2 70 PROGRESS OF PHARMACY IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
his own cogitations, undoubtedly was useful in his day in 
advancing the cause of correct practice. His tendency was 
to the vegetable materia medica, and some of his observa- 
tions relative to the gathering and curing of plants/and some 
processes of our art, are worthy of remembrance. 
The difficulties and jealousies incident to pursuits so close- 
ly allied as medicine and pharmacy, were visible in the 
youth of their separation, as is evident from the remains of 
the literature of that period. In a pamphlet published in 
1671, entitled, " The Wisdom of the Nation is Foolishness, ''^ 
the following remarks are found: 
Dr. Merret, a collegiate physician of London, and a 
practiser of thirty years with apothecaries, gives this account 
of them in his book lately put forth (page 8.) They use 
medicines quite contrary to the prescriptions, — myrtle leaves 
for senna, &c. * * They falsify the grand compositions 
of the London Dispensatory. * * (Page 9.) Tis very com- 
mon for them to load medicines with honey and other 
cheaper ingredients, and to leave out in whole or in part 
those of greater value. * * Such Chymists which sell pre- 
parations honestly made, complain that few apothecaries 
will go to the price of them. * * All the drugs imported 
into England, sooner or later, are sold or made into medi- 
cines, although they have lain by years vj\{\\\hQ Merchant, 
Druggist and Jlpothecary before they are used." 
About this period the number of mineral remedies was 
sufficient to engage a separate class of men in their fabri- 
cation. Many of these doubtless were alchemists, and 
it is a well established fact that many chemical discoveries 
of value were brought to light during the persevering and 
enthusiastic pursuit of the Elixir of Life and the Philoso- 
pher^s Stone, by those genii of the laboratory, as the follow- 
ing process of Raymond LuUe, quoted by Mr. Bell from 
Dumas, will exhibit : 
"To make the elixir of sages or the philosopher^ stone, 
(and by this word stone the alchemists did not mean literally 
