In Jacob Bell's "Historical Sketch of the Progress of Pharmacy in Great Britain" an apothecary's bill for medicines for one day, supplied to a Mr. Dalby of Ludgate Hill, is quoted from a pamphlet called "The Wisdom of the Nation is Foolishness." It is as follows:
An Emulsion, 4s. 6d. A Mucilage, 3s. 4d. Gelly of Hartshorn, 4s. Plaster to dress Blister, 1s. An Emollient Glister, 2s. 6d. An ivory pipe, armed 1s. A Cordial Bolus, 2s. 6d. The same again, 2s. 6d. A cordial draught, 2s. 4d. The same again, 2s. 4d. Another bolus, 2s. 6d. Another draught, 2s. 4d. A glass of cordial spirits, 3s. 6d. Blistering plaster to the arm, 5s. The same to the wrists, 5s. Two boluses again, 5s. Two draughts again, 4s. 8d. Another emulsion, 4s. 6d. Another pearl julep, 4s. 6d.
Mr. Dalby's bill for five days came to £17 2s. 10d., and
this was declared to be not an isolated case but illustrative
of the practice of apothecaries when attending
patients of the higher classes.
Contest between the Physicians and
Apothecaries.
In 1687 the College of Physicians adopted a resolution binding all Fellows, Candidates, and Licentiates of the College to give advice gratis to their neighbouring sick poor when desired within the city of London or seven miles round. But in view of the gross extortions of the apothecaries it was asked, What was the use of the physicians' charity if the cost of compounding the medicines was to be prohibitory? The apothecaries, of course, denied that the examples of their charges which were quoted were at all general, and probably they were not. It was not to the interest of the apothecaries to destroy free prescribing. Indeed a proposal was made to the physicians on behalf of a
