Thirdly, ’Tis very common for them to load Medicines with Honey, and other cheaper ingredients, and to leave out in whole or in part, those of greater value; viz.  Saffron in Ruffus Pills, and in Oxycroceum Plaster, which latter, they colour of a saffron colour with Turmeric, Sanders &c.  Ambergrise in Alkermes, Diascordium was found by the Censors in their search made only of Honey, and Bole-Armeniac.  Which false composition was taken away by the then Master of the Company.

Such Chymists which sell preparations honestly made complain, that few Apothecaries will go to the prices of them.  Whence it comes to pass, that most of the preparations found in the Shops are sophisticated, to the great abuse of City and Country.  These abuses daily increase since the Censors, discouraged by the multitude of Empirics swarming in every Corner, have omitted their wonted searches, being to their loss of time, and expences out of their own Purses for the publick good only.  Now since the Chymical Oyls, by reason of their great prices are most of them adulterated, and very few of them right good, and that nothing hath been published on this matter, and to leave the buyers of them unexcusable, I shall here add briefly, yet sufficiently the ways to discover these Cheats.  First for sweet-scented Chymical Oyls, viz. those of Cloves, Cinnamon and Sassaphras.  Only drop a little of them into fair water, and that part which is true good will sink under the water, but the adulterated part will swim on the top of it.  Some others draw deep tinctures from the said Spices with Spirit of Wine highly rectified, and sell them for the Oyls; but these mix with the water throughout, neither swimming, nor sinking.  Others more craftily digest with the said tinctures some of the true Oyls, which compound being put into water, will for a time render it white.  Another way of sophisticating is with Oyl of Turpentine mixed in great quantity with that which is adulterated; You may easily discover the Oyl of Turpentine, by setting it on fire, for it yields abundance of ill-scented smoak, with very little savour of the Herb, Flour, or Seed, &c. and soon takes fire.  To correct the ill smell of the Turpentine, they digest it with, and distil it off with Spirit of Wine.  Those sophisticated with Turpentine, fired in a Silver Spoon colour it, and quickly diffuse themselves upon a Knife, or Paper.  The best way to try by firing, is to put a drop or two of these Oyls on the end of a broad pointed Knife, which being first heated, and then thrust into a lighted Candle, presently take fire, and break out into a flame with much dark smoak; but if you will try them in a Spoon, heat it first over a Candle, and then blow the flame of lighted paper, or of a Wax Candle on them.  To try the scent, blow out the flame of the good Oyls, and your smell will soon discover the ill scent of the Turpentine from that of the good Oyl.  But on the contrary, all Oyls drawn from Plants by distillation hardly flame, and the flame