REPORT ON MEDICAL EDUCATION, &C. 
71 
They do not and never have done so. Have they not the 
power by virtue of the act of 1815? They have ; they have 
the power of appointing searchers in the country. You have 
stated that they do not visit druggist's shops. Unattended by 
the censors of the College of Physicians have you any power 
to visit these shops — attended by the censors you do visit 
them? Yes we do. Your search in company with the 
censors is confined to the city of London? Yes. Is visiting 
twice a year, effectual in preventing, within the precints 
of the city of London, the sale of bad or spurious me- 
dicines? My opinion upon that subject is this, that it is 
not by any means so efficient and complete a law as is de- 
sirable, that there are many ways and means of passing off 
adulterated medicines, which no search can prevent. I do not 
see how it is possible to prevent it. No search you say 
can prevent it? It is not, therefore, to the imperfection of 
the present law of search, but to the principle of the law 
of search in general that you object ? I think I may 
state, with regard to the present race of general practi- 
tioners, that for the most part they are men of such stand- 
ing and acquirements as scarcely to be supposed capable of 
fraud. The question refers to the use of visitations, of 
such especially as are made in the city of London, by 
your wardens and the censors of the College of Physicians. 
No search, you say, can prevent the sale of adulterated medi- 
cine on the part of those who are disposed to sell it? I think 
not. I think it fails in accomplishing that purpose; that it 
may do some good is possible, — but there are plenty of op- 
portunities for frauds, if people are disposed to commit them, 
in spite of searchers. Is not the search in question less effi- 
cient than it might otherwise be, owing to its being made on 
two days only in the year, and those days occurring at fixed 
periods, so that all parties whom it may concern are duly ap- 
prized before-hand when they may expect a visit? Yes, I 
think so. The mode, therefore, of conducting the search ren- 
ders it still more ineffectual, than even, if well conducted, it still 
must be? I think so. As the search that is made by your 
