AND SURGERY. 25 1 



as often as poffible, and always in difficult cafes, 

 with the medical men of their acquaintance : in 

 truth, they may at lead affure themfelves, that 

 they are not incurring a greater riflv, than truft- 

 incr their cattle in the hands of common farriers, 

 which, in nine cafes out often, is but to rival 

 the practice of the ancient Babylonians, who, 

 having no medical men, expofed their fick on 

 the highways, to the mercy, good fortune, or 

 the (kill of the firft itinerant prefcriber. In cafe 

 of the incorrigible (lupidity, or bigotted obfli- 

 nacy of a blacklmith (which lafl is by no means 

 uncommon) ; it may well anfwer the purpofe 

 of a gentleman who keeps a confiderable num- 

 ber of horfes, and has, on other accounts, much 

 iron work to do upon his premifes, to fet up a 

 forge. The firfl: expence is trifling, and one 

 regular fmith, affiPted by a common labourer, 

 would be fufficient. This plan is fuccefsfully 

 praftifed by feveral gentlemen. 



Many fportfmen, liberally difregarding the 

 extraordinary expence, purchafe all their drugs 

 at Apothecaries Hall, that they may be at a 

 certainty refpecting the quality ; yet furely, there 

 are druggids of reputation in London, on whom 

 ample dependence might be placed. It muft 

 immediately and forcibly ftrike every man's 

 apprehenfion, how much depends, both upon 

 the genuinenefs and good prcfervation of the 

 medicines made ufc of; and of the little efFeft, 



and 



