REASONS humbly offered against con- 
tinuing of the ACT for better viewing, 
searching, and examining of Druggs, 
Medicines, &c. as the same now stands.
THE Apothecaries are far from being averse to a Search of Medicines, of 
from having faulty and defective Medicines destroy’d, but humbly hope 
that Matter shall be put into such a Method, that the Property, Reputa- 
tion, and consequently the Livelihood of so great a Number of Persons 
as exercise the Trade of an Apothecary, shall not be subjected to a final Determina- 
tion, but under the same Guards and Cautions which the rest of their Fellow Sub- 
jects have for their Security. 
AS it is allow’d that an Appeal from the Judgment of the Censors is reasonable, 
it is conceiv’d equally reasonable that such Appeal should be determin'd by Persons 
wholly indifferent and unbias'd, how far the College are likely to prove so in re- 
spect of the Judgments and Determinations of Persons of their own Body and of 
their own Choice, is easy to foresee, especially when it is further consider’d: 
First, That for a long Time a Jealousy has been entertain’d by the Members of 
the College, that the Apothecaries have encroach’d upon then Faculty, by sometimes 
in ordinary Instances, and in the Cases of poor Persons, Children and Servants, 
giving Physick without calling in a Physician, and that the Temptation to crush those 
who for the future shall presume to do so, will be very strong, when they shall 
have it in their Power so easily to effect it. 
Secondly, That besides the ordinary Propension towards aggrandizing their Body, 
it may be very easily conceiv’d that it will be thought (by some at least) to be 
the Interest of the College to keep the Apothecaries in a Subjection to and Dependance 
upon them, no Apothecary will then dare to relieve a Patient, tho' in the utmost 
Extremity, for fear the Patient’s Physician should be made his Judge in a little Time, 
and in that Capacity gratify his Resentment, which may prove a Mischief of no 
small Consequence. 
Trial by a Jury is in most Cases the Right of the Subject, and there seems to be 
no reason why Apothecaries in a Matter of this Moment should be excluded from it, 
and be subjected in so extraordinary manner to the College of Physicians. 
Before the passing of this Act it was always understood, That no Drugs or Me- 
dicines could be destroy’d without the Concurrence of the WARDENS of the 
Apothecaries-Company, and it is observable that there is no Complaint in the Pre- 
amble of the said Act that any Inconvenience arose from thence; it is humbly 
hoped therefore that if it should not be thought proper upon an Appeal to have 
the Matter determined by a Jury, that it will seem but reasonable to join some of 
the Body of the Apothecaries-Company with the Members of the College upon that 
Occasion, the Apothecaries being by their Experience more competent Judges whe- 
ther this or that particular Drug or Medicine is good of the Sort. 
It is therefore humbly hoped, That in the Bill for continuing the said Act 
such Alterations shall be made as will secure the Apothecaries from 
unprecedented Hardships above mentioned, and prevent the Mischiefs 
consequent thereupon. 

REASONS 
Humbly offered 
Against continuing the Act 
for the better viewing, 
searching and examining 
all Drugs, Medicines; &c.