Address. 
99 
the medicine, but to the disingenuousness which takes advan- 
tage of popular credulity for the sake of gain. 
A third grade of charlatanry is where a popular appeal is 
made in favour of the curative powers of a medicine in cer- 
tain diseases, the exclusive right to prepare which is secured 
to an individual by a patent. Here the objection already 
stated applies, that the medicine patented is a remedy or the 
contrary, according to the judgment with which it is given. 
But it may be asked, whether, — in case a pharmaceutist 
makes a discovery as to the best mode of extracting the ac- 
tive principle of a plant, or of rendering it soluble or free 
from liability to change, — it is morally wrong for him to 
obtain for such discovery a patent, in order to secure to him- 
self the reward of his science, industry, and ingenuity. I an- 
swer, certainly not, if the process be candidly and fully set 
forth in the application for the patent, and the product be ad- 
dressed to the medical profession through the scientific Jour- 
nals, and not to the public at large, as a cure for this or that 
disease, which, in the nature of things, it cannot possibly be. 
This statement may be considered as embracing the abstract 
ethical principles relating to the obtaining of patents for phar- 
maceutical improvements. But when it is considered how 
difficult it would be to prevent others from adopting the im- 
provement without the consent of the patentee, and how 
likely it is to happen, that the medicinal substance, in its im- 
proved form, would fall into the hands of the public, under a 
mistaken notion that it was a remedy, instead of being merely 
an improved instrument to be wielded by the skilful, it will 
be readily admitted that such a patent would prove useless 
to the possessor if honest, and liable to great abuse. Find- 
ing, then, the subject of patents for pharmaceutical improve- 
ments beset by such practical and unavoidable difficulties, 
I have come to the conclusion, that the reasonings which 
justify the granting of these exclusive privileges in the me- 
chanic arts are not applicable here; and that the high- 
minded pharmaceutist, like the high-minded physician, taking 
into view the sacred object of his profession, will feel himself 
