GART H.

AMUEL GARTH was of a good family in Yorkshire, and from fome fchool in his own country became a ftudent at Peter-houfe in Cambridge, where he refided till he commenced doctor of phyfick on July the 7th, 1691. He was examined before the College at London on March the 12th, 1691-2, and admitted fellow July 26th, 1692. He was foon fo much diftinguifhed, by his converfation and accomplishments, as to obtain very extenfive practice;

and, if a pamphlet of thofe times may

be credited, had the favour and confidence of one party, as Ratcliffe had of the other.

He is always mentioned as a man of benevolence; and it is juft to fuppofe that his defire of helping the helpless, difpofed him to fo much zeal for the Difpenfary; an undertaking of which fome account, however fhort, is proper to be given.

Whether what Temple fays be true, that phyficians have had more learning than the other faculties, I will not stay to enquire; but, I believe, every man has found in phyficians great liberality, and dignity of fentiment, very prompt effufion of beneficence, and willingness

to

to exert a lucrative art, where there is no hope of lucre. Agreeably to this character, the College of Phyficians, in July 1687, published an edict, requiring all the fellows, candidates, and licentiates, to give gratuitous advice to the neighbouring poor.

This edict was fent to the Court of

Aldermen; and a queftion being made to whom the appellation of the poor fhould be extended, the College anfwered, that it fhould be fufficient to bring a teftimonial from a clergyman officiating in the parish where the patient refided.

After a year's experience, the phyficians found their charity fruftrated by fome malignant oppofition, and made

to a great degree vain by the high price of phyfick; they therefore voted, in Auguft 1688, that the laboratory of the College fhould be accommodated to the preparation of medicines, and another room prepared for their reception; and that the contributers to the expence fhould manage the charity.

It was now expected that the Apothecaries would have undertaken the care of providing medicines; but they took another courfe. Thinking the whole defign pernicious to their intereft, they endeavoured to raise a faction against it in the College, and found fome phyficians mean enough to folicit their patronage, by betraying to

them