370 LETTER TO 



which gave them origin have ceased. The 

 pride and delicacy of a gentleman, if once 



the attempts of the college to destroy it were as absurd and 

 unjust, as they were fruitless. 



When the division first took place, one of its effects was 

 probably not foreseen. For apothecaries coming at length 

 to be employed by many persons who were sufficiently rich 

 to fee a physician ; when the assistance of one was desired 

 by these in dangerous disorders, the choice of the individual 

 was frequently left to the apothecary,, he being supposed 

 better qualified to make it, than the sick person or his family. 

 From this time, therefore, the friendship of apothecaries be- 

 came highly useful to physicians, and was often sought for, 

 and requited by them, in the most disgraceful manner. I 

 might bring many proofs of these points from authors of the 

 last century; but! shall content myself with one, the authen- 

 ticity of which is beyond doubt, as it is found in an account 

 of the proceedings of the college, in establishing a dispensary 

 for the relief of the sick poor, which was published by them- 

 selves, in 1697- They there say; " Several amongst them 

 [the apothecaries] set themselves by all the art and industry 

 they were capabk of to frustrate the whole design ; and find- 

 ing no method so promising, as to stir up a party among 

 ourselves, to oppose our proceedings, they fell to intriguing 

 with several of our own members, ivho were too easily lured 

 off to seme the apothecaries' interest, for their own private ad- 

 vantage. And from this cause, as we have too much reason 

 to believe, have chiefly sprung the unhappy differences, 

 which are still fomented among us. But notwithstanding 

 all the discouragements we met with from those of our own 

 members, who contrary to all the obligations of honour and 

 conscience,, constantly discovered to our adversaries what- 

 soever passed in the college relating to this design, and ex*, 

 posed to them the names of such as were promoters thereof,. 



