that article liable to a duty. It is no secret preparation, is used more as an article of luxury than a medicine, and being sold without directions, certainly does not come within the meaning of the act. Besides, it is a regular preparation of our pharmacopoeia, and I cannot but consider its insertion in the list of Quack Medicines as an insult to the colleges of physicians, of London and Edinburgh; and it has been a matter of no small degree of surprize to me, that those learned bodies have not remonstrated with government on the glaring impropriety of inserting so many of their regular medicines in this disgraceful catalogue. I observed in our provincial paper of last week, a paragraph, purporting that the college of physicians in London, purpose to extend their power all over England!! It would in my opinion redound more to their honour first to suppress the practice of Quackery, within the precincts of their undoubted jurisdiction: for the quantity of Quack Medicines that arrive in this city and neighbourhood from the metropolis is incredible, and the mischief they produce incalculable. I can take upon me to say, that the physicians of this city are held in as high estimation by its inhabitants as the Warwick Lane Doctors are in London, and I believe in point of abilities are by no means inferior. They are gentlemen of great practical knowledge, which I regard of far greater

importance than theory. I am fearful your college meditate more the good of themselves than the good of the public. If you think otherwise, I shall be much obliged to you to point out what they have ever done for the promotion of medical science, or the good of their country?

I shall take the liberty of sending you, for a future number of your valuable work, some observations on the practice of the physicians and surgeons in this neighbourhood, and particularly of a Doctor Brag, who, by means of pomposity, and a superficial knowledge of the world, has so far imposed on some ignorant families in this neighbourhood, as to induce them to suppose he really possesses some medical knowledge! Certain it is Messrs. Editors, that a knowledge of the world will often supersede professional merit, and what is still more extraordinary, in general practice, such people are often the most successful.

I am, Gentlemen,

Your sincere friend,

J. R. L.

We certainly were not aware, that Soda Water was included in the schedule of the amended act; and as we were totally at a loss to conjecture any reason why it should be deemed subject to duty, we took the liberty of applying to Mr. Chamberlaine

(through whose very laudable, and, we may say, indefatigable exertions, many articles were omitted in the schedule of the amended act), to learn on what account Soda Water was continued, to which Mr. Chamberlaine politely returned the following

answer.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE MEDICAL OBSERVER.

Gentlemen,

Friday Night, Aug. 28th, 1807.

I was extremely happy to find, by your welcome favour addressed to me, of the 24th, that there is some prospect of another number of the Medical Observer.

You ask, whether any objection was made by the deputation of the committee appointed to wait on Mr. Estcourt and Mr. Vansittart, to the stampation (if I may be allowed to coin a phrase) of Soda Water. The articles, Artificial Mineral Waters, were objected to; but I understood at the time, that in one of the interviews, Mr. Vansittart set his face against the emancipation of Artificial Mineral Waters, well knowing, that there are perhaps a thousand dozen a day of Soda Water quaffed off in this metropolis; and the concession of twelve thousand three halfpenny stamps, amounting to 751. a day for London and its vici-. nity only, (not computing the consumption

throughout the rest of England), would be a sacrifice too great to make.

I should have returned you an earlier answer, but I wished to be able to give as satisfactory a reply as the nature of things would admit, and, therefore, I called on Mr. Bulmer, as soon after the receipt of your favour, as business would let me, in order to know what farther light could be thrown upon the subject. He now says, that the reason why Soda Water was objected to be liberated was, because Schweppe gave forth, that he had a superior method of making Soda water, by which he could make it better than any one else; this was laid hold of as a good reason why it should be made a stampable article. But it was no good reason, because Schweppe made a secret of his art, that others who made no secret of the method of making a composition, that every one now knows how to make, should be saddled with two guineas a year for the license, and obliged to affix stamps. Many do this through fear; but I do not hear, that those who do not sell the Soda Water without stamps, have ever been troubled.

Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to afford any assistance whatever to a work, that has been long wanting, and which I admire so much as the Medical Observer.

I am, Gentleman,

Aylesbury Street.

Your very obedient servant,

W. CHAMBERLAINE.

We cannot take upon us to determine, whether the Soda Water, made by Mr. Schweppe, be not subject to duty; we are inclined to believe, it is, inasmuch as Mr. Schweppe pretends to have a se cret method of making it. We do not find, that Mr. Schweppe's preparation is superior to that made by the directions of the pharmacopoeia of the college; but even Mr. Schweppe's, when sold as a beverage, and not as a medicine, we conceive not liable to duty. We perfectly agree with Mr. Chamberlaine, and Mr. J. R. L. that Soda Water, prepared in the usual manner, or according to the formula and directions of the College of Physicians, is not subject to a duty. If any person should be informed of, for vending it without a stamp, we will thank him to send us the earliest intelligence of it; in which case, we will take upon ourselves to advocate his cause. Mr. J. R. L. will observe, that we have, in another part of our work, made some observations on the state of the medical profession of this country, and on the Laws of the College of Physicians in London, which were written prior to the receipt of his letter; we shall be happy to be favoured with his promised communications. We beg to return our thanks to Mr. Chamberlaine for his ready compliauce with our request, we hope to be occasionally honoured with his support.