252 ON VETERINARY MEDICINE 



and probable danger of the mod judicious pre- 

 fcriptions, where the ingredients are defeftive, 

 or not to be depended upon. There are va- 

 rious medical articles in which impofitions are 

 commonly pra6Hfed, and for which, inlignifi- 

 cant or hurtful fuccedanea are in ufe : of thefe, 

 I hope I {hall not forget to caution the reader 

 as they occur. 



The advantages of ready-made medicines are 

 obvious enough, in regard to immediate con- 

 venience, and the faving of trouble ; it were to 

 be wiflied there were lefs to counterbalance 

 thefe ; but, it. muft be acknowledged, the 

 temptation of putting oflP bad and unmarket- 

 able drugs in thefe compofitions is great, the 

 hazard of their being dale, confiderable : and 

 the uncertainty not a little, in point of accu- 

 racy, where it may be reafonably fuppofed 

 fuch large mafles are compounded. Initances 

 enough are not wanting, where the diftribu- 

 tion of the cathartic bafes has been fo irregular, 

 that one ball has a61ed as a mere alterant, and 

 another has nearly purged a horfe to death. 

 Nor would I encourage any man to expeft 

 fuccotrine aloes, or Turkey rhubarb, in thefe 

 ready-made medicines. I hope the reader will 

 not fo far miftake me, as to fuppofe thefe re- 

 marks levelled at any particular vender, leaft 

 of all at Mr. Taplin ; of whofe fl<;ill as a fur- 

 geon, or of the goodnefs of whofe prepared 



medicines. 



