private book of cheap receipts. This practice we shall fully expose in the next number, when we come to speak of the business of druggists, chymists, and apothecaries.

We lament much to observe the names of physicians, who, during their life time, were ornaments to their profession and their country; and who were known to be particularly hostile to empirical practices, now recorded in the list of empirics!!! It is extremely indecent in a tradesman as soon as a person is dead to advertise a nostrum under the sanction of his name. By this practice the names of Dr. Fothergill, Dr. Hugh Smith, Dr. Hunter, Sir Richard Jebs, and other very eminent practitioners are introduced into the schedule. We shall resume this subject in our next number under the head of pharmacy, when we shall notice several preparations peculiar to regular druggists and apothecaries.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

MR. R's Letter on the elevation of the Secretary of the Arts and Sciences, to the academical honor of Medical Doctor, was duly received, and shall appear in its proper place in our next number. In the interim, we have no doubt but the College of Physicians, as well as the Society for the encou ragement" of the Arts and Sciences, will make the necessary inquiries relative to his qualifications or pretensions to that title.

We thank Mr. Butler for his observations on the College of Physicians, and the practice of Physicians on the Continent, of which we shall avail ourselves in the next number.

The communications of Philo-medicus, Chymico-medicus, Chirurgicus, I.P. L.L.D. shall be duly attended to.

The Editors will be obliged by any information respecting Quack Medicines, or the regular Profession, which must be addressed (post paid) to them, to the care of Mr. Highley, Medical Bookseller, No. 24, Fleet Street. They hope to comprise the whole of their Observations and the Communications sent to them, in the next number, which will be published about the 1st of June.

THE MEDICAL OBSERVER.

No. II.

ON QUACK MEDICINES, &c.

THE REV. WILLIAM BARCLAY'S PATENT ANTIBILIOUS PILLS. [Continued from page 84.]

The following is a literal copy of the Proprietor's specification, as obtained from the Patent Office.

"REV. MR. BARCLAY's INVENTION.

“TAKE of the mass of the simple colocynth pills, two drams; of resin of jalap, one dram; of soap of almonds, one dram and a half; of extracts of guaicum wood, three drams; of tartar emetic, eight grains; of the essential oil of juniper berries, four drops; of the essential oil of carraway seeds, four drops; and of the essential oil of rosemary buds or flowers, four drops; mixing them well together with as much syrup of buckthorn berries as will make a mass for pills, and then divide the same into sixty-four equal parts, and make each part into a pill. The dose is, from three to four of the pills, or more of them, taken at night or in the morning, as occasion or necessity may require. The above ingredients will form my pill, which are known by the name of the Rev. Mr. Barclay's Antibilious Deobstruent Pills. IN WITNESS, &c."

Q

This composition being represented by the proprietor, a discovery of great national importance, the legislature, from a sense of gratitude in justice to his profound knowledge of pharmacy and chemistry, as well as deep skill in therapeutics, could not do less than grant him a patent, of which the following is a copy:

“GEORGE THE THIRD, by the grace of God, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. WHEREAS, William Barclay, of Manchester Buildings, in the Parish of St. Margaret, in the City of Westminster, Clerk, hath by his Petition humbly represented unto us, That he hath invented a certain medicinal compound, called "The Rev. Mr. Barclay's Antibilious Deobstruent Pills," which in their use have proved far superior to any medicine yet discovered, for the safe and effectual expulsion of the bile and bilious obstructions, so FATAL in their effects to mankind in general, which he conceives will be of public utility; That he is the first and true inventor thereof, and that the same hath not been practised by any other person or persons whomsoever to his knowledge or belief. The Petitioner therefore most humbly prayed, that we would be graciously pleased to grant unto him, his executors, administrators, and assigns, our Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of our united Kingdom,

for the sole use, benefit, and advantage of his said invention within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, for the term of fourteen years, pursuant to the statute in that case made and provided. And we being willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good, are graciously pleased to condescend to the Petitioner's request; Know ye therefore, that we of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have given and granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, do give and grant unto the said William Barclay, his executors, administrators, and assigns, our especial license, full power, sole privilege, and authority; that he the said William Barclay, his executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of them, by himself and themselves, or by his and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others, as he the said William Barclay, his executors, administrators or assigns, shall at any me agree with, time and no others, from time to time, and at all times hereafter during the term of years herein expressed, shall and lawfully may make, use, exercise and vend his said invention, within that part of our united Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, called England; our Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, in such manner as to him the said William Barclay, his executors,