Another manifest sign of their endeavour to usurp our Practice is, their absurd calling the sick their Patients, for ’tis most certain that in all reason and language the Physician and Patient only have relation to each other, but not to the Apothecary, who is but a Tradesman, and manual Operator.  Now a Tradesman and his Customer, or Chapman, are Relatives each to other, but those Apothecaries who intrude themselves and usurp on our profession, may call their Customers Patients, and that in a true literal sence, when by their ignorance they make them really sufferers under them; and if they deny Apothecary and Patient to be non-sence, they shew themselves pitifully ignorant in the Laws, and Rules of Reason, or else profess themselves Physicians.  And the like non-sence they commonly utter by calling Physicians that make their own Medicines, Mountebanks and Quacks, whereas none can be such but those who practise without Lawful Authority, as the Apothecaries, &c. do; and they are not ignorant in this their malice, that the Law of England would punish them roundly for so saying.  And were I troublesome or vindicative, I could make some of them examples, but I freely remit the slanders in this kind that are past.

Having done with the main part of the Disease, next follows the Remedy; and the only firm and proper one will appear to be, that Physicians make their own Medicines; the benefit whereof to the publick, the reasonableness of the thing it self, the necessity in relation to the Physician, will be manifest by that which follows.

And First, All that hath been said demonstrates this last proportion.

Secondly, The desire of most persons, and the censure of all wise men, who say we are wanting to our own interest, if we make not use of the remedy in our own hands, performing our Art in all its members, whereof making of Medicines is a chief one.

Thirdly, The common practice, and constant usage of all former and antient Physicians in all other Nations, and in England also (for ’tis easie to say when there was not one Apothecary in this Kingdom) the Laws of our Nation, nay even the Apothecaries Charter allow it, the Language of all Physicians, our College voting it honourable so to do, nay Apothecaries themselves commending it in such Physicians as buy their Medicines of them.

Fourthly, The Kings Physicians have formerly made the Kings Medicines, as ’tis manifest by my Lord Coke, in his 4th.  Book of the Institutes, part 4. pag. 251. where he comments on Rot.  Pat. 32 H 6. m. 17.  He there first recites the Roll it self, wherein are appointed (the King being then sick) 3 Physicians and 2 Chirurgeons, to freely minister and execute Physic about the Kings Person, and there are also recited in general, Medicines external, and internal.  And on this Roll Coke among other things infers, that the Physicians may use the aid of those Chirurgeons named in the Warrant, but of no Apothecary, but to prepare and do all things themselves, &c.  And the reason of all this is, the precious regard had of the health and safety of the King, who is the head of the Common-wealth.  And I am told by one of his present Majesties Physicians, that the King himself affirmed heretofore we are unwise in neglecting our duty herein, and lately of these papers, that ’twas the publick interest so to do.