PRE FA C E.

THE Knowledge of Simple Druggs is a Study fo agreeable, andfo ex-alted in its own Nature, that it has been the Pur/ait of the fineflGenius's in all Ages : Several Princes have apply d themfelves to itwith a great deal of Satisfaction to their own Minds, and Improvement to thePublick, as Mefue, Matthiolus, &c. to whom we are oblig'd for the firfl Ef-fays of Medicine, which is an indifpenfible Knowledge to all who are concern dinCompofition, efpecia/ly Apothecaries; for which Reafon they ought to begin withthis Study, before they undertake Pharmacy, elfe they can never prepare anyThing with Exaclnefs, which is the Occafion of fo many grofs Errors that at-tend theBufinefs , to the great Prejudice of the Patient; for they ought toknow as well as the Druggifl, from whence every Drugg comes, becaufe dif-ferent Climates encreafe or lefen much their Virtues. They ought to d,flinguifhthem by their Names, their Figures, their Subflance, their Touch or Feelingtheir Weight or Lightnefs, their Colour, their Smell, their Tafte, and takeparticular Care that thofe which come from foreign Countries be not counter-feited or adulterated: For the Merchants, thro' whofe Hands they pafs, arefometimes too covetous of extravagant Gain, fo that they fophtflicate and coun-terfeit fo well, that it is a hard Matter to difcover the Cheat if we have notbeen very converfant, or well acquainted with thofe Druggs before. Druveitisand Grocers themfelves are fometimes the firfl deceivd in buying great Quan-tities of falfe Druggs for good ones, and Jelling 'em fo again ; for which Rea-fon it is very mceffary that they (hou'd be well skill'd in the Knowledge of theTrue from the Falfe, which is gaind by a continued Trade in them, and a Fre-quency of feeing them. A Druggift ought to apply him/elf as much as potfible to get Druggs at the firfl Hand, and to know the Places of their Growthand their true natural Hiflory .- For moft Books that have been writ hithertohave told us nothing but Fables on this Head.

The Publick will find themfelves much indebted to Monfieur Pomer, forthe great Number of curious and ufeful Remarks they will rr.eet with in this

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