STATE OF THE PROFESSION.

752 necessary

foregoing’part

para. what ought to be its laws, are infringed upfn has so in every way; and in no department so time hoping deeply and grievously as by permitting

of the

same

graph, the latter portion of which he

selected, at the same unfairly with a little more careful that,

consideration, druggists

to

give advice, both as surgeons

and apothecaries. I could tell you of very many infamous abuses by which human life is endangered and trifled with, but as THE LANCET seems to be the channel from which that the blood, or sap, of each, occasion- I am likely to obtain the Recessary informa, ally forms itself into separate portions of tion, I shall content myself by requesting live animal or vegetable bodies termed seed the favour of you to answer the following or semen, which, from being possessed of queries: similar. properties (though in a less degree) 1st. Does any medical act entitle a che. to those of the former, through the agents mist and druggist to prescribe for patients! which support life, ultimately become per2d. If so, what remedy has the apothe. fect animal and vegetable bodies, possess- cary ? ing the same degree of vitality and organi- If there is any clause allowing it, then it sation as those from which they were origi- is perfectly useless to pursue an expensive medical education ; in some places, the per. nally produced." I still contend that the blood or sap of ani- son is employed in consequence of the low. mal and vegetable bodies does possess a ness of his charges, however ignorant he vital power or property of forming itself into may be. The druggists proceed upon this separate portions of animal or vegetable principle, therefore they succeed to a cer. matter, (usually termed seed or semen,) en- tain extent; the regular, well-informed dowed with vitality; and by the aid of the medical man must conform to a certain agents which support life, ultimately be- etiquette that generally exists amongst comes perfect animal and vegetable bodies, well-educated and respectable practitioners, possessing similar vitality and organisation consequently he cannot compete with to those from which they originated. As ignorant, uninformed pretenders. I have regards my opinion, that the blood supports much to state upon the occasion, but sball the functions of the organic textures to wait your answer, before I can state my which it belongs; this is a fact so well ideas fully upon this very important subject. known, I apprehend, to even a common- I am, Sir, your obedient servant, MEDICI’S. place physiologist, as not to require even a single comment. Should my explanation Schaw, Cambridgeshire, Aug. 29,1829. not be deemed sufficiently clear to Big O’s comprehension, I beg leave, Sir, to add, with your permission, that I am fully prepared to STATE OF THE PROFESSION. enter further into, and discuss any of, the opinions I have published, provided my opponents come fairly forward and show them To the Editor of THE LANCET. selves, and do not sculk behind Big 0 no to and under other for masks, signatures, SIR,—As a vast number of complaints anonymous writer shall I hereafter reply ; have of late reached you, and have kindly and as Bin 0 has condescended to advise been inserted in your very valuable Journal, me in the choice of my publication, I re- I trust that you will also, if convenient, incommend him to return his wit to Grub sert this. I find that it is useless now to Street, to be again inserted in JOE Mn.LEK, become a member of the Surgeons’ College from whence he has borrowed it. I remain, or Apothecaries’ Hall; for druggists, or, as Sir, your obliged, they call themselves, chemists, are, at the VINFS. present day, openly and fearlessly practising Royal Vet. Coll. Aug. 29. R. VINES. as surgeons, extracting teeth, bleeding, &c., and as apothecaries, by prescribing, as well as dispensing, their own prescriptions, &c. Now is not this unjust?One has but to STATE OF THE PROFESSION. look into your last week’s journal, and under head of " Confessions of a half-ruined To the Editor of THE LANCET. man," may be seen the effects of such pracSIR,—Notwithstanding the boasted zeal ; tices well illustrated. and superior knowledge of this " incomparWhen I first embarked in the profession, able island," the medical profession, the hundred pounds were paid down for my most impoitant of all professions, is so neand since that I have been glected and abused, that the incomes of re- at the expense of studying in London for two gular and qualified men are reduced to no- years, at the end of which time I obtained from the I thing, while the laws of their country, or he will be able to

comprehend

the

simple opinion of a benighted wanderer in the pathless fields of physiology. In alluding to animal and vegetable bodies, I have observed "

.

the

two

apprenticeship,

my diploma

Apothecaries’ Hall.