Vindiciæ medicinæ & medicorum: or An apology for the profession and professors of physick In answer to the several pleas of illegal practitioners; wherein their positions are examined, their cheats discovered, and their danger to the nation asserted. As also an account of the present pest, in answer to a letter. By Nath. Hodges, M.D. Coll. Lond.

TO THE MOST Reverend Father in God, HIS GRACE GILBERT, BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE Lord Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY, and Metropolitan of all ENGLAND, and one of His MAJESTY'S Most Honourable PRIVY-COUNCIL.

May it please your GRACE,

THe neer alliance between DIVI∣NITY and MEDICINE, whose relation is as intimate as the Uni∣on of SOUL and BODY, hath setled such a Sympathy in both Professions, that they ne∣cessarily partake of the Infelicity and Pro∣sperity happening to each other; and thence

it was, that when the REVEREND CLER∣GY (during the late Rebellion) suffered according to their sworn Enemies implaca∣ble Fury, the Professors of PHYSICK al∣so by the prevailing Invasion of Empericks shared in the common Calamity; and since not without a Miracle that Storm is over, and the GOD OF ORDER hath moved up∣on our CHAOS, so that the Heavens are divided from the Earth, and our STARS shine in their proper Spheres, yeilding continually Influential Vertues in good measure to dispose the Feculencies below in∣to a compliance with their refining Effica∣cies: I say, since the Restitution of our RELIGION and CLERGY, Physicians do justly congratulate the Success of both, and most heartily wish that the CHURCH may never fall again into the hands of Empiri∣cal Divines who as rudely treated peoples Souls, as the present Quacks in Physick do their Bodies, their crude and extemporary Effusions directly answering the others un∣skilful and dangerous Medicaments.

And although the condition of Physick and Physicians is very little bettered, as if it were to be quite excluded from the be∣nefits of the PUBLICK DELIVERANCE, yet we despair not by reason particularly of your GRACES Readiness and Zeal to Patronize LEARNING, that the Profes∣sion of PHYSICK and legitimate Physi∣cians will after a long Confusion be sepa∣rated and distinguished from the Dregs of illiterate Practisers: Such it seems is the boldness both of our common Empericks and upstart Pseudochymists, that they presume to entertain as great hopes of their pre∣vailing over all ACADEMICKS, as the CHURCHES Enemies impatiently expect a Revolution, but I trust GOD ALMIGHTY in his Providence will utterly disappoint both; 'tis in the mean time our Advantage that some of our highest pretending Adver∣saries have made addresses to your GRACE, whose Judgment we esteem as the Grand Test to discover all those Fallacies both in Books and Men, which by reason of their

cunning Adulteration pass currantly with others; but so soon as their Mercurial Tin∣cture is evaporated, the remain will appear to be only Lead or some base Mettal.

Because Your GRACE and many other Persons of great Honor and Worth do ap∣prove CHYMISTRY as the most probable means to discover a sensible Philosophy, and to furnish noble Medicines for the be∣nefit of Mankind; some of our Mounte∣banking Vulcans have presumed to ap∣propriate these high Favors, as if Your Countenancing all true Sons of Art did comprehend all who in order to their Delu∣sion of the People call themselves Philoso∣phers by fire, having neither satisfied the UNIVERSITIES nor any other legall Judges concerning their Abilities and fit∣ness to undertake the most difficult Pro∣fession of Physick: no other Construction can be put upon that Transaction then a necessary invitation of ACADEMICAL PHYSICIANS to seek out and prepare the most effectual Remedies by Art acquirable,

and to give the People a just esteem of this way of Practice, to which because of the mis-carriages of Pseudochymists they are yet utter Enemies: but as for ignorant Quacks, who being Master of Reason can suppose that AUTHORITY will indulge them to abuse the People and oppose a Fa∣culty established by Law? As these are Diseases in the STATE, so wholsom E∣DICTS in time may happily be provided to deal with their most obstinate Complica∣tions.

I shall not intimate any Distrust by the use of many Arguments importuning Your GRACE to promote the speedy Enacting of convenient LAVVS whereby Illegal Pra∣ctisers may be Restrained and Punished; as MEDICINES when judiciously and ac∣cording to ART applied, are worthily repu∣ted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so Your GRACE in giving an opportunity of their Right Use will merit the greatest share in their Success and Commendations.

This small TREATISE and the AU∣THOR

being engaged to Encounter Multi∣tudes of Monsters, like those which Pliny mentions whose Eyes are fixed in their Breasts, their Knowledg being naught else but Passion, have made bold to shelter them∣selves under Your PATRONAGE. May it please Your GRACE to accept this little Book on the account of the Subjects which it attempts to Vindicate, and the Author as one who devotes himself to be

Your GRACES Most obedient Servant, NATH. HODGES.