) to do what good they can; 'tis not to be questioned but that if such an universal license should be granted, these Empericks would more boldly im­pose on the credulous people: When I consider the mischief which would un­doubtedly happen in Trade, if all persons at pleasure without serving an Apprentice­ship or allowance of the respective Com­pany or Corporation, might set up and enjoy the same Priviledges as those who were trained up in those Callings, this being the directest way to ruine Trade; since that hereby Private Interest is ad­vanced above the Publick; he who hath [Page 42] but half an eye may foresee of what ill con­sequence this Universal indulgence will be in Physick of an higher concernment then Trade; in this he who miscarries doth chiefly ruine his own Fortune, but in the other by how much more unfit the per­son is who practices, by so much more hazard and danger attends all who have to do with him: I cannot resemble the issue of such a toleration in Physick to any thing better then to the Ocean which rests not because of its community, either one Bil­low continually dashes against another, or many conspire together to croud them­selves into a publick storm: So such li­berty to practice Physick will as surely pro­duce rude clashings amongst those who so earnestly press for it, raise dismal storms endangering theMedicina infamis prop­ter eorum qui eam exer [...]ent imperitiam. peoples lives, and ship­wrack the most excellent Science of Phy­sick.

I very much wonder that the honorable Mr. Boile Experim. philos. lib. 2. p. 220, 221. should so much favor the pra­ctise of Empericks, he thinks that the knowledg of Physicians may not be inconsi­derably encreased, if men were a little more curious to take notice of the observations and experiments suggested by the practice of Midwives, Barbers, old Women and Em­pericks, and the rest of that illiterate Crew, [Page 25] &c. And in another place wills That we disdain not the remedies of such illiterate people only because of their being unac­quainted with our Theory of Physick, &c. Which expressions seem very much to plead for free practice, for should Mid­wives, Barbers, old Women, Empericks, and the rest of that illiterate crew being un­acquainted with our Theory of Physick, be restrained, then might Physicians miss of that not inconsiderable encrease of know­ledg promised; verily the accomplish­ments of Physicians are very mean in the opinion of this honorable person, that may not be inconsiderably encreased by such in­ferior and improbable additions: but the case of Physicians as yet is not so despe­rate, as that to prevent sinking they should grasp at small rotten sticks and straws to be their treacherous support: did I not believe that these lines fell as a casual blot from this honorable persons Pen, I should more strictly examine them.

And since that not only a toleration to practice Physick is so much desired, but an equal liberty to introduce new Maxims into the Medicinal Science, most agreeable to the Experiments of these Empericks, I shall enquire whether hereby Physick may be advanced, and this request may be [Page 26] gratified by Authority, as conducing to the publick good. I am so much a latitu­dinarian as to conceive that learned and experienced Physicians are not obliged to credit the Dictates of any Author against their own experience, not as if I supposed that the private judgment of such dissen­ters did ballance the authority of a continu­ed and general approbation: but yet none acting like rational creatures ought to shut their eyes against new discoveries, when they have past a severe examination by competent Judges: however the Empe­ricks and others alike ignorant ought not from this liberty very cautiously used by those who only may lay claim to it, to fancy an enjoyment of the same priviledg, for should such unskilful persons have free leave to publish their rude Conceptions, they would vent horrid & destructive no­tions suitable to their erroneous and pre­posterous actings, neither would there be any end of their absurd opinions, both in respect of multiplication and possibility of conviction; for these illiterate Empericks willQuilibet etsi à veritatis s [...]p [...] saepe multum aber­rans tot techins f [...]catisque demonstrationibus suas palliare studet opinio­nes ut à cunctis cuncta ferè ingenia primo occursu seducantur: Gul. du Vai [...] in nov. mund. subl. anat. endeavor passionately to maintain their Sentiments right or wrong, whose [Page 27] zeal is the chiefest argument in the propa­gation of their absurd perswasions: it was a good Law which commanded that all monstrous Births should immediatly be de­stroyed, as well to prevent their encrease least also like Conceptions should be for­med by means of such impressions on the imagination of teaming Women; and there is as much reason that the monstrous products of the Brain should by some pub­lick Edict or censure be forthwith stifled to hinder their spreading and progress, con­sidering also how much they may influ­ence in the practice of Physick, to the great prejudice of Mankind.

I shall in the next place give some rea­sons which incline such a multitude to in­vade the Profession of Physick, Nullum fere hominum ge­nus est quod non alat ri­valitatem cum medicis, Freitag. who if the restraint was taken off, would be num­berless.

1. The Excellency of Physick in­vites so many Empericks to pretend to it, even as the value of Gold makes it more subject to adulteration, when vile and ignoble Mettals are not regarded; the greatest Monarchs and Potentates in the world have esteemed the knowledg of Medicine an addition to their Majesty and glory, and the sublimest Wits and most enlarged Souls exercising themselves here­in, [Page 28] find copious matter adequate to their contemplation; the meanest people also are ambitious to improve that common na­tural principle inclining them to a desire of knowledg, apprehending that although they cannot reach the highest and most obscure truths in Physick, they yet may gain as much skill as will be necessary to their practice: such indeed is the abstruse­ness of Physick, that few have by their indefatigable scrutiny attained to so much perfection, as that all doubts were satis­fied and uncertainties insured; some my­steries surpassing and baffling humane rea­son and diligence: the Empericks taking notice of these difficulties which puzzle the most Learned, immediately conclude that they are in the same condition with the eminentest Physicians, being as much Admirers of what is concealed from both as they, and thinking themselves equally capacitated to understand vulgar notions in Physick as the others: I say, the most ignorant of the Empericks despair not in a shorter time then Trallianus his six months to commence lucky Conjecturers; and if to profess the knowledg of nothing, in respect of the great improbability of a right Conception is the sum of Ingenuity, and the shortest cut to true knowledg, [Page 29] these have good hopes to deserve Promo­tion and be as soon Graduates in Ignorance as any. Thus do the Empericks insinu­ate themselves into the common peoples favour, who not being able to understand the fallacy, entertain their suggestions as Oracles, and are willing to be deceived; but although the excellency of the Medi­cinal Science may be one cause why so ma­ny desire to profess it, yet there is reason why hereupon they should be discouraged, since that they are insufficient to arrive at an ordinary measure of knowledg in these profound Mysteries: I might instance in the several parts of Physick, but having occasion elsewhere to treat of them, I pass to the next Reason of the Empericks adventuring to practice; which is,

2. Because the Magistrates either want power to punish unskilful Practisers of Physick, or are remiss in the execution of penal Laws upon them: So soon as Bar­barism was expeld the Confines of any Nation, and Government civilized mens unnatural Cruelty into a peaceable De­portment to their Superiors and an amica­ble Society, respecting the good and wel­fare of each other; Lawes were timely enacted to restrain the dangerous attempts of ignorant Practitioners, but yet Phy­sicians [Page 30] in all Countreys have not cause­lesly complained that there still wants an­other Law to command the due execution of the former. I shall not set down the Arguments which moved the High-Court of Parliament heretofore to guard both the People and Physicians with fitting Laws from the Injuries of the numberless illiterate Pretenders to the Profession of Physick; for the passing of those Acts imports the Grand Concernment and un­questionable necessity thereof for the pub­lick good: and therefore since it appears that those Laws by reason of some cir­cumstantial omissions or defects, cannot be effectually observed according to their true intent, we may easily believe that the present Parliament being no less care­ful of the Nations Welfare then their Pre­decessors, especially in an Affair of such Consequence, will either vigorate the old Statutes with convenient Power and En­largements, or make new to prevent such notorious Abuses as are now without re­dress practised on his Majesty's Subjects.

In regard the People claim Liberty to employ whom they please, the Empericks as well as Physicians, I shall enquire whe­ther they ought to enjoy such freedom; Fabritius Hild. p▪ 916. Fabritius Hildanus thinks it unfit that [Page 31] they use whom they best approve, the ig­norant as well as learned and lawfull Pra­ctitioners; Non licet unicuique (quod non­nulli objicere solent) corium suum cuicun­que libuerit venale offerre, I know not whe­ther the Law will adjudg them felones de se, who take destructive Medicaments from the hands of others being well informed of the hazard they run therein, as those who buy and use poysons with in­tent to destroy themselves; indeed the first is a more solemn Conspiration then the latter, but they differ not in the event, for thereby the King loses a Subject and the Common-wealth a Member; and how­ever these do not seem to design their own Deaths, yet when they take the directest course to it, what good interpretation can well be put upon such practises; it is at least the highest imprudence wilfully to run upon death in hopes of life.Furor e st nè moriare, mori. That all persons ought to be just to themselves will be easily granted, this being their pattern in relation to others in their converse, and wherein can they better express their sense of this Duty, then in the use of the best and likeliest means to rescue them from Diseases? they then seem dishonest to themselves who intrust their lives in the hands of those who more certainly [Page 32] kill then cure, whereupon the Law which restrains the Empericks doth chiefly re­spect the people, that the opportunities of their harming themselves might be taken away, and all mischief thereby preven­ted.

Why the World should so fondly dote on these illiterate, impudent and cruel Practisers, as to prefer them before the most learned, modest and experienced Pro­fessors of Physick, he cannot imagine who is unacquainted with the Stratagems Em [...]irici maximam Arti faciunt injuriam in­fignem inu­runt maculam, ut periti apud vulgus non modo imperi­tum, verum etiam prob dolor [...]sanioris judicii ho­mines obtine­ant authorita­tem, Seid. by which they insinuate themselves into the peoples esteem. It is my next Task to discover the Empericks Practises, and to strip them naked of their plausible pre­tences.

1. The Empericks undertake to cure in­fallibly all Diseases in all Persons; if we can think that certain news of recovery can be welcom to a dying man, surely the Author of those comfortable tydings ex­ceedingly merits an interest in him who is to partake of such an unexpected and va­luable a benefit as Life: so then the Em­perick hereupon is entertained, for great expectations do naturally beget confidence, and self-love works easily a through con­formity to multiplied assurances of an e­scape from imminent danger; Pliny hath [Page 33] a very remarkable passage to this purpose, Adeo est cuique pro se sperandi blanda dul­cedo ut cuique se medicum profitenti statim credatur cum sit majus periculum in nullo mendacio majus, says he, Every sick person doth so please and satisfie himself with hopes of a restoration to health, that he readily commits his body to the care of any one who pretends that he is a Physician, whereas there is no such cheat in the world as this. However if these universal Un­dertakers can screw themselves into e­steem with their Patients by promising what is incredible, not within their, nay, many times any humane power, yet they hereby lay a sure foundation of Popularity on which they build steadfast hopes that either by well wishing Friends and Relati­ons, or else by the Patients themselves they shall be called in, that it may appear upon tryal whether they fail in their secu­red performance: so that the contri­vance is subtle, for if these Empericks are not employed, what ever they pre­sume to say, speaks them to be no less then what they pretend, there being no publick or sufficient conviction of their vain boastings; And if by the Artifice of promising a certain Cure they gain such an opinion of their Abilities as to be em­ployed [Page 34] then (be the event what it will) their design of being entertained is thereby compassed.

The Digression may be pardonable, if before I take a prospect of the Empericks sufficiency to carry on his rash underta­kings, I spend a little time in explicating what is commonly understood by incura­ble Diseases: by the Learned, Diseases are reckoned incurable in respect of them­selves, the Patient and the Physician. Of the first kind are those Diseases which tincture the very rudiments of our nature and being, which are conceived, born and grow up with us; he therefore who ima­gines himself to be such an expert Engi­neer as to turn the Microcosm at his plea­sure, must have some unmoveable point whereon to fix his Instrument; who ever (I mean) attempts a total alteration of any mans Constitution and Nature, must suppose some parts free by whose assistance he may perform his engagement; but the deep stain of hereditary Diseases not only antidating the Moors blackness, who are not unlike the Europeans some minutes after they are born, but being as insepa­rable as that from its subject, cannot by the Ocean of Pharmancy be washed out and changed: I might to this add the Plague, [Page 35] at least that which is most fierce and se­vere, which being the Rod of the Almigh­ty to punish mens Impieties, cannot by any medicinal means be frustrated of its designed execution, there being a vast disproportion between natural Remedies and supernatural Causes, and hereupon the same Remedies being divinely impow­red, prove effectual to rescue some, when left to their own vertues are baffled and become unsuccesful: I urge not this as if I conceived that the same Medicines or me­thods were applicable to all seaz'd by the Pestilence with good hopes of the same benefit, for in this sad Disease, as well as o­thers, respect must be had to all considera­tions necessary to a regular cure; and hence it is that men are not only com­manded but encouraged to use all proper and lawful means upon the account of the frequent reprieves which the great Majesty of Heaven issues out When and to Whom he pleases: But fearing least I should trans­gress the limits of my intended Digressi­on, though I might produce many more instances, yet I shall pass to the Patients in respect of whom some diseases are incu­rable; And I must in the first place very much blame the carelesness and inadver­tency of some Patients, who enjoying for [Page 36] a long time good and uninterrupted health, when they find themselves only indisposed, the disease as it were by stealth insensibly creeping on them, are not awa­kened by such distant Alarms to prevent their enemies incursion upon them, by which imprudent delay the Distemper takes deep root, and the fomes or Minera being inconsiderable at first, quickly enlargeth it self to the circumference of the whole bo­dy, so that no part neither internal nor external is free from its insinuation, till like Ivy it inevitably throws down its kind support.

The impatience and refractoriness also of the Sick make their Diseases incurable, some of them choose rather to sink under a Chronical disease, then submit to a metho­dical cure, being more weary of necessary preparations then the Grand Seigneour was of the tedious tuning the Instruments, when as a piece of high Entertainment He was invited to hear a most harmonious Consort of Musick: Did these Patients rightly apprehend the strict regard that must be had to the several intricacies of complicated Diseases, and that very often contrary Symptomes are to be dealt withal at the same time, and many other like circumstances, they might (I doubt not) [Page 37] more securely and speedily be recovered from their Distempers, otherwise even upon this account incurable. Thus the Leprosie, Quartane Agues, the Epilepsy, most Consumptions, the Stone, Dropsy and Gout, and many others of the same fami­ly (if not hereditary) are chiefly reme­diless by reason of the Patients obstinacy and irregularities.

Besides the tenderness and natural weakness of some persons incapacitating them to struggle with very slight and easie distempers, much less with those which are more formidable and dangerous, makes their condition helpless, when robuster tem­pers affected with the same disease, by the help of convenient Medicaments may be cured, To conclude this digression, Dis­eases may be incurable in respect of Physi­cians, who by reason of theMedicina exact [...] indi­get contempla­tione & labo­riosa in operi­bus exercita­tione, utpote quae tantis re­rum difficulta­tibus scatet, Alsat. p. 5. inextricable difficulties which occur in the discovery of the Disease and parts primarily suffering thereby cannot make a true judgment, and this may sometimes be the case of those who are most able, not by reason of any deficiency in them, but either from an ill re­lation or account from the sick, or a strong and perplexing obscurity in the Disease; but however true Physicians may (though rarely) in such obscure cases be nonplus'd [Page 38] or mistake, yet they will not be over con­fident and secure, acting as if they fully un­derstood how to direct exactly what was most fit to be done, as in other known dis­eases: This excuse will not serve the turn of our Emperical Conservators, who want skill to distinguish between curable and in­curable diseases, engaging to cure both a­like. Let Paracelsus who knew very well their devices give the reason; saith he, Quaestus proprii studio aegros suscipiunt om­nes quicunque demum offeruntur ipsis un­decunque, Defens. 5. p. 259. h. e. Hopes of gain prompts them on to undertake all who are willing to put themselves into their hands; for let the Disease be what it will (that's not the business) the caution Money not only re­wards the boldness of their enterprize, but secures their Patient to them; and besides the advantage made by the Empericks of their Physick, good store of which must be bought in order to a cure, when the Pa­tient is well they expect aSicut Pro­thagoras sophisista qui disci­pulis & audi­toribus relin­quebat esti­mationem sua­rum lectionum, ut quisque eorum tantum mercedis ei persolveret quantum existimaret se ex ejus lectionibus profecisse atque didicisse, Aristo. Ethn. p. 838. quantum me­ruit, A reward answerable to their paines and cure; If they chance to die, they are then satisfied by the gain of their Medi­cines sold at an extraordinary rate▪

[Page 39] As these Empericks wanting the eye of Reason difference not a Mountain from a Molehil, a great Disease from an inconsi­derable Disorder, so do they often respe­cting their advantage use the microscope in the discovery of diseases, and what is as a mite almost imperceptible; being thus greatned is rendred most formidable, hence it comes to pass that every stich, qualm or fancy of infection, is esteemed the most dismal effect occasioned by some of the unheard of epidemical Ferments.

As for this latter stratagem, although the fear into which these Empericks put their Patients doth so far prevail as that they immediatly are employed, in regard there is such an evident testimony of their skill in discovering a disease not observable by any others, yet most commonly it hap­pens that what was even nothing when the Emperick began to tamper, by his indirect courses proves dangerous, and then what remains, but that he make it answer his first opinion of it least he be discredited in not rightly apprehending the Disease.

2. The Empericks pretend cheapness as a prevalent argument inducing people to employ them, the poor shall be cured gratis to be decoys to some of better fashion, who being crazy even force their diseases to a [Page 40] composition, and make them accept of little least they should have no allowance at all, the whole gang of these ignorant undertakers lay very great stress on this project, being sensible that a cheap Mar­ket will never want Customers, and right­ly apprehending how much the meer pre­tence of Charity will commend them, e­specially when they publish their zeal and affection for the publick good, beyond their own profit. I must confess that the Empericks herein have the advantage of the true Professors of Physick, who (as affairs now stand) cannot be so kind to the Poor as they most sollicitously desire or reasonably may be expected; for al­though they freely give their direction to such necessitous people, yet when their Bill comes into the Apothecary's hand, since there is no set Tax on Medicines, it is in his power (notwithstanding the due care taken to prescribe what might not be too chargeable) to make the Physician seem uncharitable, for if the Apothecary exacts because the Physician took nothing, then is his friendship abused, and some ground of suspition (though altogether with­out cause) that the Physician shares in the Apothecaries unreasonable gains; but I shall have a fit opportunity in the next [Page 41] Chapter to discourse of this inconvenience both to Physicians and the People, and therefore at present I dismiss it. These Empericks (I say) ingratiate themselves by taking care that their Physick may not be so chargeable as the Physicians, hereby preventing the ruine of Families (as they would perswade the people) and the re­lapsing of the sick, who are apt when cured, to regret at the great expence, and dislike that life which was so dearly pur­chased; whereas price adds not to the ef­ficacy of Medicines which are only suc­cesful, as they are rationally, and according to Art directed: these Empericks may poyson mens bodies for six pence if they please, and people may be executed by the hand of these at as easie a charge as by the hang-man: in earnest I think it is a dan­gerous thrift that men to save their purses (I mean they who are able) should be prodigal of their lives, It is doubtless worthy the consideration of Physicians that by some special care, provision be made for the poor, and though I know that eve­ry true Physician is as willing to help the poor for nothing, as the rich for Fees, and cheerfully embraces all publick and private opportunities to express his readiness here­in, yet these not taking notice of their [Page 42] Charity herein run to Mountebanks, who by their unskilfulness make their condition worse then they found it, rendring those miserable Patients unserviceable to their Families and the Publick, and a continual charge to the Parishes wherein they live.

I remember an Expedient proposed not long since to some Physicians by an hono­rable person which then seemed very ra­tional to all present; it was to this pur­pose: That either the Kings Colledge in London would appoint certain of their Members, or the Physicians by mutual a­greement oblige themselves twice every week at convenient places, the hour be­ing prefixed, to receive an account from the Poor who should bring Tickets of re­commendation subscribed by the Minister, Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, he conceived that three or four at one time in distant places might accommodate the City and Suburbs of London, and that these having attended their Month, others should be appointed to succeed them, and in relation to the Physick that the publick Officers of the respective Parishes might when they received the Bills, take care to provide it at reasonable rates; those Phy­sicians consulting (with respect had to the Patients condition) the nearest and [Page 43] cheapest ways of cure: The whole Com­pany returned their hearty thanks, espe­cially the Physicians, that a way was thought on, whereby they might do their Countrey service, thinking it no dispa­ragement to wait on the meanest person in the faithful discharge of their Calling.

As for others, there is no cause why they should be discouraged or hindred from the use of Physicians, and run to these Empericks when they are sick, be­cause the one expects a better reward then the other; for the expence is abundantly compensated by that success, which in all probability will be the issue of the skilful Professors, whose chargeable education al­so extraordinary difficulties in the attain­ment of their Art and restless care for their Patients, are so many arguments plead­ing, that they deserve a better esteem and respect then Empericks, who most of them are of the meanest rank, gained their practice in two or three days time, Praxis qu [...] ipsi utuntur trium dierum spatio ab ho­mine vel vi­lissimo acqui­ritur, Panar. epist. and commit their Patient to the good usage of the Receipts, and the truth is, the people pay dearly for these low priz'd Medica­ments, when to boot they cost them their lives: but the able and judicious Physi­cians do wisely manage their trust, endea­voring to procure good and lasting health at [Page 44] as easie a rate as possible they can, they daily experience that a common plant growing in every field which costs no more then the pains of gathering, if the use is skilfully directed, doth oft-times out-do a precious Medicine, and frequently exqui­site, and elaborate remedies of an higher e­stimate only conquer the radicated dis­ease. The Physicians act prudently more regarding the Patients sickness then purse, yet are they no less sollicitous, when safely they may, to medicate according to their Pa­tients ability; Strad. probos. p. 58. let Strada determine between Physicians and the Empericks: Medici fi­nis est corporum salus quod si quis secus faciat ac Medicamenta contra quam finis artis praescribit, usurpet, improbi civis ac proditoris personam gerit, multo magis, si nulla ad salutem, omnia ad perniciem me­dicamenta conficiat, suique jactet operis, pestem ubique spargere, cuncta venenis in­ficere & moliri exitium humano generi, says he, The chief end and use of a Physi­cian is to recover the sick, but if any one pretending to Physick, shall provide Medi­cines not answering that end, he is a profli­gate wretch and a trecherous villain, and much more if in stead of wholesom Medi­caments he vents those which in their na­ture are destructive, propagating the [Page 45] Plague, poysoning all things, destroying his fellow Citizens, and attempting the extir­pation of mankind. If the people would be so considerate as to weigh the hazard, when they employ these Empericks for the cheapness of their Physick, I question not, but that they would be more cautious to avoid such specious delusions, since that keen Medicines Non licet bis peccare in medicina uti nec in bello. unskilfully handled will certainly wound if not kill.

3. The Empericks as not the least compleatment of their subtle iusinuations into the peoples esteem, do pretend new commanding and secret Medicines, exclaim­ing against all ancient methods of practise as antiquated and obsolete; these so much extoll'd and even adored Receipts either (as they suggest) travelled out of some remote Countrey meerly out of kindness to be acquainted with those who desire their familiarity, or else they are reported to be no less then the most precious Jewels ransack'd out of Natures Cabinet, when she was by them forced to surrender both her self and treasure into their hands, and to color this design, these Empericks do usually bestow strange Titles on their Me­dicines, as the Planetary Extract, the Cardiaupnotick Spirit, and Magnetical Balsom; which tearms are as Magical to [Page 46] the Vulgar, as Agrippa's Vionatraba, Mas­gabriel, and Abuzana; hereafter I shall give some account of these, and therefore I pass to the last of their practises.

4. The Empericks to advance their own reputation, do perpetually rail at Academical and Graduated Physicians, ac­cusing either their insufficiency, or lazi­ness; these observe that by how much more they decry and asperse with false Calumnies, those whom their just deserts have made their Superiors, by so much the more they gratifie the Rabble, desiring to vilifie that which distinguisheth others from them, when the Idol called Learn­ing is removed, and all people are left to their Mothers wit and common ingenuity, there being a common road opened to the Science of Physick, what impedes but that every one may without interruption jour­ney to it? and certainly there cannot be imagined a more perswasive argument to the Vulgar, then that if they will joyn and yield their assistance to undervalue the true Professors of Physick; by the same labour they make way for their own inte­rest; and hence it is that the Empericks in their Pamphlets and common discourses, talk so dishonorably of lawful Physicians, not because of the Art they profess, for [Page 47] then they should condemn themselves, but because of their University distinctions and the priviledges thereby derived to them: But until it be thought a fit expedient to put out the eyes of the Nation both in or­der to Phylosophyzing, and also a better way of practising Physick, the true Sons of Art may keep on their course notwith­standing the vain barkings of these Em­pericks.

Some perhaps may expect that before I conclude this Chapter of Empericks, I say something concerning those now on the Stage in this Nation, who are as busie and as ignorant as any of their Predeces­sors; I shall not defile my self so much as to retaliate their abuses, this course be­ing unworthy of a Physician, and contrary to the direction of Hippocrates; but I hope they have no reason to take it ill, if I remind them of the several Callings in which they were educated, and ought still with care and industry to have exerci­sed: The most eminent of our Empericks are HEEL-MAKERS, GUN-SMITHS, TAYLORS, WEAVERS, COBLERS, COACHMEN, BOOKBINDERS, and in­finite more of the like quality, beside a great number of the other SEX, and these for the Credit of the business, either [Page 48] make every Post wear their Livery, or else procure some Booksellers and others to be their PIMPS, on whose Stalls are hung large Tables with fair Inscriptions; The Sympathetick Powder made by Prome­thean fire, Pilulae Radiis Solis extractae, famous Pectoral Lozenges, Diaphoretick and Diuretick Pills, Powders for all pur­poses, and what not: by which means many simple people are Trapan'd to buy and use these Preparations, supposing they may as safely venture on a Medicine out of a Booksellers shop, as read a Book: but alas! some too late perceive their error, for what a man reads may be soon blotted out of his Memory, but such stuff taken into the body and appropriated to the Patient and Disease by the printed book or paper only, is not quickly dis­miss'd, being oft-times a continual and la­sting disease to them: in the Chapter of Chymistry, I shall more particularly give an account of these Medicines and the way of their application: I shall conclude this subject with one brief observation, That whereas it was manifest that some thou­sands died more in London these last three or four years then the preceding, and it is as well known that the lawful Physici­ans had less employment at those times [Page 49] then formerly, we may rationally infer, that the true reason of such a Mortality was not (as the Author of Medela medi­cinae ignorantly suggests) from the in­crease and propagation of the Venereal, Scorbutick and spermatick ferments, but only by the Emperick ferment and its pernicious malignity.

THat Physicians did originally pro­vide and dispense their own Medi­cines, will be (I doubt not) easily gran­ted by those who are acquainted with the Writings of the Ancients, wherein it is evident that Hippocrates, [...], &c. Hippocrat. [...]. Galen, and the chief Physicians as part of their employ­ment, prepared what Physick they had oc­casion to spend in their practise: And although their strict obligation to conceal their Sacred Art, least it should be prostitu­ted to the rude invasion of persons unquali­fied, might be one argument inclining them (as the most likely way for its se­curity) to confine their business to their own Closets or Repositories; yet I con­ceive [Page 50] that other reasons might no less per­swade their furnishing themselves with all necessary Medicines both simple and com­pound, for these hereby very much im­proved their knowledg in the Materia me­dica, so that they were not only able to distinguish all Plants, Animals and Mine­rals, and being abroad (if destitute of con­venient helps) readily find out what might satisfie the intent in the designed cure, but to prepare and compound them till they become apt Medicines for their use, with all diligence observing the seve­ral alterations which hapned in tast, smell, or otherwise, by which means they were throughly informed how to change, add or diminish, as there was occasion, to ad­vance the efficacy of the Composition; their Patients also shared in the benefit of their industry and care herein, who ha­ving committed themselves into the hands of those Physicians, looked upon them as the only responsable persons in that un­dertaking; wherefore they prudently considering that their Reputation lay at stake and the lives of their Patients, durst not intrust others in a matter of such con­cernment to both, but managed all the bu­siness themselves to a general approbation.

When the credit of Physick by the sin­gular [Page 51] caution of these great Physicians, had gained almost an Universal authority, so that most in their sicknesses applied them­selves to Physicians, the vast encrease of practise not allowing them leisure both to prepare their physick, and likewise to at­tend their numerous Patients, and consult all things necessary to their condition, con­strained them to commit the charge of answering their Prescripts, to the care of others, in whose integrity they could safely confide: and soon after when the bounds of Physick were enlarged, being limited before to select Families; as Physicians multiplied, so proportionably they en­creased whose office it was to dispense Me­dicines: at length the Profession of Phy­sick became a Faculty, and being free to all whose laudable proficiency in its study and knowledg deserved Academical Di­ploma's; the Apothecaries Art was like­wise opened to all, who understanding its mystery passed the approbation of associated Physicians, continual additions of such who were trained up in this Calling made their number so considerable, as that for their better regulation they were constitu­ted an incorporation, and since by means of innumerable accession of Apprentices af­ter a certain time of service made free; [Page 52] this Society is advanced to a bulk greater then the Body from whence it came and on which it depends, and as it fares when one member doth monstrously enlarge it self, the rest are emaciated; even so the vast­ness of this Company deprives Physicians of their proper aliment.

I know that some give another account of the distinction of Physicians and Apo­thecaries, as if the Magistrate apprehend­ing the trust of life and death too great for one, did thereupon appoint the other that by two different offices all opportuni­ties of mischiefing the people might be prevented; but Quercitans answer is very pertinent to the Authors of this Conceit;Quer [...]. Phar. mac. p. 221. saith he, Quid aliud hi quam omnium Medicorum & Pharmacopoeorum iras in se exacuant, quos tam improbae fidei notant, ut si seorsim operentur ac medicentur, non saluti aegrotantium, sed morti accelerandae de industria studeant? h. e. Both Physi­cians and Apothecaries have just cause to quarrel with those, who by suggesting that neither ought to be solely intrusted, do thereby brand them with unfaithfulness, as if they rather sought the death, then life of Patients.

Another Plea is much insisted on by some of our Apothecaries, whereby they [Page 53] endeavor to make a perfect separation be­tween Physicians and themselves, claiming a free exercise of their Trade as Members of the Grand Incorporation, and fully en­joying all the priviledges of the common Charter, whereby they are authorized as well to buy and sell, as any other Company; but although they accommodate Physici­ans in making up their Prescripts, yet that is a voluntary undertaking, which they may either accept or refuse at their pleasure, it being their proper business to provide such Medicines as the Supreme Power shall allow for the peoples use, and to furnish their Customers, although there should not be any Physician to write Bills: And thus under the pretext of selling their Medicines to all who come to their Shops, they also take upon them to ad­vise what they think most agreeable to their conditions who are sick: by this slight, ingratiating themselves with the people, and (as they conceive) avoid­ing the just censure of practising Physick.

I reply, that Physicians did never de­sign to hinder the Apothecaries in their known and lawful Trade of vending Medi­cines, but on the contrary have much promoted it, by giving them daily op­portunities to supply their Patients with [Page 54] Physick according to their Prescripts; yet if these because of their settlement as free Traders, shall hereupon destroy the rela­tion between Physicians and them, as if their interest did not much consist in the practise of Physicians, they will have no cause of complaint, if the Professors of Physick take their business again into their own hands, and imitate the most succes­ful practise of their renowned Predecessors; And the Apothecaries may as freely as e­ver attend their Trade in selling to those who will buy of them notwithstanding the Physicians preparation of their own Remedies.

But I observe that very many Apothe­caries are so far from deviding between theirs and the Physicians Art, that they endeavor to unite them in their underta­kings, as much professing to direct Phy­sick as to prepare or sell it, and these I call practising Apothecaries, although some who would seem more modest and friendly to Physicians; suppose that none of their Society ought to practice Physick, yet these would not have any one debar­red the giving of such Medicines as they should think fit, when there is a special oc­casion: but since that these Apothecaries so much favouring their own advantage [Page 55] must necesiarily be Judges of those exi­gencies, I know not how to distinguish this more close and sly way, from that which being acted above board is owned and ju­stified by these Practitioners, for by pra­ctising of Physick, is understood any appli­cation to the sick in order to a cure, com­prehending not only long methodical cour­ses in Chronical Diseases, but sudden directions in those which are acute, respe­cting as well their beginning Principiis obsta, &c. as their sub­sequent alterations.

The ordinary account we have out of the best Authors, describing the Apothe­caries office, mentions not a word of their Practising Physick, omitting what occurs in others, I shall only recite the opinion of Renodaeus;Renodaei in­stit Phar. p. 6. Officium solummodo Pharma­copaei est medicamentum tractare, & ad u­sum salutarem medici probati jussu adhibe­re, quod ut faeliciter consequatur, debet cog­noscere, seligere, praeparare & componere, &c. h. e. It is the Apothecaries business to meddle with Medicaments only, and in relation to their use to follow the Physicians Prescript, and that he may be fitted to exe­cute his office he must be instructed to know Simples, to select the choicest, to prepare and compound his Medicines. And if this be the utmost intent of the Apothe­caries [Page 56] Trade wherein they are educated; whence should these gain sufficient accom­plishments enabling them to practise Phy­sick? as for their knowledg of Simples and skill in Compositions, although these are necessary qualifications capacitating them to be able Apothecaries, yet I un­derstand not how these should upon this account any more become Physicians, then Cutlers and Gun-smiths by their judgment of the Mettals goodness on which they work, and their making and fitting Instru­ments of War, be thereby rendred most expert Commanders: but these practising Apothecaries pretend sufficient helps for their instruction in the vertues of Simples, and the true use of Compositions, from Physicians Bills which they constantly book; and by this means (as they inform the people) having seen the practice of many Physicians, they may be as good Doctors as any.

I shall enquire whether the Prescripts of Physicians can so far improve an Apo­thecary as that by their assistance he may be able to practice Physick? Indeed the De augm. scient. lib. 4. p. 2 [...]3. Lord Bacon's opinion, That there ought to be a religious observance of approved Medicines as well to retain the benefit of Tradition, as to direct a more steady way [Page 57] of curing Diseases: Seems to favour very much these Apothecaries, who are well stock'd with such Receipts, which they without any alteration transcribe for their Patients; but I shall oppose what the learned Alsarius relates, Alsar. de. quaes. per epi­stol. p. 309. Medicinae leges non ad Polycleti immutabilem regulam re­ferendae, sed ad Lesbian normam, quam pro factorum personarum ac temporum con­ditionibus magistratus aequitas commutare solet. h. e. The Laws of Medicine are not like Polycletus's unalterable rules, but the Lesbian precepts which the Magistrates might change and vary according to the na­ture of the Crime, the condition of the Of­fender, and the circumstance of time, &c. That such Receipts without any alterati­ons or substitutions may very much con­duce to the cure of Diseases, is by that Noble and Learned Person rather presumed then proved: To omit what I mentioned in the precedent Chapter concerning the insufficiency of those Medicines, in respect of the vast difference of mens bodies, and a greater variation of diseases incident to them; I assert that there is no Medicine rationally prescribed, but what particularly relates to the principal Indication which ought chiefly to be taken from the Cause, and not from the Disease, according to the [Page 58] usual design of those Prescripts; which is confirmed by Galen,Gal. de opt. secta. saith he, If Diseases indicated their proper Remedies, the Pa­tients best understanding what is to be done, might be most helpful to themselves: moreover the Medicines shew that not Dis­eases, but their Causes do indicate their use, as being not primarily adverse to Ef­fects but Efficients: So then it being the highest concern of a Physician to form his Medicaments as he sees occasion, of what use can Receipts be, which by ignorant undertakers cannot be accommodated to the most prevalent indications respecting the Cause? These practising Apotheca­ries having another employment, which ought to take up their thoughts, pains and time, may well be supposed uncapable of knowing and making a right judgment of the true Causes of diseases which not only alter frequently the same Disease as to its appearance and symptomes, but much more in relation to its Cure: I remember a sto­ry which I have read, to this purpose, A Patient by the faithful advise of his Physi­cian recovered from a most dangerous Dis­ease, but it seems not long after was ill a­gain, the Apothecary visits him, and ap­prehending that his condition was the same as in his former sickness, immediatly re­peats [Page 59] the Medicines which the Physician had prescribed, but all to no purpose, the Physician was then sent for, and the Pati­ent telling him of the Apothecaries ill suc­cess, demands the reason why those reme­dies which before cured him, had not the like operation again, the Physician wittily reply'd, Medicamenta illa non profuere, quia ego non dedi, h. e. Those Medicines were not succesful, because I did not order the repetition of them; insinuating that a Physician ought to judg as well of the Pa­tients fitness for the Remedies, as of the Remedies fitness for the Patients. To say no more, I cannot think that the A­pothecaries strict noting and transcribing of Physicians Bills can more inable them to practise Physick, then Stenography to profess Divinity, the penning of a Sermon verbatim, and committing it to memory being as infinitely short of the qualifica­tions requisite to a Divines preaching and exercise of his Function, as the imitation of these Prescripts of the accomplishments necessary to the Profession of Physick.

But these Apothecaries besides their unskilfulness to practise Physick, are most injurious to Physicians upon several ac­counts, who intrust them with their Bills, for when those Prescripts express their par­ticular [Page 60] use, and as a weighty trust to that end only, are committed to the Apothe­caries care, if he ever imploys them with­out the Physicians privity and direction, he is unfaithful in that trust; and if his practise succeeds not, then doth the repu­tation of that Physician suffer, whose Pre­script originally it was: As another consi­derable branch of trust, the true dispensa­tion of all Medicines directed by Physici­ans is left to the Apothecaries, in whose in­tegrity they place great confidence, and therefore a good Author tells us, Praestat Pharmacopaeum esse virum bonum, quam Socratem, h. e. 'Tis better that an Apothe­cary be an honest men then Socrates, both Physician and Patient depending on his uprightness and the punctual discharge of his office: If then this Apothecary shall ingage in the practise of Physick, he must necessarily spend much time abroad in vi­siting his Patients, and leave his shop to the management of raw Apprentices, who wanting instruction by reason of their Ma­sters absence, and not understanding the Physicians Bill, make odd and too often dangerous substitutions; neither are the Physicians secure that such practising A­pothecaries do not out of design suffer their Patients to be neglected or abused, that so [Page 61] miscarrying in their hands, the repute of the others may seem thereby advanced, as if their practise could not be more unsuc­cesful then the Doctors: certainly these Apothecaries cannot give a satisfactory ac­count of the trust reposed in them, and therefore to me it is evident that they give timely warning by forsaking their Trade and practising Physick, that none commit the breeding of their Children to them who have business of more concern­ment to mind, then to spend their time in teaching (according to their engagement) their Servants the Art which they must be made free to exercise, that the people be not hasty to imploy them in either way, who incapacitate themselves for both; and lastly, That Physicians send not any Bills to them, lest they be guilty of prejudi­cing both themselves and Patients. If then these practising Apothecaries are so kind to Physicians as publikely to acquaint them what may be expected at their hands; I hope no Member of that Wor­thy Faculty is so stupid but that he will leave them and their Patients to the same adventure which both run, and not be ei­ther forward to help them out at a dead lift, or take the miscarriage on him for the advantage of one or two Fees; but it [Page 62] is observable that some of these, concei­ving that an open breach between Physici­ans and them may be prejudicial to their design, do plead as an excuse to acquit themselves that the importunity of their Customers prevailed with them in such ca­ses wherein was no appearance of Danger to direct what they thought most conve­nient;L' obell. p. 6. but let Rondeletius give these an an­swer, Pharmacopaeus inconsulto perito me­dico nihil cuiquam proponabit, praesertim magnarum virium, sed neque quantumvis parcarum, cum vires nesciat, & auxilia haec quamvis (ut videtur) imbecilla, ta­men quantitate, qualitate, tempore insalu­bria, magnorum saepe morborum sunt occasio, & legitimam curandi rationem pervertunt, h. e. Apothecaries ought not to give any Medicines without the foreknowledg and direction of an allowed Physician, neither those which are more or less operative, be­cause they being altogether ignorant of their vertues may err in those which seem weak­est and most safe in respect of quantity, quality or time, so as they may prove the causes of most dangerous diseases, the op­portunity also of a methodical Cure is by this means lost. Indeed such is the in­crease of the Apothecaries Company, that all of them cannot reasonably expect im­ployment▪ [Page 63] who therefore hunt abroad af­ter Patients, and prey one upon anothers business; these inconveniencies would be remedied if the counsel of a grave Writer was observed, who adviseth the Magi­strate to be very careful not to tolerate more Apothecaries then are sufficient for the discharge of that Profession; implying, that if they superabounded, they would most infallibly injure the publick, and ra­ther then their Medicines for want of time­ly use should decay and grow worthless, choose to spend them by their own pra­ctise, and think it a less Crime to harm the people then suffer any damage in their shops; And when these practising Apo­thecaries have by their insinuations invei­gled some to take Physick of them, as it is not improbable but that these being ig­norant of the direct way of curing diseases must necessarily hereupon spend more Me­dicines then Physicians who exactly knowing what is to be done, will not multiply Prescripts to tire out their Pati­ents and advance their charge; so how can such Patients assure themselves that their Apothecary-physicians do not make use of that opportunity as much to rid their shop of physick, as them of disea­ses: however if the whole is cast up, such [Page 64] Patients will find no cause to commend the cheapness of their Cure in respect of what it had been, if they had consulted Physicians; not to mention that some of these do confidently take and demand Fees for their Visits, besides the profitable income by their physick; I may safely af­firm that most of them cannot afford to be so charitable as to wait on their Patients without some recompence for their time and trouble, which are usually accounted in the price of the Medicines: So then, what a delusion do they lie under who seek to these Apothecaries, hoping thereby to save Physicians Fees.

I question not but that these practising Apothecaries do also discourage the peo­ple from seeking to Physicians, not only by undervaluing their skill, but by mis­representing the charge of such advice, exclaiming against their excessive Fees for every little distemper, if they are called in: I answer, that if in such little distem­pers (as they tearm them) any thing is to be directed, a Physician ought to be con­sulted therein, for perhaps what these mis­judging did account light and inconsidera­ble, when better understood by those who are able to look deeply into it, and have a right notion of the Causes, may prove a [Page 65] business of great concernment, and being throughly known by the prudence of the Physician in his timely applications the danger so much threatned may be succes­fully obviated, and the Patient restored without any great expence either in the Physicians Fees or Apothecaries Medi­cines; I must add to vindicate the Physi­cians from the false adspersion of exacting from the people more then the condition of such Patients can bear, that no Society of men in this Nation can in this point so much clear themselves as Physicians, who although they have no publick stipends (some few excepted) are yet so moderate in their takings, that without a lessening the honour and repute of their Faculty they cannot well condescend lower, and if the Seniors whose worth merits a greater re­spect, and age requires more rest and quiet, shall excuse themselves from night calls, and the drudgery of attending ordinary business; the Junior Physicians when sent unto, most readily (desiring to appear conscientious in the discharge of their cal­ling) take care of the meanest people ei­ther gratis expressing their Charity, or at a rate suitable to their condition who em­ploy them.

Moreover these practising Apothecaries [Page 66] are injurious to Physicians, by encoura­ging others to the like attempts, who straight-way conclude, that if these whose chief concernment it is to advance the cre­dit of Physicians, and to be faithful to them in their Profession, shall so dis­esteem them as to enter the list, & contend with them in their own Science; well may the common Empericks be more emboldned to vilifie them; nay, Physicians would have reason to take it ill from such Apo­thecaries, if it appear that most of the Quacks are not only supplied, but assisted by them in their undertakings, and that they most approve of these because they help them with their best endeavor to empty their Shops: I might proceed to shew how much the Profession of Physick suffers by such Practisers, and give in­stances of the fatal mistakes of these Pre­tenders to the Medicinal Science, but I am not willing to prosecute this Argu­ment as far as the subject will bear; I shall insert some Edicts published by the Ma­gistracy of Brussels, to be a pattern to other States, and to manifest that it is not so much the Physicians, as the peoples inte­rest that the Apothecaries be not allowed to practise Physick.

This Senate was doubtless no more concerned to Enact such Laws on the be­half of the people under their Government, then any Prince for the welfare of his Subjects: if then such Edicts were only the natural result of reason and prudence, [Page 69] the like general principle commends the imitation of them to other Countreys, and certainly if these Apothecaries in this Na­tion did observe their own Charter, they would not so much transgress as to assume liberty never intended them, when they were made an Incorporation.

To conclude, these practising Apothe­caries are injurious to themselves as well as Physicians, for when they fail in their Cures, which by reason of misappli­cations are very unlikely to succeed, the people are apt to suspect that such per­sons despair of excelling in their own Pro­fession, upon which account they betake themselves to Quacking: I do not think that the example of the Author of Mede­la medicinae, is a sufficient encouragement to others that they should be as free as he professeth himself, Med. medicin. p. 432. to instrust their lives in the hands of prudent Apothecaries; since that person hath not scrupled to adventure greater hazards—then others, either in this respect or any like case are obliged to imitate; and it is very probable that these Apothecaries when they fall sick, will not retaliate his kindness, and with the same danger intrust their lives in his hands.

That the design of this discourse may not be misconstrued by any, as if there [Page 70] was an intent to reflect on the whole So­ciety of Apothecaries, I shall in the next place speak of those who utterly dislike these Irregularities of their Brethren, fore­seeing the event that except some effe­ctual course be taken to restrain such un­warrantable actings, the amicable knot between Physicians and them will be either untied or broken, to the prejudice and dis­advantage of both, at least theirs; and therefore these being the worthier, and (I hope) the major part of that Incorpo­ration, taking notice that notwithstand­ing the late publick disobligements (the Physicians being yet so generous and friendly as to trust them with their Pre­scripts and Patients) have an honorable esteem of their practise and prudent de­portment, sufficient to convince their Ad­versaries, if they had not lost all sense both of humanity and their own true inte­rest, for although there are very many ar­guments which might perswade Physici­ans to prepare their own Medicines, parti­cularly to take off those sugillations, as if either they know not how to make their Compositions, or that they are unwilling to undergo so much trouble, and to im­prove their Art, &c. yet had they rather lie under a vain conjecture of their insuffi­ciency [Page 71] in that business or laziness, then be guilty of destroying the Company of Apo­thecaries, especially such who confine themselves to their own Profession, and religiously over-see the dispensation of their Medicines.

This better part of that Society in te­stimony of their gratitude to Physicians, for that excellent skill they have by their di­rection acquired in the genuine preparati­ons of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, wherein they are inferiour to none of the like Profession in any Nation, do not only publish the Physicians abilities, and pre­fer them before all Pretenders, but by their improuement silence the idle Ca­lumny of their Doctors being unskilful in Pharmacy; these Members of that Com­pany have diligently promoted an acom­modation between Physicians and them, and would gladly that the Law, to restrain illegal Practitioners might reach any Of­fenders amongst their number as others, be­ing sensible how much the whole Company is prejudiced by the extravagancies of some who in hopes of a little gain, do not care to ruine their Society, there being at length a good correspondence between the Colledg of Physicians and the Incorporation of Apothecaries, each Member imploying [Page 72] himself in his Profession as the Law di­rects, all will go on with more comfort in their several vocations, and the people reap the benefit.

IT doth not appear either by the Ca­non Law or Prescription, that the Bi­shops and their Vicar-generals as Ecclesia­stical Officers, had power to License any to practise Physick, or that Physicians in re­spect of their Profession were subjected to the Jurisdiction of Spiritual Courts; 'tis confessed that the care of Hospitals did appertain to the Bishops who provided Physicians to cure the Sick, but it would seem a strange inference to argue that the Bishops exercised the like Priviledges else­where, because to them was committed the supervision of these Hospitals, or that they had a Legal Right to license Physi­cians who entertained them; wherefore until good evidence is produced to make out their claim to this Authority preceding [Page 73] the Statute; I cannot allow the opinion of Episcopal Right of licensing to pra­ctise Physick, besides should I admit that they had such a power in them as Ecclesia­sticks, yet they must demonstrate the force thereof, since the Statute took place, but if it be found upon inquiry that nei­ther de jure nor de facto, the Bishops and their Vicar-generals did license, and that the Statute is of full vertue, notwith­standing any pretence of former Autho­rity, it is unquestionable but that all per­sons therein concerned, the Bishops and their Vicar-generals, as well as the people are obliged to take notice of it, and to the end that the Original and extent of their licensing Physicians may be fully known, I shall recite part of the Statute relating thereunto.

Thus the High-Court of Parliament was pleased (as the Statute imports) to authorize the Right Reverend Bishops and their Vicar-generals, as a Trust, to license all persons qualified to practise Physick, which business of Trust intimates an extraordinary confidence in their faith­ful execution of it according to direction, and that the same Authority may demand an account of the discharge thereof, and accordingly either continue it in their hands or alter it, as may best answer their intent in relation to the peoples health and wel­fare: 'tis not to be doubted but that the Parliament was moved by very weighty reasons to intrust the Bishops, &c. with the execution of this Law, being satisfied that they whom singular Piety, Learning, and other Endowments had advanced to those Dignities, would act circumspectly and prudently in the management of a pub­lick trust of such consequence to the Na­tion, in the exact performances of which, the people also promised to themselves much happiness, expecting by means of this devolution of power on the Bishops sound minds in sound bodies: And the Bi­shop being out of his Diocess, the power of [Page 76] licensing descended with the same limita­tions to the Vicar-generals, who may not plead Liberty to act otherwise then the Statute allows, because there is no penalty annexed, as if thereupon they were not engaged to observe the several conditions enjoyned: Methinks the Parliaments good opinion of these Chancellors integrity should so far prevail with them, as at least not to seek out ways how they may safely break their Trust, and therefore offend be­cause the Law doth not provide due pu­nishment; I want words to express the exquisite dis-ingenuity of such practises, which encourage the violation of all pub­lick and private Trusts at pleasure, if thereby no penalty is incurred.

I shall in the next place briefly consider the Injunctions in the body of the Statute, according to which both the Bishops and their Vicar-generals are to be guided in granting their Licenses, and although the Bishop of London and Dean of Pauls, may examine, approve and admit, yet they must call to them four Doctors of Physick, a competent number to avoid all suspicion of favour or partiality, and that the can­didate be throughly sifted before he ob­tain a License: Then it follows that the Bishop being out of his Diocess, his Vicar-general [Page 77] may license according to the Sta­tute, whence I collect that if the Bishop is in any part of his Diocess, his Vicar-ge­neral may not exercise this power, neither can any such interpretation be put on the Bishops being out of his Diocess, as if this related only to his judicial attendance in Court, and so often as he is not there, his Vicar-general may license; for this is con­trary to the letter of the Statute, and (as I conceive) the designment of it, which was primarily to authorize the Bishops and their Chancellors only in the others ab­sence from their Diocess. I further ob­serve that this power of licensing was by the Statute placed in the Bishops and their Vicar-generals, no mention being made of their Surrogates or Officials,Foelix esset artibus si soli artistae de illis judica­rent, F [...]b. in regard that this trust of licensing to practise Phy­sick is no part of their office by vertue of the Bishops Patent to them, I quaere whether they commissionating Surrogates accord­ing to those Patents, can legally invest them with the like Authority, since it is li­mited by the Statute to the Bishops and their Vicar-generals? It is in the last place observable that four Doctors of Phy­sick must be called in before the person to be licensed can be approved and admitted; I question then whether Certificates under [Page 78] the hands of three or four Doctors of Phy­sick without such examination in the pre­sence of the Bishop, &c. do answer the command of the Statute? In respect of the whole untill these Vicar-generals and their Surrogates can produce any Legal Authority constituting them Interpreters of such Statutes so as to put what sense and construction they please upon them most agreeable to their profit, and till the Reverend Judges have otherwise deter­mined, I hope it may not be unwarran­table to understand the Statute according to the literal meaning thereof, and then all transgressions of the power granted by it seem illegal, as that Bishops should li­cense without a previous examination by four Doctors, that the Vicar-generals if the Bishop be in any part of his Diocess, should exercise this power, and without the examination by Doctors, or that any Surrogates should attempt to license, that Authority being incommunicable by Pa­tent: and lastly, that Certificates should be admitted, most of which probably may be counterfeited: Besides I shall leave those who are learned in the Law to de­cide whether since the President and Cen­sors of the Kings-Colledg of Physicians in London, by other Statutes of later date, [Page 79] were appointed to examine and allow all Licentiates, unless such whom the Uni­versities authorize to practice Physick, the power of the Bishops and their Vicar-generals granted before,Leges poste­riores abro­gant priores. is not void in Law; and although the Bishops and their Chancellors proceed on the License, yet whether such Licentiates without either the Universities or Colledges examination and approbation can plead their Authori­ty, so as to acquit them from the penalty to be inflicted on illegal practisers?

To pass by other Points of great im­portance in this Controversy, because I would not seem to intrench on the Pro­fession of others; I shall endeavor to shew the inconveniencies which happen to the Faculty of Physick and Physicians, by rea­son of this power of Licensing placed in the Bishops and their Vicar-generals: As for the Right Reverend Fathers in God the Bishops, if such a weight of business did not lie on their shoulders, much more con­siderable, by which they may possibly be taken off from looking after this Trust, 'tis not to be doubted but that they would be very severe and just in this, as in other affairs, respecting a due encouragement of those who have been equally Members of the Universities as themselves, and there­upon [Page 80] grant out very few Licenses to pra­ctise, especially in those places and Coun­treys wherein are seated a sufficient num­ber of learned and experienced Physicians, who having performed their Exercises are Graduates in Physick: Were the Bishops (I say) at leisure to regard this business, the true Professors of Physick could not possibly be more secure, or desire a better improvement of that power to the Honour of their Faculty; but their Vicar-gene­rals are well pleased that their respective Bishops do at least permit them to License whom they think fit, and however there is some engagement on them not only to follow the directions of the Statute, but to be kind to the Faculty of Physick and its Professors; yet I wish that there is no cause of complaint, as if too many of these multiplied their Licentiates for their own more then the benefit of the publick, and that since his Majesty's most happy Resto­ration, every Court-day hath not been a Physick Act, the Fees being incomparable respondents, as if the custom of Leiden had prevailed.

For on the same account by the Master of the Revels, are licensed the dancing horses and well-bred Bares.

I do not at present undertake to accuse any particular persons, as if they have al­ready licens'd so many that there are left no more pretenders to physick unfurnished, but I should wonder if all manner of rude and illiterate Quacks, should at the charge of a Mark or some such inconsiderable rate, be as much capacitated to practise physick, as those who are Academical Physicians: Mantuan affords us a notable description of such Licentiates;

Had these Vicar-generals and their Sur­rogates by Law an unlimited power to li­cense all who are minded to practise phy­sick, [Page 82] yet should they exercise it in the ut­most Latitude, the people might suffer as much by the provision of that Statute as they did before, there being little diffe­rence between the bold attempts of those who then practised, and very many since no less unfit to undertake the cure of the Sick; indeed these last (pleading the Au­thority of their Licenses) are without much scruple entertained, as if they had been examined by four Doctors of Physick, and in every respect were allowable accord­ing to the Direction of the Statute, and thereupon may take more opportunities to injure the people then the others, who being well known never could obtain to be trusted as persons of sufficient abilities: certainly the whole Nation will be very sensible of a manifest grievance upon the account of numberless Licentiates to pra­ctise Physick, for it would not serve the turn if each Licentiate should apply him­self to the cure of a distinct Disease, as the Egyptians did heretofore in the like case, and that each Parish should employ one, but every person will have a distinct spy on his body, who being his Diaetical Genius must order every bit of meat and draught of drink, and after this manner be insla­ved to live physically.

[Page 83] As it doth not seem probable that the Parliament did intend more, then that the people instead of ignorant Practisers who abused them, should be provided with learned and able men to help them in their sickness, so neither can we think that any prejudice to the Universities was thereby designed, but if notwithstanding that our Academies have sent forth a convenient number of true Sons of Art, to take care of all that concerns their practice through­out the whole Nation, these Chancellors and their Surrogates should at such a rate license as if there were none to practise, unless such whom they pass, taking no notice of the Universities provision, what other conclusion can be deduced, then that such persons seek all opportunities to void the Priviledges of the Universities, to blast the hopes of many excellent Physicians, whose abilities for want of exercise con­tract themselves and wither: and lastly, to disgrace the Profession of Physick by ad­mitting such who as they cannot avoid the contradicting of their Instruments, so perswade the people that they do as much as the Art can perform. Physicians do not yet despair that both their Faculty and themselves may out-live the boisterous storms raised against them, because the [Page 84] Lord Bishops sit at the Helm as most skil­ful Pilates, who (as before) being chief­ly intrusted, can direct the power of Li­censing to the best advantage, either ta­king it into their own hands, least they suf­fer in the peoples esteem by reason of the mis-application of the Episcopal Seal, or resigning it up to the Universities, whose concern it is to attend such businesses: when Church affairs are compleatly setled, 'tis not to be doubted but that every Bi­shop will take an account of all Licentiates within his Diocess, and inform himself of their Abilities for such an Imployment, by what means they obtained Instruments au­thorizing them to practise Physick, and if the Conditions expressed in the Statute were punctually observed, calling in all Licenses illegally granted, and preventing any further abuses of that Parliamentary trust by any of their Officers: Physicians (I say) are so well perswaded of the Lord Bishops good inclination to uphold the Honour of their useful Profession, and, to prefer those who are skil'd in all kinds of Learning before others whose Mother-wit and Mother-tongue are their chiefest Accomplishments, that they cannot har­bor in their breasts any thoughts unworthy of the religious care of Their answering e­very [Page 85] just expectation, and of expressing a particular respect and devotion towards Medicine of a divine extract, if we credit St. Augustine, saith he,Aug. lib. 3. de civitate Dei. Corporis medi­cina si altius rerum originem repetas non invenitur unde ad homines manare potue­rit, nisi à Deo, cui omnium rerum status salusque est tribuenda; h. e. If we strict­ly enquire after the Original of Medicine, it will appear that God was the Author thereof, to whom every thing ows it con­servation. Should the time in which that Statute was made, be compared with this present season, an argument might be drawn thence to shew, that although there was a necessity (in respect of the rareness of Academical Physicians) that some should be licensed who satisfied the dire­ctions of the Statute, yet since that the Universities can as well furnish the Nation with Physicians as Divines, these Right Reverend Bishops will no more exert what Authority they may have to make such Physicians then Priests, who never had relation to the Universities, but spent their time either in following pass-times, in service, or a Mechanical Trade.

THe chiefest Argument inducing se­veral Princes most gratiously to in­stitute Corporations, was the advance­ment of Trade, all obstructions which hindred its progress, being thereby remo­ved, and apt Priviledges granted to pro­mote the Interest and reward the diligence of the respective Members of such Com­monalties: And in order to the Perfecti­on and Dignity of the Medicinal Science, a Collegiate way was thought on and setled as a meet expedient to free it from all those prejudicial incumbrances, which before were invincible lets, and suitably inlar­ging its power and authority, to render it more publickly useful and illustrious. The general obstacles as well in Medicine as Trade, preceding their Incorporation as self-seeking, envy, discord, and want of government, being taken away, commu­nity, union, and a decent regulation have most fitly supplied those defects, and the [Page 87] additional advantages secured both from all extraneous injuries, and established a full and lasting liberty to improve them as far as they be capable of proficiency.

I need not acquaint the World with the wonderful success of Trade, which by no other way could possibly arrive at such an height, all scattered and distinct Profes­sors by an happy coalition combining to­gether to manage their several Arts with twisted ingenuity and counsel, that they might eminently flourish; the growth of Physick hath been no less considerable in those Nations wherein are founded Colled­ges of Physicians, nay, the Medicinal Science stood in greater need of this course then Trade, being more subject to inva­sion, every Omnes qui vix commu­nem intelli­gere queunt sermonem, & opera similiter cum difficulta­te discunt vul­gò communia medicinam exercere am­biunt, Geb. lib. de invest. sum. perf. unskilful person (as is shewn in the first Chapter) undertaking to pro­fess Physick, and the People rather ap­plauding, then discouraging such practi­ses, whereas if any one uneducated in a Trade should adventure to set up, the People would be quickly sensible of that injury, and exclaim against any such en­crochments as most destructive to Trading, and openly tending to undo them who have spent much time and pains in the at­tainment of their Art or Mystery; so that the common dislike of all (who in respect [Page 88] of Trade are competent Judges) was more effectual to prevent an inroad into their Callings, then severe Laws to restrain those who are ignorant from the practice of Physick, besides there is no difficulty in the Profession of Physick (as they pre­sume to practise it) which may equally deterr them from this as any other (though the meanest and easiest) imployment, for as Panarolus well observes, Praxis qua ipsi utuntur trium dierum spatio ab homine vel vilissimo acquiritur: h. e. The ar­randest blockhead may learn all their skill and practice in three days time. More­over Trade in respect of the event not be­ing of such concernment as the Science of Physick, did not alike want Incorporation, for in traffick the Buyers understand whe­ther the Commodities are well conditioned, and fit for their use, the Chapmans skill preventing all manner of circumventions and cheats, more then the particular Laws of Societies; and one bad bargain may be recompensed by future caution and vigilan­cy, whereas it is otherwise in Medicine, for very few know what belongs to the Medi­caments they take, not discerning the im­postures of ignorant Practisers; and 'tis too late to repent of inadvertency when once the deadly Bolus is swallowed, pro­mises [Page 89] of circumspection for the time to come being good warnings to others, but not available to him who is by such delu­sions surprized; for this cause King Hen­ry the Eighth was most gratiously pleased to found his Colledg in London, as the words of the Charter express; Cum Regii officii nostri munus arbitremur, ditionis nostrae hominum felicitati omni ratione con­sulere: id autem vel imprimis fore si im­proborum conatibus tempestive occurramus, apprimè necessarium ducimus improborum quoque hominum qui medicinam magis a­varitiae suae causâ quàm ullius bonae consci­entiae fiducia profitebuntur unde rudi & credulae plebi plurima incommoda oriantur audaciam compescere, &c. Collegium per­petuum Doctorum & gravium virorum qui medicinam in urbe nostra Londini, &c. publicè exerceant institui volumus atque imperamus, &c. h. e. Forasmuch as to our Princely Care and Soveraignty belongeth the welfare and happiness of our Subjects, which cannot by any means be better secu­red, then by a timely disappointment of wicked mens evil designs and practises, We judg it expedient and necessary to re­strain the bold attempts of impious and un­worthy pretenders to Physick, who acting from a principle of covetousness rather then [Page 90] conscientiously, do injure and deceive those who are ignorant and too credulous, &c. It is our Royal pleasure and command to ap­point and establish a Colledge of learned and profound Physicians in our City of London, &c.

Dissention also amongst Physicians in re­spect of their Opinions, promoted partly through emulation, and partly by the thirst of not a few after gain, tran­scending what was in this kind observable amongst Traders, earnestly called for a speedy and convenient remedy, and since the settlement of a Collegiate way of Phy­sicians, in the room of animosity, unchari­table emulation, and private inconsiderable designs, are introduced a decent respect of each other with all manner of mutual kind­nesses, and the common interest and joynt improvement of the Medicinal Science for the benefit of the Publick; if the lear­ned Johannes de Espagenet had reason to affirm, that Love was one of the Princi­ples to which all bodies owe their original; I may well assert, that it is no more a prin­ciple of bodies Natural then Politick, e­specially in the affairs of Medicine, by which means the great business of Con­sultation is regularly carried on, distinct abilities concurring to overcome the [Page 91] strange intricacies of complicated Disea­ses: This Love is the bond knitting the whole associated body together by its gen­tle ligaments in due symmetry, so that the Juniors do chearfully adhere to what the Seniors propose, submitting to their aged reason and experience, and the Seniors as candidly communicate their Observations, and admit of Partnership in their vast stock of Knowledg.

As in other Corporations great care is taken for the education of Apprentices to their several Trades, so a Collegiate way herein may be more profitable, and I might hence take a fit occasion to recom­mend the practice of the Ancients, who undertook the tutorage of young Students in Physick, which laudable practice is still continued in some Countreys, and helps more in the Profession of Physick, then the bare turning over of Voluminous Au­thors, who (at least many of them) de­signed chiefly their own Fame by their Books; the Junior Physicians (I say) being after this manner initiated, can more safely fight under such Conduct a­gainst the desperatest Diseases, and the Seniors will be forward to transplant their abilities, and even immortalize themselves in the continued Series of their Successors.

[Page 92] I hope now that the tearms Doctor and Colledge, do not suffer in the opinion of understanding men, by reason of the un­worthy language and vain scoffs which the Author of Medela medicinae vents against them, for, Doctor (as Serjeant Dodridg well argued) is no addition, but a Degree, Quia gradatim est progressione Doctrinae provenit, being the Universities reward of Learning, and the tearm Colledg intimates a lawful association or constellation of Phy­sicians to preserve the Nation by a prospe­rous influence, and to advance and im­prove the Medicinal Science: nei­ther is that idle objection allowable, as if a Collegiate way by differencing its Mem­bers from other Practisers, and seeking for an effectual power to punish ill practice in Physick, tended only to make the Pro­fession of Medicine a Monopoly, for there is no stop put to the industry of those who take a regular course to become lawful Physicians, the Universities embrace and cherish all hopeful Students, and when fourteen years are expired, being not wa­sted, but carefully employed in a most ex­quisite search after the concealments of Nature, these having succesfully run through a course of Natural Philosophy, they are thereby enabled to enter upon the [Page 93] most difficult Study of Physick, till at length their abilities arrived at a due ma­turation, and deserving the approbation of the Universities, they come abroad, and may (satisfying the Statutes) be admit­ted Members of the Colledg, and by the same rule every Incorporation would be a Monopoly, but I need not spend more time in answering such an empty Argument; every person may apprehend the reason why not only that Pamphletter, but o­thers of his Gang do so bitterly inveigh against the Order and Government of Phy­sick, were these capable either to attain Degrees in the Faculty of Physick, or to be licensed by the Colledg, they would be as forward for Discipline in Physick, as now they are for Liberty.

It remains that I endeavour to vindi­cate the Kings Colledg of Physicians in London, from the scandalous suggestions of some, as if they had not answered those ends for which their Society was foun­ded; and although I am very sensible of my insufficiency to undertake a just de­scription of the Deserts and performances of this Colledg, and likewise that what ever I can say will be judged the Product of Interest, yet I shall rather hazard their censure for my deficiencies, then be guilty [Page 94] by silence of a seeming compliance with their malicious Accusers, and that cannot be interpreted vain ostentation, when there is no other intent then to vindicate our Society from the indignities of those who would lessen its Splendor: Well then, since that the necessity of answering such high provocations makes my Apology, and prevents the charge of immodesty, I shall attempt to give some brief account of this Colledg and its Members; should I begin with the first Doctors whose names are re­cited in the Charter granted by King Hen­ry the 8th, and confirmed by Parliament, and continue the Catalogue to this day, the Worth and Fame of each Collegiate would compleatly evidence that they were according to direction Profound, discreet, groundly learned, and deeply studied in Phy­sick; Nay, I confidently affirm, that the most considerable discoveries which in these later Ages have merited applause and credit in the World, were most happily made by some Members of this Society, witness the Renowned Doctor Harvey's cir­culation of the Blood, Doctor Jolive's first observation of the Lymphaeducts, and ma­ny others, who, though dead, do yet live in their Physical inventions, and not a few of the present Members of this Colledg [Page 95] have paid the first fruits of their vast at­tainments, whose Books having stood the brunt of humorous Contradiction unan­swered, are above censure, or my Pane­gyrick, and their second prosperous voya­ges into the America of Medicinal Truths, cannot but raise large expectations of fur­ther discoveries, many of this Incorporation did heretofore Warehouse their Learning and Experience, and hoarded up such plenty of all necessary accomplishments, as if they intended to ingross the Medicinal Science, who being prevented either by mis-guided modesty or untimely death, suffered their Acquirements to die with them, leaving a Despair in their Succes­sors to retrieve those hidden and buried Treasures, and the rest of the Colledg when they are secured from injurious blasts, will in due time blow with mature and acceptable performances, these are now giving the World an Edition of them­selves, and at length will publish their most elaborate Works wherein the progress of Physick may be most legible. I shall further add, that since HIS MAJESTY HATH MOST GRACIOUSLY PLEASED TO HONOUR HIS COLLEDG WITH HIS PRE­SENCE, AND TO TAKE NO­TICE [Page 96] OF THEIR EXERCISES, THE WHOLE SOCIETY IS IN­FLAMED TO APPROVE THEM­SELVES WORTHY OF THEIR SOVERAIGNS FAVOUR AND PATRONAGE!

The reason why these Collegiates do at present conceal their Abilities, is, because they would avoid the prostitution of them, observing that even their free converse hath emboldned Amazon Practitioners to handle the two-edged Sword of Medi­cine, since therefore the Profession of Phy­sick is only guarded by the prudence of Physicians, there is good cause why they should so far imitate the Ancients as not to disclose those mysteries and depths in Phy­sick which distinguish them from others; and although Candor opens their Breasts to all Sons of Art, yet their choicest conceptions will be fast locked up, till Law secures them, and their Authors from Usurpation and Injuries.

THe fierce digladiations between the Galenists and Chymists, each party contending not only to advance their O­pinions, but to vilifie their Opposites, have in the judgment of most prudent men rather inconvenienced both, then gained to either more credit or authority; I shall present some of these hot disputes, by which all may observe the weakness of such ineffectual argumentations, and meer­ly rude and passionate censures,Zacut. lus. p. 14. saith Za­cutus, Sanguineis lachrymis deploranda es­set calamitas haec ab iis qui Hippocratis & Galeni se filios esse gloriantur, & horum magistrorum sanissimam doctrinam ex limpidissimis fontibus exhaustam combi­bere solent, quod Chymici omnino adver­sam & contrariam Hippocratis legibus ob­servantes Disciplinam impune, proterue & indecore medicinam, summum-Omnipoten­tis donum, dicteriis, facetiis & preposteris auxiliis infament, Medicus fugiat a chy­micis & documenta eorum parvi faciat: [Page 98] h. e. The true Disciples of Hippocrates and Galen who have drawn all their ac­complishments from their pure Fountains of Learning, have cause to weep blood see­ing that the Chymist who profess a contra­ry way of Physick, are permitted without restraint by their malevolent reproaches, scorns, and unartificial remedies to bla­spheme Medicine which is the gift of the great God: and therefore let every Physician take heed of these, and lightly esteem their Doctrines. But in answer ro this, Tract. de sal [...] Dom. de Neus. Nemo docti & sapientis viri nomen aut titulum obtinere potest nisi sit Chymista, quia nec principia naturalia, nec vera uni­versalis materia cuipiam unquam innote­scent nisi per Artis Chymicae experientiam: h. e. He is most unworthy the name or re­pute of a learned or wise man, who is not a Chymist, because neither the natural principles nor the universal matter can be known to any who are not skilled in the Spa­gyrick Art:Riol. in epist. dedic. What Riolanus writes is not behind this, Princeps tenebrarum delecta­tur fumis, & ministros habet fumi vendu­los, Alchymistas, sufflones, carbonarios quorum scientiam cur non appellem [...] cum proprie [...] dicantur fornacarii Chymistae, sed veritas filia temporis perdet gratiam novitatis eorum, & fumus iste di­sparebit: [Page 99] h. e. The Prince of darkness doth affect Fumes, and his Officers trade in Smoak; these Chymists busie themselves in kindling Charcoal not differencing them­selves from Colliers, since that amongst their Furnaces they are not unlike Chimney-sweepers, I know no reason but that I may compare their Art to Chimney-sweeping, but Truth is the daughter of Time, and when the Novelty of their practice is over, their smoak will dis-appear. Penotus ex­tols Chymistry as much as Riolanus de­cries it; Quid jucundius quam ea noscere atque oculis pene cernere manuque tractare quae procul a sensu & cognitione nostra pec­catum posuit? quam in ipsam penitus ab­sconditam naturam descendere, quam par­tes universi in particulas quasque minutis­simas scindere? ipsaque Naturae principia in manu habere? quid publice, priva­timque utilius, quam mortalitati nostrae quantum quidem licet subvenire? mor­bosque aliaque corporis incommoda arcere & depellere? & languentem proximum atque jacentem restituere, haec omnia prae­stat ea Philosophiae atque medicinae pars quam Spagyricam vocant: h. e. What can be more pleasant then to know by the sure information of the eye and hand, those things which sin hath so far distanced both [Page 100] from our sense and apprehension? then to dive into the depths of Nature? then to anatomize the Universe, and to handle the first principles of all things? what can be more publickly and privately useful then to retard death as much as may be? to vanquish Diseases? to recover our sick Neighbour? And all these Feats are per­formed by Chymistry. Billichius on the other side tells us, Medicamenta Chymi­ca membris principalibus corporis pravam dispositionem imprimunt, calorem nativum & spiritus individuos animae satellites de­struunt, remediis itaque Chymicis, quasi periculosis, inutilibus, & pestiferis, jus civitatis in republica medica denegetur; And more particularly Gluckradius, Sa­lia arrodunt & extimulant, spiritus caput petunt, olea ventriculum conviscunt & adherent: h.e. Chymical Medicines are hurtful to the principal parts of the body, by fixing an ill disposition there, by dissi­pating natural heat, and overthrowing the spirits which are the life-guard of the Soul, and therefore such Chymical Reme­dies ought to be expunged the Catalogue of Medicines, being hazardous, unprofitable, and pestilential: And Gluckradius further adds, that Chymical Salts are corrosive and irritate, Spirits injure the brain, and [Page 101] Oyls by their glutinousness and adhesion do even plaister the stomach. The Au­thor of the Pharmacopaeia Spagyrica tells us another story, Pharmac. says he, Spargyr. p. 2. Ars Spagyrica omnium scientiarum nobilissima, utilissi­ma & praestantissima nihil aeque medicum ornet, nobilitet, clarumque reddat, haec firmissa Naturae claustra reseret, ei quan­doquidem virtutum omnium, terrestrium, coelestium, animalium, vegetabilium & mi­neralium clavis conceditur, in qua non mo­do rei essentiae perpenduntur, verum in lucem conspectum (que) omnium adducuntur, purum ab impuro segregatur, cortex a nucleo, con­trarium a contrario, multa denique miran­da praestat, & multo majora, quam quae humanus intellectus excogitare possit: And Faber seconds this, Fab. propugn alchym. p. 8. Siquid est in Natu­ra pulchritudinis nobilitatis & utilitatis, id omne a puro ortum habet, quo sola Chy­mia uti novit, quae jure merito Scientias om­nes naturales tantum antecellit quantum purum illud reliquum Naturae superat & vincit: h. e. Chymistry is the most noble, useful, and excellentest of all Sciences, no­thing doth so much grace a Physician and make him eminent as the knowledg hereof w^ch readily admits him into Natures recesses, and discovers all true vertues terrestrial and celestial, and the nature of Animals, [Page 102] Vegetables, and Minerals; so that not only the essences of things are made intelligible, but they are subjected to our touch and view, the pure hereby being separated from that which is impure, the kernel from the shell, one contrary from another; its effects to conclude are so wonderful, that they sur­pass mans reach or understanding: And Faber writes to the same purpose; If there is any beauty, excellency, and worth in Na­ture, it is the product of that which is most pure, the ordering of which is the proper business of Chymistry, and therefore it doth as much out-shine other Natural Sci­ences, as this pure the grossest feculencies.

I perceive that I need an Apology to ex­cuse this tedious recitation of the absurd mutualUt turpe es­set in Senatu Patres dum de salute rei­publicae deli­beratur à vo­tis ad convitia descendere, ita pudend [...]m est eos qui scrip­tis editis rem literariam au­ctam & ampli­ficatam cupi­unt rebus mis­sis convitiis certare. Sen. p. 844. clashings of these Galenists and Chymists, who most earnestly endeavor to perswade the people that they design the Sanity of Mankind as the common end of their, though divers, nay, contrary di­rections and practises; because most Au­thors engaged in this Controversie in­stead of rational argumentations, do chief­ly abound with vain boastings and suspiti­ous commendations of their way, no less deriding all those who are not of their Mind; I thought my self concerned to reflect on this fruitless opposition joyning [Page 103] with Angelus Sala in his just reproof of both. Clamant alii a partibus sumus Gale­ni, alii partes tenemus Paracelsi mutuas contentiones & dissidia subinde moventes, & interim paucissimi reperiuntur qui in sinceritate proximo suo succurrere conten­dunt: Angel. Sal. de error. Pseu­dochym. p. 7. h. e. Some devote themselves to be Galens Disciples, others are for Paracel­sus, jangling amongst themselves whilest very few endeavor in sincerity their Neigh­bors restoration. In my opinion 'tis pre­posterous to conclude that any person is to be therefore accounted a good Physi­cian, because he stifly adheres to one or the other party, or thinks fit to conjoyn them; for to the accomplishment of a true Physician is required an exact knowledg of all things belonging to his practise, whe­ther they relate to his right judgment of Diseases and their Diagnosticks, or the regular applications of Medicaments arti­ficially prepared in order to a Cure, and so far as any one who undertakes to pro­fess Physick is deficient in any part of his business, he personally errs, and falls under the censures of an ill Practiser, although he either vaunts himself to be a Galenist or Helmontian: Physicians are Truths per­petual Candidates, more allowing, nay, improving Chymistry (as part of their [Page 104] profession) then any Pretenders to it, who not only employ themselves in the advancement of Pharmacy by its help, but in compleating the sensible Theory of Philosophy and Medicine, of which with indefatigable pains our worthy Predeces­sors have most auspiciously laid the sure foundation; should I use any Arguments inciting Physicians by the assistance of Pyrotechny to analyze all sorts of bodies, as if this was the probablest way to con­duct them to all acquirable knowledg of their Nature and Vertues, other courses proving unsatisfactory, I might herein seem too much an Imitator of some late Writers, who take upon them to blame the defects of Physicians in the study and practice of Chymistry, for no other reason then that they by their experimental Es­says may be thought their Dictators, de­grading them to advance their own reputa­tion; methinks these deal herein very un­kindly in attempting to ecclipse their brightness from whom they borrowed all their Light: certainly Physicians need no advertisement to observe the constitu­tion of bodies in their discovering the principles of them, and that the Uni­verse after the Creation (when the Spirit moved upon the waters) in an analogous [Page 105] way to Chymistry was methodized, the more subtle and etherial parts ascending, and those more feculent, becoming the Footstool of the Almighty, that also the grand Affairs of Generation and corruption seem nothing else but Spagyrical processes, which I might illustrate if I did not study brevity; hereupon (I say) Physicians wisely trace the true original of bodies in the same order as they were made by an artificial anatomy of Individuals, rightly judging of the whole in respect of the congruity of all its parts.

Although Chymistry hath not been so succesful to determine the number of Prin­ciples some resting in the Trinity of Sal, Sulphur, and Mercury, others account­ing five, Water, Spirit, Sulphur, Salt, and Earth▪ Zephyriel, Thomas Bovius making the number eight, and it being not impro­bable but that our Successors may discover more as simple as these, yet in respect of the apt preparation of Medicaments, it hath fully answered expectation, Physi­cians being thereby furnished with noble Remedies, which skilfully used, give am­ple proof of their activity in the extirpa­tion of Diseases: but these Spagyricks take great care in their opening of bodies, especially such as are most compact that [Page 106] the innate or seminal vertues thereof be not altered or marred by corrosive and poy­sonous Dissolvents, Corrum­punt mixtum perduntque, non autem di­vidunt in sua simplicia. or by destructive heat or fire, antidating the day of Judg­ment in respect of those things which in order to their preparation it consumes Accidit iis qui se igne oblectant & exhilarant quod ad extre­mum omne in luctum verti­tur, ignis enim multò subtili­ora venena contra eos e­vomit quam minerae, Para­cels. cap. 4. tract. 2. de morb. metall. and utterly spoils; the imitation of Nature in her most perfect operations do best direct an Artist in his Experiments, and there­fore as by the mutual conjunction of the Celestial and Terrestrial Sun together with a due supply of an homogenious and natural menstruum, a Vegetable is raised and impowred with Medicinal vertues, so if the Physician conceives that this Vegetable needs a further exaltation, at least a prepa­ration to be unloaded of its clogging fecu­lencies, and desires to make a separation of the pure from that which is impure, by the help of Chymistry he performs what he de­signed, choosing an inlivening heat to ad­vance the signatures of that Vegetable, and an apt menstruum to which it may readily resign up all its efficacy and vertue, being thereby freed from its useless excrements; which course is followed likewise in the preparation of Animals and Minerals, not as if the same heat and menstruum would serve the turn for all Vegetables whose vertues are contrary (as the Pseudo-chymists [Page 107] ignorantly practise) which need diverse and proper menstruums, and what sufficiently wrought on Vegetables will not operate alike on Animals and Minerals; for although Physicians are better acquainted with the Universal Dissolvent, then some phantastical pretenqers, yet they aim chiefly in their Medicinal preparations at the preservation of the true genuine and seminal vertues, and make not each Sim­ple to be alike catholick as the menstruum imployed; besides they respect the safety of their Medicaments as much as their prevalency in the cure of Diseases, and when by much industry and sweat such powerful Remedies are provided by the true Physician, he doth not expect that they should work Miracles, help incurable Maladies, or raise the dead, but if a just occasion is offered, he makes use of them, hoping that by reason of a right applicati­on they may be effectual; however these do not because of their expertness in Chy­mical preparations, impiously conceit that God hath bestowed on Mankind no Vege­tables, Animals, nor Minerals as effectual helps to oppugn the irreconcilable ene­mies of Life, unless they are renovated by the Hermetick Art; for not only the constant experience of the greatest part of [Page 108] the World contradict this fancy, few Na­tions understanding the use of Chymistry, and yet the sick in those Countreys by Nature▪ provision of Remedies recover; but an observation may be drawn from Bruits, which I urge not, as if I imagined that the Medicines curing them may be applicable to men, and that the Farriers skill may accomplish a Physician; in this point the opinion of Jobertus Dec. 2. para­dox. 10. p. 523. seems most rational, saith he, Quod in brutis a­nimantibus observare quis potuit ad homi­nem traducere velle ineptum est, quoniam longe late (que) differunt hominum brutorum­que Naturae vel hoc argumento, sturni cicuta & helleboro coturnices tuto vescantur, quae nobis sunt venena & pharmaca: h. e. 'Tis absurd to appropriate the Physick of bruits to men whose natures are so different, which is evidenced by the Starelings feeding se­curely on Hemlock, and the Quails eating Hellebore, which to our bodies are poysonous and medicinal: Bruits, I say, when dis­eased employ no Operators, but supply themselves from Natures Laboratory with convenient Remedies, which succeed so well with them that they out-live the proudest Pretenders to the great Elixir or Panacaea, nay, as Seneca Sen. de brev. vitae, p. 559. affirms by Ari­stotle's Authority, Quina & dena saecula [Page 109] edurant, They last five, nay, ten ages at least some of them, having no other Medicinal help; and hence it is that the true Physicians do not think fit to em­ploy themselves in gaining the Quintes­sence of every Simple they use, well knowing that many Simples do irrecove­rably loose their seminal vertues by ordi­nary preparations. The Anomymus Au­thor Pharmac. Spagyr. p. 3. of the Pharmacopaeia Spagyrica be­fore mentioned, doth very well determine this Controversie; Quando morbus non est admodum pertinax simplici medicamen­ti preparatione subigi & everti queat, in diuturnis autem, gravibusque morbis, in delicatulis & his quibus ventriculus nau­sea premitur, & qui solo adspectu odorem & saporem perhorrescunt longiori artificio utimur nam crebris coctionibus filtrationi­bus clarificationibus & distillationibus ea adeo gustui palatoque grata reddimus ut ip­sis aegris in delitiis veniant: h. e. If the Disease is not rebellious it may be cured by an ordinary preparation, but chymical and obstinate Distempers require more exquisite Remedies, and if the Patients stomach is squeemish, or he cannot endure the sight or tast of the Medicine, then by frequent coctions, filtrations, clarifications, and di­stillations, it may be made so grateful, that [Page 110] the Patient may be delighted with it. I shall add Solon's counsel, Consule non quae suavissima sed quae optima: h. e. The Patient ought rather to be pleased with that which most conduceth to his recovery, then mind the satisfaction of his Palate, which is vitiated in sickness, and hereupon true Physicians are not so sollicitous to pre­scribe palatable Medicines Medici qui­dam adulando in pharmacis administran­dis aegros in­terficiunt Pa­narol. p. 135. as those which may most powerfully overcome the Dis­ease.

If I should launch out into a just com­mendation of the excellency and usefulness of Chymistry, it would I am perswaded, by our Pseudochymists (concerning whom anon) be interpreted an extorted confes­sion, as if their Pamphlets had opened our eyes, or forced us to close with them in the advancement of its repute in the World; but I need not extoll that in words, which we more suitably praise by practice, and I shall comprehend what I intend to say on this Subject under these two Assertions.

• 1. That Physicians have been the chief Promoters of Chymistry, and are best qualified to bring it to perfection.
• 2. That the lawful Physicians in this Kingdom are the truest Chymists.

[Page 111] He is a meer stranger to this Science, who is ignorant that the chiefest Chymists were Physicians; I should insert a large Catalogue, if I did not suppose that the truth hereof is famously known by their Learned Works, wherein all Chymical O­perations are more perspicuously delivered then in any other Authors, but this will further appear when I have shewn that the qualifications of a Physician are the prin­cipal requisites for the study and practice of Chymistry, of which in the next place.

I begin with the Physicians skill in the Tongues and in Philosophy, what De difficult. alchym. p. 6. Ho­glandus writes concerning the necessity of knowing the Tongues is acknowledged by all true Sons of Art, saith he, Non putet quis libros chymicos ca facilitate aut veri­tate in aliam linguam, transferri atque a­liarum scientiarum libros: h. e. He will be deceived who imagins that Chymical Au­thors can be so faithfully translated as books treating of other Sciences: He then who is a sufficient Linguist is most capable of interpreting truly and beneficially the my­stical and obscure Writings of the Anci­ents; And in relation to Philosophy as Hippocrates requires a Physician to be ex­cellent in it Hippocrat. de dec. hab. [...],Ubi desinit philosophus ibi incipit medi­cus. so Arnaldus and Geber thinks this knowledg [Page 112] most necessary to accomplish a Chymist, saith the first; Qui vult ad hanc scienti­am pervenire & non est Philosophus, fa­tuus est, quia haec scientia non est nisi de oc­cultis philosophiae: h. e. He who is ambi­tious to attain this Science without Philo­sophy, is in plain terms a fool, because this Science comprehends the Secrets of Philo­sophers: And Geb. cap. 7. Geber more fully, Opor­tet Artificem in scientiis philosophiae natu­ralis eruditum & perfectum esse, quia quod per ingenium naturale non adipiscitur, hu­jus defectui per doctrinam subvenitur: h. e. The Artist must be compleatly skill'd in Natural Philosophy that his Lear­ning therein may supply all defects of his Ingenuity.

Sagacity is no less necessary to enable a Physician, upon which account the fore­mentioned AlsariusDe quaes. per epist. p. 434. tells us, Sapientis­simus senex artem longam esse jure merito dixit ut tarda & hebetia ingenia ab ea ca­pescenda deterreret, fervida vero & vivi­da ad comprehendenda at (que) retinenda medi­cinae mysteria magis inflammaret: h. e. Hippocrates did most wisely pronounce the Medicinal Art to be long and tedious, that he might discourage at their onset all those who were stupid and thick skull'd, and pro­voke the acutest wits to pry into the knowledg [Page 113] and mysteries of Physick, and Sagacity is as considerable in Chymistry, if we credit Moresinus, saith he, Ut quam ingeniose possint Chymici Naturae secretos Thesauros in usus publicos depromere: h. e. That these Eagle-ey'd Chymists may pierce into the secrets of Nature: Indeed there is no­thing obvious in the Spagyrick Art, and therefore answerable to the depths of knowledg sought after, are the difficulties in the disquisition of them; he who ob­serves himself to be besieged with errors, ought to have his witsDebet chy­micus errori subvenire in­puncto. about him, as well to secure him in his right proceedings, as to prevent a surprize by false and errone­ous suggestions.

To conclude, Studiousness and indu­stry do compleat a Physician whose know­ledg and pains encrease alike, Sanch. p. 89. for if Mini­ma mundi res totius vitae contemplationi sat superque est: h. e. The most inconsi­derable thing in the world may imploy the whole time of a mans life to attain a perfect and unerring knowledg of it. Certainly then he hath no leisure allowed him who by his diligence is engaged to understand all the affairs of the greater as well as the little World: and assiduity is requisite in Chymistry, according to the advice of an excellent Adept in that Art, Exerceat [Page 114] se Artifex donec studendo & experimen­tando cum laboris instantia ad cognitionem pervenerit: h. e. The Artist must conti­nually exercise and busie himself that by his constant study and experiments he may gain knowledg. I need not spend time in running over more qualifications both of Physicians and Chymists, in which they also agree; by all which it is very appa­rant that Physicians are best capacitated to be Chymists, to whom also the Spagyrick Art is more advantageous then to any o­thers who spend their time and pains in it: Curiosity and Covetousness are the ge­neral ends propounded by all not engaged in the Profession of Physick, moving them to erect Laboratories, that by the help of Chymical Experiments, they may satisfie their earnest desire either of Knowledg or Profit, but upon neither account can these be equally benefited thereby as Physici­ans, not they who seek only to gratifie their Curiosity, because these rather hunt after Rarities in Nature then what is vul­gar, and then most applaud their happy discoveries when some strange and unex­pected effect doth occur; Quod Naturae ludus illis miraculum; The sportings of Nature delight them most: And indeed these may at pleasure, sever, mix, make [Page 115] and marr, behaving themselves lascivious­ly towards Nature and her divine myste­ries, and at length if these err, their de­ceptions are not dangerous, so long as their innocent affectation of curiosity is confined to try conclusions on vile and ignoble bo­dies, which are then dignified when they afford real discoveries of new truths, in subserviency to the good and welfare of Mankind: But Physicians are not allow­ed liberty to pick and choose their work, they difference not the subjects on which they operate so much by their disguised variety, as estimate them according to the true and powerful vertues they afford for the recovery of their Patients; being also obliged to more accurateness then the others, for if they mistake in dissolving the intimate closure of bodies on which they work, in stead of separating by such a preparation between what is sound and the peccant matter, they possibly may part the neer embraces of Soul and Body: Physici­ans then being satisfied that their enterpri­zes in Chymistry relating to their practice be rational in the discharge of their weigh­ty employment, more benefit thereby then those Indagators invited to be Spe­ctators only of Natures curiosities. As for the Alchymists, although these out of an [Page 116] insatiable thirst to gain wealth by the great Elixir or Philosophers stone, and such like tantalizations do night and day moil amongst their Furnaces, yet are not they so much profited by Chymistry as Physicians, for these being deluded, after an endless search for the true matter, and as idle a Quest for the Mercury of the Phi­losophers, that these two Natures whose es­sence notwithstanding is one, may, being timely after copulation impregnated, bring forth an Aethiopian capable of changing his complection by vertue of the milk he sucks, and a suitable education: I say, these Alchymists not understanding such and many more like parabolical expressi­ons after their fruitless expence and pains learn only the insufficiencies of their processes, and howbeit they reiterate their work to try if they can hit right, yet no­thing comes on it, their skill at length a­mounting to little more then a treasonable adulteration of coyn, or a pitiful circum­vention of Novices who are invited to sow Gold plentifully in hopes of a succeeding Harvest, or turning desperate Quacks in Physick; but on the contrary, a Physi­cian is never frustrated in his Chymical Es­says, Mor. de me­tall. meta­morph. as one well notes, faelices medici qui materiae differentias circa quas versan­tur [Page 117] optime tenent. He knows the matter on which he works, and brings it by his en­deavors to that perfection he at first design­ed, powerful Remedies to vanquish Dis­eases are the chiefest treasure he seeks af­ter, the Spagyrical Art which he profes­ses, not being concerned to metamorphize base Mettals into Gold, but sickness into health, which as far excels that red though adored earth as that the basest mettal.

Physicians also are best qualified to bring Chymistry to perfection; that some­thing already hath been performed in this kind, will appear if the long and tedious processes set down by the Ancients be compared with those of later date; 'twas usual with those primitive Operators to spend not only months but years in prepa­ring their Medicines which they esteemed according to the labour bestowed on them, and stil'd them precious in respect of their cost, which after all was done recompen­ced not either their trouble or charge, and if it hapned that any Patient stood in need of such Medicines, he usually had warn­ing to prepare for death before the Medi­cine could possibly be provided to cure him; but this inconvenience is in some measure helped by the succesful industry of Neotericks, who have found out more [Page 118] speedy ways of preparing their Chymical Medicines then formerly were used, and questionless when the Profession of Phy­sick in all its parts and offices is established by Law, and the Apish Pseudochymists stopped in their career, the World will have an account that the present Physici­ans are acquainted with variety of power­ful Menstruums by which they can sooner obtain the vertue of any Vegetable, then by expressing its juice or decocting it, and and so proportionably open both Animal and Mineral bodies to answer all Exigen­cies how sudden soever in their practise; this I insinuate not by way of ostentation, but that (if Authority shall require) a publick proof may be given of it.

It remains now that I evidence the Phy­sicians in this Kingdom to be the truest Chymists, for certainly they are most able who make it best answer the ends for which it was invented, Sennert. de natura, chym. p. 755. set down by Sennertus; Finis Chymiae internus est corpora natura­lia concreta purificare, solvere & compo­nere alterare & exaltare, & ita elabora­re, ut vel partes seorsim & singulae vel om­nes iterum junctae & compositae sint quam purissimae & efficacissimae, atque ad usus in vita humana peculiares, & necessarios aptissimae & commodissimae, finis exter­nus [Page 119] est praecipue Sanitas & corporis hu­mani conservatio: h. e. The internal end of Chymistry consists in purifying, dissol­ving, and compounding, altering and ex­alting, and so ordering all concrete bodies that both the parts distinct or conjoyned, may be more useful and efficacious to cure Diseases, and the external end is Sanity. I shall rather choose to prove my Assertion by shewing that these Phy­sicians are skilful, faithful, and succesful Chymists: In the Universities and Col­ledg in London have flourished heretofore, some Physicians eminent for their know­ledg and practice of Chymistry, though not in those days valued according to their Merits; but this inquisitive Age encou­raging learned men to employ themselves in Spagyrical operations can not only pro­duce a greater number of such Artists, but may boast of their accurate search into the Phoenomena of Nature, as well ma­king new observations, as experimenting the truth of those doctrines they receive by tradition. Did I affirm that the lawful Physicians in this Kingdom are as knowing in rational Chymistry as a­ny Society in the World; I should im­pose an hard task on him who would un­dertake to oppose me herein: 'Tis not [Page 120] improbable but that the Dispensatory will be objected to me as a publick confutation of our Physicians skill in Chymistry; I answer, that the persons (at least many of them) intrusted by the Supreme Au­thority to compose the London Dispensa­tory, were excellent Chymists, I could in­stance Sir Theodore de Mayerne, and many others: So then, if these who (as will be easily acknowledged) knew more in this Art both as Operators and Practisers) then our Pseudochymists, thought fit to insert no more Chymical Preparations, certainly then we may conceive that they supposed their Dispensatory as useful and compleat without, as with them; howe­ver I must inform these Pretenders to Chy­mistry, that no publick Dispensatory is so well stock'd with Spagyrical preparations as this against which such clamors are rai­sed as if it was insufficient to furnish any prevalent Remedies: It is clear, that the Colledg were not enemies to the Spagyri­cal Art, when they appeared for it before any Academy or Society of Physicians in Europe, and owned it in their Pharmaco­paeia as far then as safely they might, for their Dispensatory was chiefly intended as a Direction to the Apothecaries, who though at that time very capable of dis­pencing [Page 121] vulgar Medicines for ordinary use, yet were they not sufficient Operators to prepare the noblest and most difficult Re­medies, wherefore the Colledg most prudently attempted by more obvious Operations at first to initiate them in Chy­mistry, reserving to themselves the pro­vision of what other Medicines they should need in their practice, and those worthy Collegiates were so forward to pro­mote this Art, that some Physicians have rather blamed them for committing such Remedies to the care and use too (as it since falls out) of every Apothecary, the mistakes in both too often ruining Pati­ents, and discrediting Physicians; where­fore it seems more adviseable that they who use Spagyrical Medicines would not confide in common Operators who may disappoint their hopes and expectations, but see to their Preparations, whereby they may satisfie themselves and all that employ them, and when Physicians take this business into their own hands, they can be fully secured that their Remedies are no less faithfully then artificially pre­pared: the trust and confidence reposed in Physicians being as considerable as Life, calls upon them to express singular readi­ness and integrity to discharge their whole [Page 122] Office which consists not only in prescri­bing apt Medicaments, but a due regard that they be well dispensed according to direction; when so many Contingencies (especially in such almost unimitable O­perations) may intervene to spoil their Vertues, and deceive the confidence re­posed in them: the faithful Physician, I say, (unless he is extraordinarily perswa­ded of his honesty and ability, whom he imploys) will not be guilty of doing his work by halves; and being experimental­ly convinced that many who undertake to be Operators, are either defective or falla­cious, will not lie at stake for anothers miscarriages which he so easily may pre­vent by preparing what Chymical Prepa­rations his Patients take: but if we com­pare the Physicians practice of Chymi­stry with the pretences of our Pseudochy­mists, according to the old Axiom, Con­traria juxta se posita magis elucescunt, The ignorance of the latter will serve as a foil to set out the eminency of the former: Chy­mistry it seems hath not escaped the com­mon fate of other Sciences, and, although by it other things are brought to the test, yet very many illiterate persons, not fear­ing the subtle exploration of the Fire, dare call themselves Filios Artis hermeticae, [Page 123] Hermetick Philosophers, and because they erect Furnaces, spend Charcoal, and break Glasses, do fancy and would per­swade the World, that they are prime Spagyrists, these observe that Physicians in some cases do succesfully administer Chymical Preparations, and hence they take liberty by strange Artifices to com­mend their absurdities to the People, inven­ting quintessential lyes to carry on their horrid designs, as if they could delude the World by their zeal for the good cause of Chymistry, on the behalf of which they express a ready submission to undergo all manner of persecution, and even martyr­dom it self, they mean (I suppose) by their own Furnaces: what ever is produ­ced to justifie or advance the usefulness of Chymistry; these Pseudochymists strive to interest themselves in it, as if they were the only qualified persons to renovate the Science of Physick, and intrust Physicians in their Profession: because our Pseudo­chymists have dared to sollicite His MA­IESTY to Incorporate them, fondly con­ceiting that they could have deluded Au­thority with the same Arguments where­with they daily cheat their Patients: I shall more particularly examine their Abilites, answer their Pleas, and [Page 124] present the ill Consequence to the Fa­culty of Physick, and the whole Nation if they should obtain a Patent or lawful set­tlement: I shall consider these Pseudo-chymists either as University-men or Me­chanicks, the abilities of the first seem questionable, because they shun tryal, whereby (if they be found worthy) they may not only obtain a License to practise physick, but an opportunity of improvement wil be offered them by the friendly assistance of the whole Society: And when these pro­caim most impudently their unjust censures of the learnedst Colledg of Physicians in the World, I cannot but assent to the Co­maedians Character of insufficiency; Ho­mine imperito nunquam quicquam injusti­us, qui nisi quod ipse fecerit, nil rectum putat. No person is so censorious as he who is ignorant, thinking nothing well but what he does himself. Their association also with illiterate men, shews what may be expected from them, according to our Proverb, Birds of a feather will flock to­gether: the truth is, these have so mixed with the mass of Quacksalvers, that I cannot know one from another, whereup­on I am apt to believe that these dealt Chymically with the Universities when they took Degrees, and deluded them [Page 125] with false assurances of their highly volati­liz'd Abilities, soon evaporating and ta­king flight into the Land of forgetfulness, where I leave these, and return to the Pseudochymists who were educated in se­veral Trades suitable to their Ingenuity; can we imagine that he who leaps out of a Shop into a Laboratory, is fit to mend both Philosophy and Medicine? Indeed the Chymists who are Shoomakers may be kind to the Peripateticks, and prevent their being gravel'd, and the Taylors may patch a mystical Garment together taking pity of Truths nakedness: But to be se­rious,Paracels. p. 289. what Paracelsus said of their Pre­decessors, I may affirm of these; Dolen­dum graviter tantam artem a tam inscitis, levibusque hominibus tractari, & eo cor­ruptelae agi ut ne ipsi quidem veritati dein­ceps fides addicatur: h. e. 'Tis pity that such an excellent Art should be practised by such ignorant and unworthy persons, upon whose account Truth it self can scarcely be credited. I cannot guess by what means these unlearned Pseudochymists should ac­quire that knowledg they pretend to? these din in our ears the purity and efficacy of their Preparations, but gross conceptions of the Phaenomena of Nature and Medi­cinal truths, are of worse consequence in [Page 126] the practice of Physick then Feculencies and excrementitious parts to hinder the full energy of any Medicine in the cure of Diseases; should I undertake to discourse of the Abilities of these Chymists, I should imitate him who attempted to treat de nihilo, for my part I cannot allow them capable of being Spagyrical Apothe­caries, because he ought to be both well read & exercised too in Chymistry, who is a good Operator & prepares fit Medicaments for the Physician, a good Author alledges, Qui in legendis libris deses extiterit, in praeparandis rebus promptus esse non poterit, liber namque librum aperit, & sermo ser­monem explicat, quia quod in uno est dimi­nutum, in alio est completum non enim in practica bene assuescere potest, cujus mens in Theorica renuit desudare, quoniam pro­cedit ad practicam non secus ac Asinus ad coenam ignorans quomodo & ad quid porri­gat rostrum & os: h. e. He who is not well vers'd in Books cannot be an expert Opera­tor, one Book Comments on another, and one saying interprets anothers obscurity, so that the mysteriousness and abruptness of one is illustrated and compleated by the per­spicacity and fulness of another, neither can he excel in the practical part, who hath not by indefatigable industry and pains ac­quainted [Page 127] himself with the Theory, for o­therwise he comes to practise, as the Ass to his supper, not knowing what choice to make of the things set before him: Let me note that by Books, Arnoldus did not intend Shop-books, as if any one skil'd in them, might thereby be enabled to operate in Chymistry: If then these Pseudochy­mists are not fit to be allowed the prepa­rations of Spagyrical Medicines, what qualifications have they to practice Phy­sick, the artificial Collying of their hands every morning will no longer serve their turn to shadow their Ignorance, for Ex­perience shews that they are rather nigro carbone notandi; To be known from black sheep, Methinks the blackness of their hands seems a proper Emblem or Hiero­glyphick of Death to all who unhappily come under them: Abrah. è port. let a Jew inform us Christians concerning these Pseudochy­mists, Leon. mant. p. 126. saith he, Multum de Arte pollicen­tur qui eam vix a limine salutarunt un­quam, quid mehercle magna remedia au­rumque potabile in votis habere, & mini­mis morbis ne tantillum opis adferre, Ar­tis magistros convellere, & inscitiae & su­pinae ignorantiae incusare, nonne est audax & temerarium facinus? quorum in polli­citationibus nulla veritas, non modo calum­niatores [Page 128] verum insignes mendaces & gar­ruli impostores apud probos merito cense­buntur: h. e. These promise much in an Art in which they are scarcely initiated, but what do they tell us of noble Remedies and pota­ble Gold, who cannot rationally cure the most inconsiderable Disease? are not they very impudent and unadvised, who dare boldly censure the ablest Professors, accusing either their ignorance or laziness? there is no truth in their promises, wherefore all good men will account them slanderers, no­torious lyars, and pratling impostors; Al­though the just repulse which these Pseu­dochymists lately suffered when they pe­titioned for a Charter, hath as effectually answered all their Arguments as Wisdom and Prudence can determine for the wel­fare of the Publick, yet because they cease not to make continual addresses both in Print and Discourse to the People, seek­ing to elude Authority, and to perswade the Nation that the design set a foot by them will yet be countenanced; I shall examine the strength of their Arguments which are grounded on the uselesness and imperfe­ction of vulgar Methods and Medicaments in the curation of Diseases, the most cer­tain improvement of Physick in all its parts by Chymistry, and that there is not any [Page 129] expedient so proper to renovate the Art of Physick, and to rescue Mankind from the tyranny of Diseases, as that a Society of Chymical Physicians be founded, who will be obliged to spend their time and pains in promoting this most necessary work altogether unregarded and slighted by the Scholasticks or Academical Physici­ans: In the next Chapter I shall endea­vour to shew how far the old Methods and Medicaments are useful and sufficient, and what rational Physicians may expect from them, as also the ignorance of these Pseu­dochymists who undertake to censure them; As for their commendation of Chy­mistry, the true Physicians think them as much unable to express its worth and ex­cellency, as to practice it with credit; if these Pseudochymists by any means can mis-represent the lawful Professors of Phy­sick to the World, describing them to be mean and dangerous Practitioners, they imagine that the common voice will be for them and their Preparations, but the Col­ledg did no less heretofore take care to Quò vide ant pseudochy­mici & me­tito nomine medici cele­berrimum hoc nostrum Lon­dinens. Colle­gium singulis praeceptis sin­gulis (que) instru­mentis utrius­que philoso­phiae affluere & abundare in arenam de­scendo, &c. Tho. Rawlins in praefat. al­phabet: ceu admon. pseu­dochymic. prevent such injuries, then are still vigi­lant to secure themselves from their as­saults.

When these plead a necessity that a Corporation of Chymical Physicians should [Page 130] be instituted, because no particular Socie­ty takes care to advance the Spagyrical Art, I must plainly tell them, that their information is notoriously false; for all Academical Physicians, especially Colle­giates (as said before) have ever ac­counted Chymistry part of their Professi­on, and if this should be taken from them and committed to the management of o­thers, by the same rule more Pretenders may request the like Priviledges of exer­cising distinctly all those Offices which joyntly appertain to the accomplishment of a Physician, and then one Corporation might undertake to feel Patients pulses, another to view the Water, and a third vi­sit the sick, no more entrenching on the Physicians proper business, then these in their presumption to claim the sole use and authority of Chymical preparations: but it seems these Pseudochymists conceit that their challenge, or appeal to the Magistra­cy is an unanswerable argument, imitating herein their vain-glorious Leader, Van Helmont, to whom his Contemporary Henricus ab Heer affords no better a chara­cter then to call him,Observat. medic. in Spa. cap. 7. Semi-virumque Asinum, semi-Asinumque virum, quo Arca­dia non peperit Asiniorem; Cap. xxv. And in another place rails against his Preparation of Eu­phorbium, [Page 131] nay, 'tis well known that when he was in England (where he learned most of his notions) he generally failed in his Cures: but yet his Disciples like those of Jacob Bhemen will presume to understand more then the Author, and ad­mire what is not intelligible: The rea­sons which prevailed with the learned Physicians in that Age, not to answer him in his folly, hinder us from such unworthy encounters, since that by other ways the impostures of these Pseudochymists may be discovered then by tolerating their despe­rate practice to experiment their unskil­fulness; their strange promises of curing cer­tainly sixteen Patiens in twenty laboring of Feavers, are intelligible evidences of their deceitful proceedings, seeking only to gain employment by such presumptuous en­gagements; if not by chance, but accord­ing to a sober expectation two or three more die then they allot, nay, all the twenty, as these cannot make satisfaction for one life, much less for so many, so will not they abate their confidence which stands them in such stead, recommending them to the credulous multitude.

Furthermore, that no manner of crafty insinuation may be omitted, no stone left unturn'd, these Pseudochymists print lists [Page 132] of their pretended Cures; it is not worth any ones pains to examine the truth of them, their expressions and language do sufficiently discover how little they un­derstood the Diseases which they treat of, and did not they conceal their Preparati­ons, there is no doubt but that the mean­est capacity might censure their worthles­ness or danger. I having accidentally met with some of their performances, con­tent my self to judg of the rest thereby; One of this select Society of Pseudochymists found a Patient entred on a course of Sa­livation, to whom (it seems) by a Chy­rurgeon without acquainting either the Patient or his friend, an apposite Mercurial Medicine had been given; This simple Quack looking into the Patients mouth and taking notice that his Gums were ve­ry much tumified, forthwith pronounced that the Disease was the Scurvy, which was arrived at the height; and in order to the Cure he sends an Antimonial Medicine which (not without much hazard) both vomiting and purging the Patient, inhibi­ted the Flux by a speedy evacuation & re­vulsion of the serous humor whereby it was maintained, and this is reckon'd a wonderful Cure: Another being called to see a large Tumour, which by able Physicians and [Page 133] Chyrurgeons was known to be an Aneu­risme, and accordingly dealt with by them, most readily undertakes the Pati­ent, and promises present help; then he falls to work, and foments the parts affe­cted with hot Chymical Spirits and oyls, till the Tumour blushed at his ignorance: Another when his Patient complained that his Cough hindred him from sleep, gave a Narcotick; but alas! expectora­tion being thereby suppress'd, the Patient was suffocated and slept quietly. These few Examples may suffice to warn others that they intrust not their lives in the hands of such unskilful Practitioners who are altogether ignorant of the Causes and Symptoms of Diseases, right methods of curation, and proper remedies.

The ill consequences are so many which would be manifest, if such a Charter should be granted, that they cannot be easily reckoned up, for not only Physicians would be debarred the exercise of a consi­derable part (as hath been shewed already) of their Profession, or two distinct Char­ters grant the same Priviledges; but the Apothecaries Company will be prejudiced, who are authorized to provide as well Chymical as other Preparations, and can more skilfully execute both, then these [Page 134] pretended Operators, some of them ha­ving spent only three or four weeks with Mr. Johnson Operator to the Colledg; o­thers professing Chymistry by the assistance of a small Crucible or a Bal. Mariae, and not a few being such titularly, knowing as little in the Spagyrical Art as in other qualifications necessary to the practice of Physick: It was a laudable custom (ex­pressing the honorable esteem heretofore had of the Profession of Medicine) that Spurius ad Medicinam non erat admitten­dus; No bastard might be a Physician: If this deserved observation, then certainly no spurious brood of Pseudochymists ought to be admitted to practice being neither legi­timate Physicians or Apothecaries: But the Universities will mostly suffer if such a Corporation should be established, for who will spend their time and pains in those places, when a Society calling themselves Chymists shall not only scorn and vilifie their Book-learning, but be impowred to take in an allotted number of Members as they shall think fit, by which means in a few years the most excellent Science of Medicine will necessarily fall into the hands of ignorant and illiterate Practisers; and as the University will then be deprived of one Faculty, so the People ere long would [Page 135] be sensible of their loss, when they must rely on such Assistants as Gun-smiths, Heel-makers, Taylors, and the rest, &c. He who pretends not to the Spirit of Pro­phecy may foresee what will be the e­vent, for these already slight Anatomy, which all true Physicians account a most useful and necessary Introduction to the knowledg of Medicine informing them concerning the admirable fabrick of Mans body, its structure, confo [...]mation and con­sent of parts, the various liquors and juy­ces contained in several vessels, their chan­ges and alterations, as also the causes and symptomes of Diseases, and the right use and application of Medicaments: We as much approve the Anatomy of Bodies by Pyrotechny as they, but judg him an in­compleat Practitioner who knows not what or where the defect is in the noble Engine of Mans body, and what Remedies whe­ther Chymical or others are most conveni­ent to rectifie what is amiss; and there­fore true Physicians take especial care to conform their Medicaments to this exqui­site Machine, and when they observe as Bausnerus elegantly expresses, In corpore humano nihil sine lege, nihil sine ordine, ni­hil sine pondere, mensura & numero, nihil deficit, nihil redundat, nihil otiosum aut [Page 136] superfluum omnia summe utilia, semperque operantia: h. e. There is nothing in mans body without Law, Order, and Concord, no­thing without proportion, measure and num­ber, there is no defect nor redundancy, no­thing idle and unnecessary, but all parts are primarily useful and continually operative: So in like manner, nothing ought to be prepared for, and given to the body without rule and method, without a due correspon­dency with it, no imperfect or empyreu­matical preparation, nothing must be in­effectual or superfluous, but all act vigo­rously and effectually to set to rights all dis­ord [...]rs in the body: But these Pseudochy­mists rightly apprehending their deficien­cy in Anatomy to conceal their ignorance, disallow it, at least judg it not of such importance as Physicians commonly af­firm in the curation of diseasees.

Also Phlebotomy and Purgation are by them condemned, the first stiled impi­ous, and the other reputed destructive; I am sure that Botallus was of another mind in relation to Phlebotomy,Leonard. Bo­tall. de curat per miss. san­guinis, p. 155. saith he, Nos non o­pinamur, sed cognoscimus & certo scimus in missione sanguinis plus esse opis ad curandā maxmā morbo [...]ū partem (si rite usurpetur) quam in quoquam alio artis auxilio, immo dicere ausim quam in caeteris aliis omnibus [Page 137] simul junctis; Non propterea nos caetera praesidia à medicina excludenda esse cense­mus, sed omnia suo tempore & modo usur­panda: h. e. I do not guess, but experi­mentally know that letting of blood (if regularly ordered) is more efficacious in the cure of most Diseases then any other di­rection; nay, I may add then all other Remedies put together, and yet I exclude not the use of other helps, which in their season may be beneficial; because in the next Chapter I shall particularly discuss these Opinions about Phlebotomy and Pur­gation, I shall at present dismiss them.

If these Pseudochymists shall still pro­secute their design and yet dream that a Patent may be obtained, I doubt not but that the Colledg (when they shall be cal­led to deliver in their Objections against the settlement of such a Society) will of­fer such weighty reasons, that the expe­ctation of these Pretenders will be frustra­ted. This I thought fit to insert least any one should imagine that my Argu­ments do conclude the Colledg, what is observed by me may possibly inform the People concerning the most dangerous pro­ject of these Pseudochymists; if I have discharged the duty of a faithful Scout in descrying the common enemies of Man­kind, [Page 138] I return into my rank again, being not engaged to oppose my self to their body drawn up in Battalia, my work is done if the intelligence I bring of our Ad­versaries approach alarums every one to arm himself against their publick and pri­vate assaults.

BEfore I enter upon the examination of the Doctrines delivered by the Ancients, 'tis fit that I remove some stum­bling blocks laid by the Pseudochymists in our way to imprint a Prejudice against the Truth and Authority of their Writings; the first Accusation laid to their charge, that they were Pagans, implying that Christians hereupon ought not to credit their Books; because all the Learning transmitted from them to us, either stands or falls according to the validity or weak­ness of this censure, I shall spend a little time in discussing it, 'twill not be expe­cted that I defend the Opinions of these Philosophers and Physicians relating to [Page 139] Religion, the Soul and other knowledg distinguishing us as Christians from them, but the task I undertake is to evince that Hippocrates, Galen, and the rest (though Heathens) were capable of understand­ing the appearances of Nature, and might discover useful truths for the benefit of their Posterity; I am not ignorant that many have taken great pains to prove that most of these both Philosophers and Phy­sicians saw the Books of Moses, and many Arguments are brought to declare their devotion and piety; I shall not dis­pute the reasons urged by these Advocates of the Ancients, but rather grant that they were Heathens: Well then, since that the knowledg of which we discourse is acquirable by sense and reason, I scruple not to assert that the Heathens might at­tain it as well as Christians, for their sense was sufficient, if not more exquisite then their degenerated Posteritie's, and they possess'd rational Souls which could readily improve all the communications of their sense; nay, who doubts but that God endowed these Heathens with extra­ordinary gifts and abilities for the good and welfare of Mankind, that their Succes­sors might more profitably contemplate the Universe with all its admirable fur­niture; [Page 140] when the little Ant is constituted our Tutor, and almost every creature by Divine appointment instructs us in natural mysteries, much more may be expected from rational Pagans, who diligently ob­serving the Causes of things, and their true effects, the several alterations of bo­dies, and what possibly could fall under their cognizance, might invent and pu­blish those Humane Sciences we still en­joy; the most elaborate works of these Authors do abundantly express their inde­fatigable pains, which in spight of oppo­sition to this day continue accurate Com­ments on the book of Nature; consider­ing then that these Pagans lay under no impregnable difficulties hindring the suc­cess and issue of their Studies, what could intervene to frustrate their publike under­takings, or render their industry vain and fruitless? But I would not be mistaken as if I thought these infallible in their discoveries, if the Moon, nay, the Sun is spotted, well may these have their imper­fections; yet Errorem in homine calum­niari, est toti ipsi mortalitati convicium fa­cere: h. e. The exprobation of error in any one is no less then an accusation of all Mankind; But why Heathens? This ap­pellation having neither relation to their [Page 141] mistakes, nor true opinions in natural knowledg: indeed when these ancient Philosophers and Physicians soared so high in their thoughts, and contended to pierce into the Magnalia Dei, such profound se­crets might disappoint their scrutiny and search, and it is apparent that they ne­ver err'd so grosly as in their attempts to discover such close concealments: if these did not make use of the knowledg bestowed on them as they ought, and from second causes ascended not up in their contemplation to an owning and adoration of the first, being unacquainted with the deep mysteries of Religion, we ought not to condemn them who have not made the difference between them and us, but grate­fully receive their endeavors and carefully avoid any unjust reproaches of those who spent themselves to be Promoters of their Successors in knowledg, at least pointed out directly the way to us in our disquisi­tion of natural truths.

Another Objection is brought in a­gainst the Ancients, as if they exercised Tyranny over their Successors, cramping their industry and strictly confining them to their Dictates, the aggravation of this pretended Crime stuffs most of the late Writers books; but I must answer, that [Page 142] most of our Innovators may be well sus­pected to condem what they either never read or understood, for Hippocrates en­joyns us to make Truth the Standard of all the Notions we entertain; Galen also and the rest are so far from this kind of u­surpation, that they not only by example, but by particular direction exhort their Readers to examine well all Traditions before they give their assent to them: But suppose that the Ancients had been so severe as to seek the inslavement of their Posterity, yet what restraint could they lay on any Physician to conform to their Precepts? if any person who is at liberty will subject himself voluntarily to the go­vernment of another, he makes his own condition servile, and the brand of Pe­dantism may possibly reach these who of their own accord swear allegiance to their Masters, choosing rather to err with them, then to think right with the Neote­ricks: But I cannot be informed what effectual obligation the Ancients can lay on them who follow Reason only and are Sons of Truth, indeed Antiquity com­mands a just veneration when it still tri­umphs in its mature and aged conclusions only capable of successive confirmations; but whensoever true Physicians cannot be [Page 143] fully satisfied that some old doctrines are true, they as freely and chearfully leave them, as any Traveller that path (though pleasant and easie) which may misguide him in his Journey; However when these recede from the Positions of the Ancients, after due reading, and well pondering the Arguments on both sides, they adhere to that which affords clear manifestations of its certainty, contrary to the practice of our Innovators who are zealous to demo­lish the ancient structure of Medicinal truths under the pretence of a Reforma­tion, before they have taken an exact survey of its faults, or laid a new and more rational platform, acting thus not for want of ignorance; the Palace must be turned into Cottages suitable to such Inhabitants; the works of these incompa­rable Physicians because they surpass their capacity, deserve their severest cen­sure, and envy prompts them on to poyson these Fountains that the reputation at least of all may be destroyed who come thither in order to the satisfaction of their thirst after knowledg; but true Physicians take another course and first inform them­selves what progress the Ancients have made in their Medicinal discoveries, and then note their defects which they supply [Page 144] with new choice observations, and since that by reason of the restless endeavors of Physicians in their continuall search after the hidden treasures of Nature, no Science hath been so considerably advanced as Medicine, they candidly and gratefully receive the new Doctrines, and expunge the old, but do not imitate him who foo­lishly commanded that his house should be pulled down because the rain pashed in through three or four faults in the Cover­ing or Roof, so these do not think fit to cast off the whole Science of Physick which they received from the Ancients for no o­ther reason then because some defects are detected therein: Physicians also are not so unworthy as to calumniate the Anci­ents, being ascertain'd that they did not write with design to deceive and abuse their Readers or Disciples: to conclude these are so prudent as neither to dote on old errors or admire new phrensical Hypo­theses. Did I not avoid prolixity, as al­so suppose that all sober men are satisfied that the lawful Physicians in this Kingdom have sufficiently asserted their liberty by forsaking the Ancients when they forsook Truth, I should here produce all those new Opinions which are received as irrefraga­ble conclusions though not consonant to [Page 145] the Dictates of Hippocrates or Galen: That Physicians do still savor the old, I mean, the Galenical way of Medicine no other account can be given, then that it is most agreeable to their reason and experience, and transmitted to them from such skilful Practitioners that deserve more to be cre­dited then their Antagonists who profess Medicine without any rational Method, slighting those Rules of Art which they can't observe by reason of ignorance. I should exceed the intended bounds of this discourse, did I undertake to run over the Body of Galenical Physick, and subject each part distinctly to examination; it may suffice therefore that I trace our Pseu­dochymists in their opposition of those Tenents which seem to them most que­stionable, relating either to the Theory or Practice: 'tis well known that every Scribler thinks himself highly concerned to bawl against the three Aristotelian Principles; Matter, Form, and Privation, the four Elements; Fire, Air, Water, and Earth; the four first Qualities, Hot, Moist, Cold, and Dry; the four Humors, Choler, Blood, Phlegm, and Melancholy; the Temperaments and other Opinions of Galen, and his followers, not unlike these: but when Physicians do rightly under­stand [Page 146] that these terms of Art are the Pro­ducts of fancy, and by no means the Fun­damentals of Medicine (as I hinted be­fore) these spend their time in beating the Air and fighting with shadows which elude their strokes, when other more ap­posite terms are found out not alike fanta­stical, we shall soon exchange the old for new: because Physicians are obliged in the Universities to read Aristotle, Hippo­crates, and Galen; must they needs ap­prove all their Notions? did these ap­prehend that the Mind doth change as much or more then the Body, and as this al­ters by new accessions of Aliment, so the other is progressive in its Conceptions by further illumination and discoveries, Heroici vi­ri quamvis nullam artem quam humana excogitavit industria ab­solutam nobis reliquerunt praeclara ta­men in omni­bus artibus in­defessis labo­ribus longissi­misque obser­vationibus in venerum po­sterisque in­star testamenti fideliter tra­diderunt, Bruel. in pref. they would not so peremptorily conclude the Physicians knowledg by the Books which they are engaged to turn over: if the Ancients have not been happy in their expressions, so that their Writings are dark and uncertain, yet ought we to e­steem them for their noble attempts to rea­son out and discover the first inclinations of Nature; should I insist longer on these Notions, or plead for the necessity of re­taining them both in our Philosophy and Medicine, or repeat the Arguments a­gainst them, I might deserve as sharp a [Page 147] censure as he who was solicitous to deter­mine whether a Crow or Goose-quill might be most serviceable in writing.

Because these terms are by so many accounted prejudicial to right conceptions of Natures Operations, and thought wor­thy of no better an Appellation then Fig­ments; I shall enquire whether the case is much altered by a substitution of other Notions more agreeable (as our Innova­tors would perswade the World) to the Phaenomena of Nature; and in the first place the term Specifick occurs, and al­though most late Writers endeavor to re­duce the whole of Pharmacy to this notion, yet none have been so kind as to inter­pret what was intended by it, if they ex­plain themselves by the internal and se­minal vertues, that is ignotum per igno­tius: I shall guess at what they mean, and I suppose that hereby they would ex­press A peculiar vertue flowing from the essence of any Simple, whereby in operation and effect it is distinguished from another, as it is approp [...]iated to the cure of a particular Disease. Well then, every Simple ac­cording to this doctrine is specifical, or else this pretended Universal notion com­prehends not the true vertues of all Sim­ples, but if every Simple is distinctly in [Page 148] respect of Use specifical, then it necessarily follows that there are as many Diseases as Specificks, otherwise this defect of a cor­relate would contradict their chief intent of being Specificks; but let the World judg what an absurd fancy it is to conceive that there are so many different Diseases to which Mankind is subject, as there are distinct Vegetables, Animals, and Mine­rals whose vertues are different, as if the Great Creator did equally furnish the Uni­verse with Diseases as with Simples, and notwithstanding the Patrons of the term have not unriddled its obscurity, nor de­clared the soveraignty of Ares, yet do they most confidently assert that Disea­ses may chiefly be cured by their irresista­ble power, and least Physicians should not know where to look for such excellent helps, by good advice they are sent unto illiterate Practisers, and common rude Empericks, in whose hands (it seems) such Specificks may be found, because these being altogether ignorant of Methods, do wholly rely on them, by frequent experimen­tings attaining knowledg of their propri­eties. But as it is evident that no Speci­fick can be produced which will certainly cure that Disease to which it is appropria­ted, and that if such Remedies help three [Page 149] or four, yet failing in the fifth, Illa haben­tur specifica quae omnibus differentiis a­licujus morbi, omnibus ho­minibus, & omni tempore prosunt, Fab. p. 476. the mis­carriage is chargeable on their insufficien­cy, and not on any mistake in application, because the same person might as pro­bably by mistake cure the first, as fail in the last; so there is no Specifick but what may be easily reduced to some com­mon intention as much answering that in divers Diseases as the same.

The Doctrine also of Fermentation is as intricate and mysterious as some opini­ons of the Galenists which are laid aside, and thought useless in the explanation of the appearances of Nature: I confess that the learned Treatise of Doctor Willis hath fully satisfied very many scruples, and yet they who have made the greatest pro­gress in the discovery hereof, are con­scious that they understand little in respect of what is unknown about this Doctrine; before I pass from this subject it may be expected that I take notice of the three notable Ferments mentioned by the Au­thor of Medela medicinae; if I was appoint­ed to determine, I could not readily judg whether Mr. M. N. through igno­rance doth more abuse this term then the Galenical notions condemned by him, for because the famous Doctor Willis tell us, that atomical effluviums may act instar [Page 150] fermenti, Analogously to ferment: this Author disputes not to call them Fer­ments, and because Hippocrates acquaints us that there are [...], morbid expirations which may pass from one bo­dy to another, and in other Authors he reads that not only the Pox, but the Scurvy are contagious Diseases, and that there have happened peculiar putrefacti­ons of the Air producing worms; hence he wisely infers, That no body is secure from the most subtle insinuations of those active particles as powerfully penetrating another body at distance as by an immediate contact: Should I critically set down this Authors errors in these assertions, the Reader would be tired with their absurdi­ty; for in the whole I observe he mis­applies the design and intent of those lear­ned Authors he cites: but that which I chiefly intend is to distinguish between those who are infected with the mention­ed Ferments, and the rest who are free. I shall in few words state the business, we deny not that the Pox and Scurvy may be contagious Diseases, but a learned Au­thor affirms, Non omnem luem esse contagio­sam, Hercul. Sax­on. de lue ven. p. 3. & plerun (que) minus contagiosā, esse vetu­stam & confirmatam, quam recentem & me­diam & lues quae ex tophis tantum seipsam [Page 151] prodit non est contagiosa, and the same Au­thor gives us two or three Histories to con­firm his Opinion, I shall not transcribe them least any should be encouraged to that vice from which they are deterred by the severity of this punishment, and however Mr. M. N. hath put a plausible excuse into their mouths who have deserved the Pox, teaching them to plead that some infectious Air passed only through their pores insensibly which hath so wonderfully wrought upon them by its power that no part is free from pain and torments; yet as his phantastical Ferments reach not those who avoid impure contacts, so all sin­ners can experimentally difference the time of their health, and sickness when they meet with persons who communicate that horrid Disease to them. Mr. M. N. should have set down the conditions necessary to contagion, as that there be such little par­ticles continually transmitted from unsound bodies, a fit mediū or vehicle to receive and carry them to their journeys end, a dispo­sition in the other body to receive them, and a due stay there; for if any of these necessary conditions are wanting, contagi­ous Diseases cannot be propagated medi­ately or at distance.

1. 'Tis granted that to this kind of in­fection [Page 152] a sufficient emission of minute sub­stances or corpuscles tinctured with the in­fection must invade another body; it is possible that in the French Disease, as also the Scurvy some venemous effluxes may happen, but by no means such as M. N. fancies rendring these Diseases as contagious as the Pestilence, because the putrefaction in these being imperfect in re­spect of that, cannot communicate a venom which it was not capable of producing: what kind of taint arises from the Pox and the Scurvy, and how forcible it is to trans­mute a distant body, is a business above the reach of M. N. and not my task at present to inform him, I shall only ob­ject against his vast collection, that expe­rience confutes his Romance of the most powerful effluxes of such venereous and scorbutick Ferments, it being most appa­rent that they who eat, drink, and fami­liarly converse with, nay, dress the Ul­cers and sores of both Pocky and scorbuti­cal Patients are not infected; to say no more, if these Diseases are generally so contagious as without any corporeal com­merce to infect, how comes it to pass that some parts in that body from which these exhalations expire are more free then others.

[Page 153] 2. To Contagion a fit medium or ve­hicle is required, Authors do very well distinguish inter fomitem perflatum & non perflatum, between Contagions which may by the air be diminished, dissipated, and extinguished, and others wherein not­withstanding the several alterations of the Air, infectious particles preserve their malignity till they fix in some apt seat or place of abode, and such as pass from bo­dy to body directly by reason of (as it were) the stagnation of the Air; had M. N. affirmed that no change in the me­dium could prevent the power of his three Ferments from possessing distant bodies, I would have answered him in the words of an Author not inferior to him for abilities, Si medium tantum aut calescat aut refri­geretur, siccetur aut humectetur aut ali­am quamlibet qualitatem nudam suscipiat, alterabitur similiter corpus proximum & non proinde suscipiet morbum corporis lon­ge positi: h. e. If the medium only is hot or cold, dry or moist, or is otherwise qua­lified then it was, the adjacent body is e­qually changed, and hereupon not subject to contagion; and I hope he will not ad­venture to say, the Air may be so quiet between two remote bodies that rays may as indisturbedly pass from one to the other, [Page 154] as between the Needle and Loadstone, since that the motion or agitation of the Air will hinder their operations, which be­ing natural are within their Sphere more potent then such preternatural Ferments he mentions.

3. There must be a disposition in the body to receive their impression, whereby I do not only mean passages open to let them in, although to atomical penetra­tion such figures are requisite which fit the pores or passages admitting them, but a similitude in respect of impurity in the bo­dy to be infected, I now speak of mediate contact for that which is immediate be­ing more prevalent and discharging more venomous or infectious particles needs a less fomes or preparation of matter dispo­sing to receive such a tincture; whereas by how much more the bodies are distant from each other, which communicate and receive such contagious Diseases, answer­able to the intermediate space must be the apparatus morbificus, or fomes to entertain the malignity; if then all bodies do not a­bound with humors which tend to such pu­trefactions, 'tis vain to imagine that the pretended Ferments do prevail upon those which are free from such impurities, as on others, which being loaded with them, [Page 155] do most easily suffer by such venomous effluxes; I might here question whether a common or peculiar putrefaction of con­gested and mixed Feculencies, or of some particular juice or humor did more espe­cially if not altogether dispose to the en­tertainment of the pocky and scorbutick Ferments, but such speculations would take me off the business at present design­ed in this Chapter.

4. The contagious effluxes must have a due stay in the body they infect, but if mans body in a state of health is [...], in all parts transpirable, or a thorow­fare, these contagious corpuscles may be as soon passed out as let in, and by this means do no execution on other bodies where they lodg not, but if these vapors (as some conceive) are viscous, which cannot well be granted, seeing that they so easily separate from their Mine, or ra­ther if they meet with any glutinous hu­mor they immediately are intangled, and may infect that body in which they are long detained.

If then so many impediments may pre­vent these most dreadfull Effluxes from affecting (to use the expression of M. N.) All the families of mankind, which are not infected by immediate contact, [Page 156] but most by these fine and subtle corpuscles darting into grosser bodies, which there set­tle somewhat of their nature, tincture, or leaven, disposing them by degrees to be un­sound; as also if experience otherwise in­forms us, with what confidence can this Author broach such Opinions? and with his corrupted Ink infect more Families then the severest contagion that ever hap­ned to Mankind? But He explains his meaning, and as he takes good care never to want Patients who can so easily per­swade the whole World that they are dis­eased, so is he also very kind to provide Remedies, Med. medici­nae, p. 37. for he writes, That he hath on purpose invented fit Remedies, the na­ture of which is to fight against humors both great and small, in old or young, which have been any way touched with such tinctures either through their own default or by figillation of those seminal principles which contribute towards the being of Man­kind in the act of Generation, &c. And this is the natural result of his design: I cannot divine what the Medicines are which he hath invented, but I am confi­dent no slight, and at the long run per­nicious preparation of Antimony and Mer­cury will perform what he promises. But 'tis probable that such pretences both of [Page 157] inventing Diseases and new Remedies may not seduce the World into a credit of ei­ther: if any be of such an easie per­swasion as to intrust themselves, and neither of the hazardous preparations by vomi­ting and purging violently can effect a Cure, they may be dispatch'd into the Country Air with a soveraign and rare chymical Cordial made by the infusion of three or four Dates in a Pint of Malago: What this Authour writes concerning Worms is no news to Physicians, because they are fully acquainted with the several products of corrupted matter, and in rela­tion to the cure of Diseases, take especial care as to prevent any stagnation and pu­trefaction of humors so to expel all ver­minous matter, and worms if any whether in acute and malignant, or chronical Di­seases are bred in the body.

I might produce some other Opinions besides these of Specificks and fermenta­tion, which not being sufficiently explain­ed and demonstrated continue as liable to exception as some Galenick notions very much disliked by those who affect novel errors rather then old truths; but I shall come to that which is of greater concern­ment, and endeavor to defend the pra­ctice of Phlebotomy and Purgation, which [Page 158] are accounted by the two Champions of the Pseudochymists, the Supporters of the Galenick Physick, M. N. Page 374. writes that there is seldom any tolerable cause for bleeding in our Climate: Afterwards in the head of his pretended Arguments, p. 383. he pleads only That we ought to be very wary thereof, as if Physicians were not of the same judgment being most circumspect in their direction of Phleboto­my; but if M. N. had been as diligent to understand their Books as to cavil at sha­dows, he would never have mistaken Cau­tions and Contraindicants set down fre­quently in their Writings, as reasons to abolish its true use: what is alledged con­cerning our Climate proves nothing, and might pass without observation, if the vanity of such triflers did not beget a do­tage in the People to imagine that Cause to be just which with verbosity is pleaded.

His first Objection is, because the Scur­vy is predominant in most of our Diseases, and consequently a crude acid serum in the mass of blood, p. 383,

I answer, that neither of his Suppositi­ons are apparent in practice, for we see often in most acute Diseases, Crises, Di­gestions and Separations orderly made by Nature truly govern'd, nor if they were [Page 159] would they hinder the use of bleeding when its indication happens; he had done well to explain himself what he means by the words Scurvy and scorbutical tincture frequently mentioned, for I do not re­member in all his book one sensible sign or symptom set down to discern them by, and am apt to believe that his young studies are not yet acquainted with such speculations; to say they are signified, when there is in the blood a crude or an Acid Serum (which are all one with him) implies that the blood must be first seen and tasted be­fore that Disease can be discovered; wherefore I may well suppose that he un­dertaking practice before he understood Physick and meeting with difficulties and diseases, not yielding to his opinionated Receipts, fathered his failings on this uni­versal disease, thinking to excuse his ig­norance of particulars thereby.

2. 'Tis urg'd that the spirituous part of the blood being but little and less in our Northern bodies then those of other Cli­mates, it must needs be a pernicious course to make it less, p. 393.

I very much wonder by what Staticks he measured the proportion to make our spirits fewer then others: we have larger, stronger, and more active bodies, why not [Page 160] then as many spirits? 'tis not good to be fond of an unreasonable Opinion, and then dream absurdities to make it plau­sible, I know not what reason this Author hath at this juncture of time to dispirit his Native Countrey.

But the main drift and Argument a­gainst Phlebotomy is, That the letting out the spiritous part of the blood with the rest is a pernicious course, which G. T. urges likewise with a subtle distinction of San­guis and Cruor never to be found in any living mans veins, as if hereby many vi­tal spirits were lost, good blood and bad put out together, and the remainder left more liable unto diseases. But what is all this? by the same Arguments they might disswade procreation, suckling of Infants, least some vital spirits should be spent, whereas Nature is not so penurious of her store, but still furnishes the whole body plentifully to execute all necessary offices whereby life is prolonged, and diseases conquered, and after bleeding like a Lamp freed from its choaking snuff shines forth brighter: the want of strength is reckon­ed amongst the Ancients as a contra-indi­cation of Phlebotomy, but the loss of a few vital spirits were never accounted a sufficient barr to the practice of Physici­ans [Page 161] who respect the inestimable benefit ac­cruing to their Patients by it, though per­haps it may not be approved by Empe­ricks and Nurses from whom these gather their knowledg and instruction; And I think that their dislike of Phlebotomy be­cause they discern not when it is proper and useful is very commendable, and if they would likewise refrain from other ways of curing Diseases upon the same account which are as dangerous, if mistaken, they would free themselves from much guilt not of shedding mens blood, but of keeping it in their veins to their ruine and destructi­on, and of giving Vomits and other Medi­cines unseasonably whereby not a few miscarry. In his other Objections are re­counted some Cases besides the true in­tention of Phlebotomy, when the blood is depauperated who opens a vein? His con­jecture or supposition that our blood in this Climate is more inclinable to coagula­tion proves nothing, neither hath he shewed that Sanguification succeeds not well after Phlebotomy judiciously direct­ed, every Physicians observation over­throws such imaginary prejudices by bleed­ing; 'tis well known, that some aged persons have for the space of thirty or for­ty years opened a vein Spring and Fall, if [Page 162] not oftner, losing seven or eight Ounces each time, by which evacuation chiefly they avoided the great inconveniences which otherwise they might justly fear much threatned their lives. I might like­wise instance the female Sex whose blood is not so spirituous as Mens, and yet these suffer not by their Customary tribute to Nature, but very much when this sangui­nary expiation doth not succeed: The Physicians by this Author termed Gale­nists are so rational, as that they respect strictly the Indications of Phlebotomy, and if these signifie a necessity of bleeding they stick not to order it even in the small Pox, malignant Feavers, nay, in the Plague it self, as knowing what service the Patient will reap by it, and the danger of such a considerable omission: but I am apt to believe that this Author and his brethren not understanding the Indications of bleed­ing, may by some miscarriages be deter­red from using it; for my part I think that he deserves a severe censure who lays open the secrets of Medicine to such bold Practitioners; had this Author been vers'd in the Writings of the ablest Spagyricks he might have taken notice that some of them being Germans commended bleed­ing in most Diseases to their Countrey­men [Page 163] whose bodies (as he suggests) are most like ours in this Kingdom; but per­haps he will answer, that these wanted such Arcanums which he and his Asso­ciates pretend to, as might prevent bleed­ing: I shall be so charitable as to suppose that he was not ignorant of the practice of these Chymists, but rather that he wil­lingly passed them by, least their autho­rity should justifie the Galenists in this point. To summ up all, although this Author adventures to judg of the state of our blood without any good and warranta­ble foundation, and thereupon disswades bleeding, and at length plays the Moun­tebank by promising such Remedies as may allay the fermentation of the blood, and cure Diseases without Phlebotomy; yet cannot Physicians by such a weak plea be perswaded to forbear the use of this eva­cuation which Nature directs to by he­morrhages and constant experience con­firms, when there is a just cause and proper Indication.

When so much is said against Phlebo­tomy, it may seem strange that Hippocra­tes should be blamed, because he (as some interpret the Aphorism) dislikes it in teeming women, I shall recite the Apho­rism, and then we shall see who is most [Page 164] culpable [...].Lib. 5. Apho­rism. 31. 'Tis urged that Physicians being misguided by this Aphorism have suffered multitudes of female Patients to die under their hands, who probably might have been rescued by a discreet Phlebotomy; But had such Cen­surers of the Physicians practice heretofore apprehended the right sense and import of the words, and the construction which hath bin continually put upon them by the ablest Commentators, their charity would have preceded their zeal to carp at not on­ly the Aphorisms of Hippocrates, but the practice of skilful Physicians who admi­red and conformed to these succinct Apho­ristical sentences; I shall produce amongst many (writing to the same purpose) two Authors who explain the meaning of Hip­pocrates, Christoph. à Vega, p. 846. Christoph. a Vega says, Non putare oportet Hippocratem omnino dene­gare sanguinis missionem utero gerentibus, sed eam esse vult de indicationibus quae de­hortantur à sanguinis missione, & est sco­pus qui viribus correpugnat & docet mi­nori copia sanguinem esse mittendum quàm aliàs: h. e. 'Tis not to be imagined that Hippocrates did absolutely forbid the blee­ding of women with Child, but only when there happen Contra-indications to it, and [Page 165] there is a sufficiency of strength, and he cautions to take away a less quantity in such cases then otherwise might be allowed: And the same Author after he hath decla­red the usefulness of bleeding such Pa­tients ratifies his Opinion with an eminent example and tells us, That he hath taken away ten ounces of blood twice in the eighth month with very good success and advan­tage to his noble Patient and the Child; But he aptly concludes, Non tamen vult Hippocrates esse exercendam sanguinis mis­sionem in utero gerentibus nisi magno ur­gente usu, praesertim ubi faetus est major: h. e. Hippocrates advised not to blood tee­ming women, especially if the Child is big, unless there be a necessity or important cause.Heurn. in Aphorism. p. 358. Heurnius also after he hath af­firmed that the upper veins (as he terms them) may be opened, more positively gives us his sense of this controverted A­phorism, Loquitur Hippocrates de larga sanguinis missione quae non solebat esse li­bra minor, hodie autem minorem sangui­nis effusionem non aversamur modo vires admittant, morbusque validus id suadeat: h. e. Hippocrates did only oppose the ex­hausting of the veins by drawing a great quantity of blood which in those days was not less then a pound at a time, but we [Page 166] may safety take away a less quanity if the Patients strength will permit and the Di­seases require this evacuation: If then the most excellent Hippocrates did not by this Aphorism restrain a cautious bleeding of women with Child, as well to prevent Abortion as to cure Diseases to which their condition is liable, and his legitimate Disciples have constantly phlebotomized such Patients both by their great Masters example and authority, when ever a pro­per indication discovered a necessity of this course; I understand not with whom our Adversaries contend, stigmatizing them with the brand of Murderers, and aggravating their crime which at once de­stroys both the tree and fruit, the Mother and Child; what! must Physicians be ac­cused for suffering their female Patients to die because their Accusers mis-inter­pret this weighty Aphorism? imitating those who having sore eyes or the Jaun­dice, imagine all others on whom they look to be in their condition? All that I shall observe from this severe Animad­version, is, that such persons do express a great disrespect towards the Ancients, who rather then fail will invent a charge against them, and this example gives a sufficient cause of suspicion that other [Page 167] censure of them are as contrary to the common principles of humanity, as be­sides the sense of their exquisite Wri­tings.

To proceed, our Pseudochymists inveigh also against Purgation, which by the Ga­lenists is reckoned a Medication, [...], whereby the body is drained from the mass of vitious and peccant humors which are at least the fuel of Diseases, and by their timely removal and expulsion often­times a Cure is performed: The Argu­ment urged against Catharticks, is, That they purge out of the body both good and bad together: We are sensible that the Pa­tient doth very much suffer when he is causlesly purged, and when good and bad are promiscuously emptied, but when Cathar­ticks are given to those who need them not, he errs who indirectly prescribes them; whereas true Physicians do imi­tate and assist Nature in her critical elimi­nation of concocted humors, and not in her Symptomatical excretions wherein by means of some powerful irritation the a­limentary juice is evacuated, and the spi­rits be exhausted; 'tis confessed that Ca­tharticks operate by way of irritation, upon which account also natural dejecti­ons are caused, and when these succeed [Page 168] not well, 'tis the Physicians office to quicken Nature in her work, who there­fore do artificially graduate their Cathar­ticks according to the quantity, quality, seat, and motion of these excrementitious humors, and this is not only effected by varying the Dose of some Purgers, but by selection and choice of those which may best answer their designment; acting o­therwise then our Empirical Pseudochy­mists, who when they are most wary do only alter the Dose of their Antimonial preparation, and then very much boast of the safety and inoffensiveness of their E­metico-catharticks, inviting the people by the smalness of the Dose to make use of it, being ignorant that one or two grains may impregnate a mass of humors, and diffuse into them the same Emetick and Cathartick vertue; and hence it comes to pass that by such small quantities of that Powder most dreadful evacuations are cau­sed, enervating Diarrhaeas, hazardous Dy­senteries and fatal colliquations, nay, sometimes periodical vomitings and pur­gings (of which I could produce not a few examples) these Patients continually languishing until they died; I hint this because many Patients are so apt to nau­seate wholsom Galenical Potions preferring [Page 169] Nihil juvare videtur nisi quod è sanctu­ariis chymico­rum deprom­ptum tamque attonita quo­rundam ani­mos persuasio occupavit, ut prodesse nisi chymica non putent, Bil­lish. in epist. these which offend not the sent and taste, but the event doth sufficiently prove the difference; our Senna, Rubarb, Cassia, Manna, Agarick, &c. are benign Cathar­ticks, and so safe that they may be given to teeming women, young children, and in such Diseases where other Purgers may do harm: our Colocynthis likewise and Scammony, &c. being more prevalent to extimulate when artificially prepared, and rationally directed are sufficient to cleanse an Augaean Stable; and whereas these Pseudochymists boast their Catharticks to be also Diaphoretical, I confess that by accident they are so, for most who take them fall immediatly into cold sweats: Thus do they deal subtlely who would have such Agonies be reckoned an advan­tage to their Patients. I have followed our Adversaries in their way of argumenta­tion who first oppose purgation in general, and then considering that they vomit and purge oftner and more violently those who employ them then any Pretenders to the practice of Physick, admit the use of Catharticks which yet they limit to their Mercurial or Antimonial prepara­tions, His parium & superiorum contemptus ac­si iis solis ce­rebrum & cor Natura for­masset, & re­liqui vel in truncos & stipites abiis­sent, vel pepo­nem pro corde fungum pro cerebro gere­rent. Jonst. concealed from all others, least they should judg of their malignancy, and justly censure these arrogant Pseudo­chymists [Page 170] then they all those who dissent from them.

Galenick Medicines in the next place are by our Pseudochymists condemned as lan­guid, insufficient, and faulty both in re­spect of their preparation and composition, In relation to their preparation, the Gale­nists do not pretend to that accurateness which the Chymists promise, but yet they suppose that their way doth more preserve the true and seminal vertues of the Sim­ples used by them then the other, since that 'tis questionable whether Spagyrical Distillations, Calcinations, and other like Artifices do not destroy the proprieties of those Ingredients on which they work and substitute something else effected and pro­duced by their operation; if this doubt is cleared, and it is demonstrated that by Chymistry the Vertues of such Simples are exalted only, and not altered, I shall willingly fall in with the ingenuous deter­mination of this Point by a Galenist, Nemo inficiatur, remedia chymice praeparata in morbis propulsandis efficaciora, palato gratiora, & in exigua Dosi exhibenda, si dextre exhibeantur, ea ratione Galenicis palmam eripiunt. Hoc tamen asseverare ausim, si qui obtigerint aegri in assumendis pharmacis morigeri, non nauseabundi & [Page 171] delicatuli, quin per vegetabilia aeque Gale­nicorum, praesertim à medico prudente in cognitione morborum & methodo medendi probe exercitato, à gravissimis & despe­ratis affectibus liberari, & citius in in­tegrum restitui queant: omnia probanda, quae bona observanda, non autem omnia vetera promiscue rejicienda, & cum animi vehementia sceptice traducenda: h. e. Me­dicines chymically prepared are undoubtedly more efficacious and powerful, more grate­ful to the tast, and may be given in a far less Dose then Galenical: but yet if Pa­tients will be obedient and not so nice and squeemish, by the direction of an able Phy­sician who understands the Disease and a right method of curing it, they may more securely and certainly be helped by Galenick Medicines: 'tis convenient to experiment all things, and retain what appears most ra­tional, however they err who promiscuously reject and passionately censure all the Reme­dies which the Ancients left us as the fruit of their experience.

The Galenick Compositions in respect of the vast and exorbitant number of Sim­ples mixed together are likewise esteemed rather pompous then beneficial Medicines, Treacle by some reckoned a confused mass of Ingredients, the dream of waking An­dromachus, [Page 172] and Discordium a fermented heap: much may be said on behalf of these grand Dispensations comparing them to a well disciplin'd Army, wherein are some Field-officers able in respect of their skill in Martial affairs singly to conquer the E­nemy, but these commanding the body of the Army, will more probably by their conjunct fortitude and courage become Vi­ctors; I might also liken them to a well governed State, in which every Member in his place and station acts uniformly to oppose all who endeavor to disturb the publick Peace; what these at first view do think to be only a Farrago or hotch­potch of many things jumbled together, when more strictly examined will appear most artificial and admirable compositions to encounter the several complications of Diseases: I need say no more in their de­fence, then that long experience hath gi­ven them a repute in the World which cannot be prejudiced by the Satyrical In­vectives of such who like nothing but their own conceited preparations: Physi­cians also in this Age may without any im­putation of ignorance in the knowledg of Simples, and their peculiar Vertues, be al­lowed to form long Compositions not only because of complications which are [Page 173] more frequent and intricate Olim non o­pus erat reme­diis diligen­tibus nondum in tantum ne­quitia surre­xerat, nec tam late se sparse­rat, poterant vitiis simpli­cibus obstare remedia sim­plicia, nunc necesse est tant [...] operatiora esse munimenta quanto valen­tiora sunt quibus peti­mur, &c. Sen. p. 785. then hereto­fore, but that they may hereby conceal their skill, for when the Medicine is dis­guised by putting in such Ingredients which obscure its intention, but hinder not its vertue, they are puzled who would make an indirect advantage of such a Pre­script; there will be no occasion for this Stratagem, when Physicians to rescue their Profession from the abuses of un­worthy and illiterate Practisers do dispense their own Medicaments, who may then more securely use one Simple then now a perplexed composition, and when they have occasion to add auxiliary forces to them in Complications, prevent those inconveni­encies which, as the case now stands, they cannot avoid.

But why should I insist longer on par­ticulars when the whole method of Phy­sick is rejected by our Pseudochymists as useless, and if multitudes of words would prevail, scurrilities were argumentative, as their stiling it [...], Satans de­vice and plot to destroy Man-kind, and tel­ling us of vast numbers being methodized into their graves, If aenigmatical hypo­theses had power to perswade, or the no­velty of their Notions to bewitch; the old Galenistical method had long received its [Page 174] doom, and its Adversaries had triumphed over its ruines; but true and rational me­thods Ubi de salu­te humana a­gitur non standum uni­uscujusque ju­dicio sed eo­rum qui au­thoritatem longo tempore sibi compara­runt, Caesalp. p. 10. take deeper root by means of these boisterous agitations. I cannot under­stand the meaning of some Stories which I meet with in our late Writers, who give us an account that some Physicians were not sollicitous if their Patients died secundum Artem, by the fairest method in the world; I cannot excuse any personal miscarriages in Physicians, but I should be unjust to the most faithful Physicians if I did not vindicate them from the failings of others, these subtle Accusers of all Methodists would not approve of a retaliation, and that I should affirm that one who professes himself to be a Philosopher by fire, is not a­shamed publickly to thank God that he is no Scholar. If that good Law was observed, Qui affectat ignorantiam est puniendus: h. e. He who affects Ignorance ought to suf­fer severe punishment; Our Pseudochy­miaster would fall his Crest and cease to be proud of his blindness; or did I relate the words of a famous Pseudochymist, who when the Patient did suddenly die after a Dose of his Antimonial Pills, commended the excellency of such MedicinesLaudo tuam experientiam qui non finis infirmos com­putrescere sed eos statim è vita liberas, Strat. philos. which dispatched without much pain and procured an easie death: It were no difficult mat­ter [Page 175] to parallel any Stories they can pro­duce to make the Methodists infamous, but the meanest people can discern the Sophi­stry of such Argumentations, and may suppose that they observe the same way in their curation of Diseases; As for the Methodus medendi, our Adversaries com­plain that by it the cause and nature of Di­seases are not sufficiently discovered, their Symptoms not rightly described, and that the Remedies set down are impotent, and rather encrease then cure Diseases: Cer­tainly they presume that their own bare negation or affirmation of what they dislike or approve, is a perswasive Argument to others who expect satisfaction in particu­lars, and are cautious to escape the cheat and delusion which lies in such universal conclusions; nay, to assert that because some errors may be found in it, the whole hereupon ought to be proscribed and de­serted were alike mad and impious pra­ctise, as immediately to bury that man whose toes are sphacelated, when an expert Chyrurgeon by a mature amputation of the joynts which are mortified may preserve the life of his Patient; But I shall choose to deliver my sense in the words of a learned Author, as I have throughout this Trea­tise done in matters of Controversie, saith [Page 176] the experienced Seidelius,Seidel. p. 133. Nullus unquam morbus qui curatus arte humana aliter cu­ratus est quam juxta veteris & verae medi­cinae fundamenta, methodumque; objicient hic statim, nonne curavimus nos quam­plurimos a vobis pro desperatis relictos? quibus respondeo, nescire me illud, neque ha­ctenus certo rem ita se habere comperisse, praeter privatas enim praedicationes atque laudes & domestica testimonia in conven­ticulis clandestinis ad libitum conficta le­vissime, aliud fide dignum nihil auditu percepi; quot vero homines diris modis ju­gulaverint, de quo publicis quorundam scriptis sunt accusati id altissimo silentio obruunt & interim de quintis, atque ar­canis essentiis immani precio Auri extra­ctis nugantur ut imperitis fucum faci­ant, &c. h. e. There was never any Cure wrought by humane Art and skill which derived not its succesfulness from the sure foundations and method of the ancient and true way of Medicine: but here they will object, have not we recovered very many forsaken by you, I answer, that I know no such matter, neither am I satisfied that what you speak is true, for besides your vain boastings, self-commendations and forged Subscriptions and Certificates made in your Conventicles, I perceived nothing that [Page 177] was credible, but they are willing to conceal how many men by their most horrid devices have been murdered, they crack of their Quintessential Medicines and precious Ex­tracts with design only to delude and cheat those who want capacity to understand their impostures. This Author hath afforded us such a description of our Pseudochymi­cal non-methodists, that I need say no more concerning them, nor write a Com­ment when the Text is so plain and obvi­ous, but because the opposition both by M. N. and G. T. is made between the Writings of Galen and Helmont; I am willing before I end this Chapter (in which many things are omitted) to shew the difference between them according to the judgment of Thonerus, whose authority in another case is allowed by M. N. saith he, Thon. epist. medic. p. 32. Plaustris librorum carere facile poterit qui scripta Galeni sibi familiaria reddide­rit, dum omnes Authores exin velut e mag­no Oceano depromant & hauriant, ut qui in Galeno non sunt versati, existiment ab eorum ingenio profecta, suam hinc pro­deuntes imperitiam dum omnia a Galeno sint mutuati, and goes on, Quid esset ipse Hel­montius, ni quicquid boni ex Galeni & Hippocratis monumentis primitus deprom­psisset, sed post omnia corrumpens & in­vertens suas exin nectens argutias, malam [Page 178] rependens gratiam in eos retorsit, aquam veritatis limpidam ex illorum fonte hau­stam suis sophismatis inquinavit, & tota­liter faeculentam reddere attentavit, fre­tus arguto & insolenti genio: h. e. He needs no Library who is well vers'd in the Writings of Galen, from whom all Authors as from the Ocean derive their streams, and they who have not read Galen conceit what notions they broach are the products of their own brain and invention, betraying their ignorance, when Galen was the Au­thor of those Opinions; and what is Hel­mont if strip'd of the most considerable truths, which he transcribed out of Hip­pocrates and Galen? and at length he cor­rupted them, introducing his own whimsies, like an ungrateful person illy requiting them who informed him in Medicinal knowledg, sophisticating their sincere do­ctrines, being of a subtle and insolent tem­per.

It may be expected that I should vin­dicate the Doctrines of Critical days and Pulses (which are opposed by M. N. But since that nothing is brought against them worth observation or an answer, and con­sidering also that these are not of such concernment to Patients as to Physici­ans, who daily experience the usefulness thereof in their Profession, and can discern [Page 179] the motions and concoctions of the peccant and morbifick matter, as also the strength by the Pulse, and what other information they can afford, as also that this Inno­vator who measures the knowledg of others by his own, hath effected no­thing by his pains; so until something to better purpose without the mis-interpre­tations and abuses of Authors is offered, I think my self excused from particular re­plies to his most impertinent Cavils.

AMongst the vain-glorious boastings of the Pseudochymists, there is no pretence so universal as their acquirement of a Panacaea to cure all Diseases, general­ly deceiving hereby all those who through too much credulity become their Pati­ents: for not to repeat what hath been already said concerning the incurableness of some Diseases, or to add a discourse of the inhability of Subjects and of other Impediments which may frustrate the highest and most probable attempts of Curation, it doth not appear to a rational [Page 180] Inquirer that there can be any such Me­dicine which in respect of its puissance can infallibly vanquish all the enemies of mans health: the great disagreement of Au­thors about the matter of this Panacaea suf­ficiently expresses their uncertainty, con­jectural suppositions, or fond hopes in relation to their attainment of it, whilest some place it in the essence of individual Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals, choo­sing those which are most energetical, and fancying that the more incorruptible part of these being by Art separated from all terrestrial impurities, and advanced to the condition of the Heavens, is the true Phaleia, and as one commends it, Poterit vitam servare & quodamodo producere & tum ratione similitudinis quam habet essen­tia haec cum calore insito, tum quia est quo­damodo quoddam incorruptibile & tempe­ratum omnibus morbis medicamentum esse contrarium: h. e. Such an essence is not only powerful enough to preserve life, but to prolong it, and because of its likeness to and correspondence with our innate heat, as because of its incorruptibility and tempera­ture overcomes all Diseases: But should it be granted that the Principles constitu­ting that body from which this essence is drawn were Catholick, yet when once they are firmly link'd together, and most [Page 181] intimately united, their artificial reso­lution may possibly alter the individuum, or substitute another particular product, but not reduce it into its original univer­sality; and however some Individuals are of a more durable nature then others, and these are us'd to imprint their perpetuity on bodies more subject to putrefaction, yet such essences being capable of change by that body into which they are recei­ved, do lose their supposed universality in operation. The History related by Crol­lius, That he saw a man with one drop of a certain spirit from a dying condition in the space of one night perfectly restored to health, the celestial heat of that Medicine being immediately communicated to the heart, and soon after diffusing its rays throughout the body, This, I say, and such like Histories do not prove the effect of it in all Diseases, or evidence that the pre­paration of an Individual may not perform as difficult a Cure; I know that some con­clude that by the same rule an Individual especially if essentiated may change the bo­dy from a diseased state to a condition of perfect health, as that w^ch is poysonous may cause such a sudden alteration, as that the person who even now was well, may quick­ly expire by reason of its destructiveness, but such venom hath the advantage on the [Page 182] bodies proneness to putrefaction, and may sooner dissipate the spirits which are upon the wing, then the other fix them or illu­minate their darkness; so that what pro­motes the effect of the one is the greatest impediment imaginable to the other: I deny not that an Individual may remedy a particular Disease, and notwithstanding the proneness of our Nature to corrupti­on, act so vigorously as to cure a threat­ning distemper, and I suppose that very many have seen as much done by Lauda­num; and other Medicines, as Crollius mentions in that Patient, but yet it were a vain conclusion to infer that such an es­sence, or that Laudanum would hereupon cure all Diseases and perform the like im­possibilities as are spoken of the Panacaea; no person can be ignorant of the Experi­ments made on Gold, because it (as ma­ny think) contains in it all necessary con­ditions to the universal Medicine which I need not recount; but unless something is performed by the Diaphoretical vertue of the Menstruum, no wonders have been wrought by it, so that Billichius calls Au­rum potabile, aurum putabile; since that all true Philosophers in their Preparation of their Medicinal stone did not mean the common Gold, but that of the Philoso­phers, as they mispent their pains who [Page 183] sought out dissolvents to make our Gold potable in expectation of making thereby the Elixir, so it would be to as little pur­pose to discourse the possibility of gain­ing a Dissolvent not corrosive to e­licite its medicinal tincture which at length will satisfie only a particular in­tention.

The hyperbolical Encomiums which have been given to the essences of Indivi­duals, might easily delude those who ap­prove all things according to their com­mendations; and doubtless in many re­spects such noble preparations might de­serve a just esteem: but the more prudent and wary of the Hermetical Philosophers Multi sunt qui ex parti­culari mate­ria medica­mentum uni­versalissimum clicere volunt frustra tamen omnia fuisse experientia attestatur uni­versalissimum siquidem ex universalissi­mo elici de­bet. observing the absurdity to expect an uni­versal operation from a limited Agent, did busie and employ themselves to find out the universal matter which is so enygma­tically discoursed in the Writings of Chy­mical Authors, as if they rather designed to encourage Humane Industry in the search after that which for no other cause they would seem to have known, then give them any hopes of interpreting and unriddling their most obscure, perplexed, and mysteri­ous descriptions of it, saith one, Fove fo­deam usque ad genua & accipe terram no­stram in qua est rivulus & unda viva sci­licet universale menstruum & aquam no­stram [Page 184] ponticam, in qua habitat sal armoni­acum nostrum, & spiritus vivus universi qui omnia in se continet: h. e. Dig a Pit knee deep, and take our earth in which is a living stream, viz. our universal Men­struum, and take our Pontike water in which is found our Sal Armoniack, and the uni­versal spirit which contains all things in it; and saith Bacon, Elegant rem supra quam Naturae tantum primas operationes incepit: h. e. Such a matter must be cho­sen on which Nature hath only done her first work. He who is acquainted with the pa­rabolical expressions of the Ancients rela­ting to this Subject, will be convinced that although they who write best, hint a necessity of some universal matter which may yield by a Philosophical Preparation a most noble Medicine to cure Diseases, may yet apprehend their dissentions about this matter, and the improbabilities of others finding it out by their direction; but if I should grant that the true Sons of Art might rightly understand the Anci­ents and gain the knowledg of the univer­sal matter, yet in regard that there is not an universal intention in the cure of Dis­eases, I cannot see of what use it can be in Medicine; to comfort the Archaeus and to garrison the heart which is the Royal Fort with invincible vertues, answers only [Page 185] a particular intention: That all Diseases do spring from one root is only the suppo­sition of some who would patronize this Panacaea, whereas others more rationally inform us that Sanity consists not in in­divisibili, but that different members in the body enjoy a different Sanity, and having a divers complexion, conformation, and ope­ration, stand in need of a variety of Medi­cines to cure their distinct and sometimes contrary Diseases: What though there sometimes happens a Metastasis of the Morbifick matter, which varying its seat alters the symptomes according to the parts in which it fixeth, it is not proved that hereupon what opposed it in one part is as proper and applicable notwithstand­ing the remove as before, and that in cura­tion no particular respect ought to be had to the parts constitution which is affected; it may be, that before the Metastasis 'twas convenient to use Diaphoreticks, and af­terwards if the matter lodgeth in the breast, what may evacuate it by promo­ting expectoration, if in the lowest Ven­tricle Catharticks or Diureticks which may discharge: he certainly knows lit­tle of the causes of Diseases who discerns not their difference in respect of the ves­sels or parts which they seize or most af­flict, whereupon the Methodus medendi [Page 186] is to be altered, I need not enumerate the several causes of Diseases which the Galenists reckon, but content my self with an observation that the best Chy­mists do account two grand Causes of the constant alteration in mans body, dispo­sing it to Diseases and death, which are the consumption of radical moisture and the putrefaction of humors; it is therefore incumbent on the Pretenders to a Panacaea, to prove that by the same Medicine they can prevent this putrefaction of humors, and hinder the consumption of radical moi­sture: The Universalists have been very sollicitous to appropriate to their Medi­cine such vertues as might answer the in­dication both of a drying vertue to with­stand and resist putrefaction, and of moi­sture or unctuosity to supply the decaies and spendings of natural heat, and there­fore they assert that their Panacaea in re­spect of its activity and solar heat doth brighten, fortifie, and encrease our innate heat, and hereby evaporates and dissipates all Morbifick Meteors which otherwise would stagnate and putrifie, in respect of its substance is oleagenous fix'd and incom­bustible, aptly recruiting any loss or spend­ing of the radical moisture: It this Pana­caea can certainly do what is pretended, it may seem strange that they who were e­steemed [Page 187] Possessors of such a Medicine, did not defend themselves and their Patients from the disease of Old Age, and from Death; for Old Age creeping on gradually, may more probably be opposed then violent Diseases, but when its apparant that neither in themselves nor others they were able to stop the course of old age and disappoint the stroke of death, they would excuse their Art and Medicine by blaming some great neglects whilest they were young, and tell us that if they had then taken such a Medicine it might have effected much in the prolongation of life; but others well pondering the Vertues attributed to it Unde fit restauratio corporum per morbos debilitatorum prompte & perfecte ea cu­rans & postea juventutem primumque vi­gorem diminutum & per frigidum annorum acconitum fere extinctum restituens: h. e. It is sufficient to restore the decaies of mens bodies, most expeditiously and perfectly helping all Diseases, changing the ruines of old age into youthfulness. These (I say) being convinced by experience that such empty vaunts of the Panacaea are ri­diculous, do otherwise state the business and make little difference between the Polychresta of the Galenists and these more noble Medicines, and if the Panacaeas which have been or at present are preten­ded [Page 188] to in the World are duly examined, they undoubtedly will be found to answer some more general intention, and by no means deserve the appellation of universal Medicines in the common and known sense and notion of the term, I might instance in Begwins preparation of Vitriol, Quercita­nus of Antimony, &c. But above all o­thers Andwaldins Panacaea in the highest esteem, which as Hoffman relates in Sher­bius's judgment was poysonous, and another Author gives us a more accurate account of it,Thon. epist. med. p. 14. Panacaea Anwaldina summopere in propulsandis morbis decantata eum effe­ctum assecuta est, non tam Naturam con­fortando quam vi diaphoretica operando quam Libavius per [...] ignis probavit & deprehendit concinnatam ex hydrargyro & Cinnabari quae duo mineralia nullam corroborandi facultatem obtinent: h. e. Anwaldins universal Medicine of such fame for its wonderful effects in the cure of Diseases did not operate by comforting Nature but by provoking sweat, and Liba­vius examining it by Pyrotechny dete­cted that it consisted of Mercury and Cin­nabar which have no corroborating vertue in them.

Every true Chymist who is acquainted with artificial either simple or compound Preparations especially Mineral, very well [Page 189] skills their efficacy in the satisfaction of either general or particular intentions as they are skilfully applied, these know that a just mixture of Mercury, Antimony, and Gold, or apt Chymical Compositions will do more in the curation of some Dis­eases then either of them in like manner singly prepared and given, but to conceive that any Medicine can keep off old age, and by the same way cure all Maladies, is an opinion which no sober person did ever entertain; if then by a Panacaea is only signified any noble preparation which re­specting some general intention which in the curation of Diseases is observable, 'tis not improbable but that the true chymical Physicians do not only assent to them, but are furnished with some as powerful as any yet known in the world; for we must grant that the Polychresta of the Chymists do in­finitely excel those of the Galenists, but yet it is considerable that even those Au­thors who are famed to be Masters of these Panacaeas, did in most cases both use for themselves and others Galenical Medicines as they had occasion, or the known Rules of Art required.

But our Pseudochymists it may be by purchase obtaining one of these noble Pre­parations, and not understanding the true use of it do in hopes of custom proclaim the [Page 190] Vertues of their Medicine, as if it would most speedily and certainly cure all disea­ses, strengthning the Archaeus, to whose er­ror and debility they adscribe all the seve­ral affections of mans body, and enabling Nature to discharge her self by the most convenient ways according to the condition and quality, or seat of the Morbifick matter, and if all manner of evacuations or most of them can be caused by the same Medicine then a proof (as they suppose) is given of the wonderful efficacy of their Medi­cine, and a notable stratagem devised to seduce them that are most pleas'd when they are under the hand of a cheating Montebank: hence it is that one cries up his Mercurial preparation, another his Antimonial remedy, a third spirit of Salt which is diuretical, and almost every Pseu­dochymist would be accounted the Inven­tor or Professor of one; but methinks peo­ple should be better advised then to give ten shillings for a grain, or five shillings for a drop of that which being either illy pre­pared or mis-applied, more universally kills then cures, and stake their lives a­gainst the brags of such Empericks,

Believe, all's well, trust them, there word is sure, In killing thee they work a perfect Cure.

[Page 191] Although I have pretermitted very much which might be said on this Subject, yet I hope that it is sufficiently made out that there is no Panacaea to cure all Diseases in the vulgar acceptation of the word, and as a confirmation of my Assertion I shall pro­duce the testimony of Angelus Sala, with whose words I conclude, Angel. Sal. de Chrysol. p. 422. Quis non vanita­tem eorum agnoscat qui vel ipsi persuasissi­mum habent, vel aliis persuadere conantur esse in rerum natura vel artis beneficio confi­ci posse medicamentum quod instar univer­salis cujusdam universalissimi nullis vel li­mitibus, vel terminis circumscriptum, non tantum qualitates elementares aequali pro­portione commensuratas in se contineat, sed & omnibus insuper proprietatibus specificis quae vel ex varia illarum commixtione, vel a certa aliqua praedestinatione oriuntur, a­bundantissime dotatum sit? quod suppresso calore suo jam refrigerare possit, jam hume­ctare, sicut exiccandi potestate nihil damni faciat, jam adstringat, jam incrasset & con­trarias interim facultates plane occultetquod idem interdum pervomitum, interdum per fecessum purget, sudores cieat, urinam pro­vocet, venenis tanquam Alexiterium resi­stat, somnum conciliet: denique ut in unum omnia conferam omnes alios effectus quos causarum morbificarum tam particularium quam universaliū diversitas requirit omni [Page 192] tempore & loco, in omni sexu, aetate, comple­xione & personarum constitutione praestet, omnibus adeo infirmitatibus medeatur, ac nulla unquam ratione corpus offendat? h. e. How conspicuous is their vanity who either believe themselves or would perswade others that either Art or Nature can produce any Medicine which shall be impowred with the operations attributed to the most universal Medicine being unconfin'd and boundless in its efficacy, not only containing in it all the elementary qualities in exact proportion, but endowed with all Specifick proprieties flow­ing from their mixture or essence, which not­withstanding its heat can sometimes cool and sometimes moisten, not at all suffering in its drying vertue, can adstringe or bind and incrassate, and in the mean while con­ceal its contrary faculties, that now can vo­mit, anon purge, sweat, prove Diuretical, become an Antidote against poyson, and cause sleep; and to say no more, can certainly remove and take off all effects flowing both from the diversity of universal and particu­lar Causes at all times, in all places, Sexes Ages, Complections, different Constituti­ons, curing all these Diseases without any prejudice to the Body?