are annually sacrificed at the shrine of FRAUD and EMPIRICISM. Trusting, therefore, that your Lordship's superior benevolence will have no just reason to be displeased with the liberty here taken, as the object of the ensuing Work is so truly laudable and praise-worthy, we beg leave

To subscribe ourselves,

Your Lordship's

Most humble sérvants,

THE EDITORS.

PREFACE.

THE first number of this work is devoted to the examination, &c. of Empirical Medicines, with the view of pointing out the dangerous consequences that must inevitably arise from their indiscriminate use, and also to expose the fraudulent and nefarious practices of advertising potent compositions, under fictitious names, indicating them to be of an innocent nature, in order to deceive the ignorant and unwary, and thus not only to tamper with the lives of their fellow-creatures, but also render the characters of the British chymist and medical practitioner, contemptible abroad.

The Editors are fully aware, that those who are interested in the sale of such medicines, will be ungenerous enough to impute their exertions to sordid and invidious motives, of which they

flatter themselves every true friend to humanity, and to his country, will readily acquit them, and that even the former must allow that, in its execution, they have displayed much more moderation and candour than so dishonourable and destructive a traffic is deserving of.

THE MEDICAL OBSERVER.

No. I.

ON QUACK MEDICINES, &c.

BY ROYAL AUTHORITY,

THE

PECTORAL BALSAM OF LIQUORICE, "For the cure of coughs, colds, asthmas, catarrhs, wheezings, the hooping cough, and other pulmonary complaints."

THIS

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HIS nostrum was first invented by a Mr. Pidding, who styled himself a Surgeon. It seems that Mr. Pidding, in order "to prevent those dangerous consequences which frequently result from counterfeit medicines, and to prevent that disappoint"ment which invariably accompany the use of "them," was induced to open a Genuine Patent Medicine Warehouse, in Oxford-street, for the very laudable purpose of vending genuine medicines ONLY, and judging that the public would be better satisfied with something more than empty verbal professions, he prefaced the undertaking by making a solemn affidavit before the then Lord Mayor, and other respectable persons; "that he never "would directly, or indirectly, sell, or cause, or permit, or suffer to be sold by others for him, any patent or public medicine, of whatever name, title, or description, to any person or persons whatsoever, without such medicine being in the strictest sense of the word GENUINE, "and either procured from the Proprietor himself, or from his appointed Agent."

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The present proprietor of this medicine, who some time since practised pharmacy in the Borough, now Doctor Allen, on taking to Mr. Pidding's business, (it is stated) entered into special covenants with Mr. Pidding, never to deviate from his plan, and to sell none but GENUINE medicines: when it is considered (observes the "learned Doctor in his public advertisements,) "that the plan was calculated to frustrate the designs of a set of swindling adventurers, who impose on the unwary, plausible, but delusive "and dangerous imitations of the most approved "and valuable medicines, it is by no means surprising that such a plan should have excited public attention-approbation-and extensive patronage; a patronage which Mr. Pidding "enjoyed for a series of years, and which Dr. "Allen pledges himself he will never forfeit his "claim to;" which concludes with the declaration, that all medicines continued to be sold at his warehouse "warranted genuine ON OATH."

After expatiating on the medicinal properties of Liquorice, which on the authority of Dr. Motherby, Dr. Lewis, and the Greek Physicians, is stated to be "attenuant, detergent, diuretic, ex"pectorant and demulcent;" he positively declares, that his Pectoral Balsam of Liquorice "Is an elegant preparation from the simple and invaluable root from whence it derives its name, so remark* ably concentrated that a small bottle contains "all the specific pectoral virtues of a whole pound "of stick liquorice, completely divested of its gross and superfluous parts. A person unacquainted with pharmaceutical chymistry, and the properties of liquorice root, would of course,

* The small sized bottle contains an ounce and half of liquid.