AAS 
medicina ceeloque dicavit ;"—and, ac- 
cording to Rhasis (to whom, as a 
professor, some allowance might be 
made when he speaks of his art) 
“ Medicina tota est Dei, © est res 
venerabilissima.” 
I may, perhaps, in another Jetter, 
have a touch at the patients, 
CaRBONARIUS. 
Friendly Hints relative to the Modern 
Practice of Physicians. 
Bu an Old Patient. 
From the same. 
——Quaque ipse miserrima vidi, 
Et quorum pars magna fui. Vrrain. 
Notre credulité fait toute leur science, 
VOLTAIRE, 
MS‘ are never such dupes as 
when they are ill, or fancy 
themselves so. Physicians need not 
possess talents, or have much know- 
ledge of their profession ; it is suf- 
ficient if they have skill and address 
to captivate the understanding of a 
few fashionable but weak women, 
or if they write in quantity to satisfy 
the avarice of apothecaries. 
Ladies of the don ton must have 
tonish physicians; and tonish phy- 
sicians are useful to give. advice in 
more things than one. 
Women, especially old ones, are 
quacks. These must be humoured; 
by no means contradicted, at eave 
abruptly. Partly by gratifying their 
vanity, partly by surprising them, by 
divulging some nostrums as wonder- 
ful arcana, those physicians who have 
the most knowledge of the world, 
and the best talents for pleasing, will 
ingratiate themselves into the good 
opinion of females, when men of 
profound learning, but awkward 
manners, will be neglected. On 
these occasions the nurses are en- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1792. 
titled to their share of adulation. 
The fact is, that a case that requires 
great penetration, does not occur 
once in a hundred instances; and 
Nature being left to herself, a physi- 
cian often acquires credit where no 
credit is due. 
The recommendation of a bebither 
physician is the most suspicious thing 
imaginable, either for a consultation, 
or to prescribe in the absence of the 
family-doctor. In the first instance, 
it is meant only as a cloke or a pre- 
tence to enlarge fees. In the se- 
cond, a man recommends one who 
in his turn will recommend him; in 
like manner as the master of the 
Black Bear in one town will recom- 
mend the publican of the White 
Bear in another. If the apothecary 
speaks well of a doctor, you may 
be sure that Galen will not be spar- 
ing to commend the drugs, and the 
great care of the apothecary in pre- 
paring them. 
A London patient is sent to Tun- 
bridge, Bath, or Bristol; but not till 
the whole Pharmacopeia has been 
exhausted. His physician, at tak- 
ing leave, gives him the address of 
a doctor who is in league with ano- 
ther; and supposing him to have 
great skill in the metropolis, he has 
more than common at these places 
—men who return the compliment, 
when they have an opportunity. On 
such occasions, the question may be 
too direct: ‘*‘ To whom, Doctor, 
do you trust yourself?” or, “ To 
whose care do you commit your 
wife and children, when you wish 
to preserve them ?” 
If money does not pass by way of 
gratuity (and God knows whether 
such largesses have not been made 
to men extremely avaricious) the 
London Esculapius may be gratified 
in various ways; and if he is so ele- 
vated 
