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training of the medical man, and the protection of the public 

 from the attentions of inefficient votaries of the healing art. 

 The foundation of the Royal College of Physicians in 1681 gave 

 expression to the co-operative principle in the control of those 

 who would profess Medicine ; the creation of a Botanic Garden 

 for the purpose of the cultivation of medicinal plants was the 

 response in the direction of safeguarding the practitioner against 

 the herbalist, and of giving him the advantage of a correct know- 

 ledge of the plants which were the source of the drugs he himself 

 v/as to compound. Before this time, whilst many practitioners 

 could grow drug-plants for themselves, and did so, the majority 

 were at the mercy of the herbalist. 



Two Edinburgh physicians (Sir) Robert Sibbald and (Sir) 

 Andrew Balfour conspicuous among their fellows for their 

 activity in promoting the cause of medical education and in the 

 planning of the Royal College of Physicians, were the pioneers 

 of the study of Botany as a science. Determined that the 

 apprentices in Medicine should have adequate opportunity of 

 learning the sources of many of the drugs in use, they acquired 

 a lease of a small area of land in the neighbourhood of Holyrood 

 Palace in which they arranged to cultivate medicinal plants, 

 stocking it from their own gardens and from those of friends. 

 They secured the services of James Sutherland described as 

 " knowing " in these matters and placed their small garden 

 under his care, with the obligation that he should instruct the 

 apprentices and lieges in Botany. Sutherland cultivated his 

 plants so well, and the instruction which he gave was so satis- 

 factory, that ere long no doubt through Sibbald's influence 

 at Court a portion of the Royal Flower Garden at Holyrood 

 Palace was assigned for the cultivation of medicinal plants, and 

 thither was transferred the collection already made in the hired 

 area. Thus was founded, with the title of Physick Garden, a 

 Royal Botanic Garden in Scotland, and the first Profession of 

 Botany was set up therein by James Sutherland. 



Of the earlier years of Sutherland we have no record. His 

 success as a teacher induced the Town Council of Edinburgh 

 the body in which was vested at the time all the patronage of 

 the University to institute a Chair of Botany in the University, 



