I do remember an apothecary,
And hereabouts 'a dwells, which late I noted
In tatt'red weeds, with read more

I do remember an apothecary,
And hereabouts 'a dwells, which late I noted
In tatt'red weeds, with overwhelming brows,
Culling of simples. Meagre were his looks,
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones;
And in his needy shop a tortoise hung,
An alligator stuffed, and other skins
Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves
A beggarly account of empty boxes,
Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds,
Remnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses
Were thinly scattered, to make up a show.

I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal that, but dip a knife in it,
Where read more

I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal that, but dip a knife in it,
Where it draws blood so cataplasm so rare,
Collected from all simples that have virtue
Under the moon, can save the thing from death
That is but scratched withal. I'll touch my point
With this contagion, that, if I gall him slightly,
It may be death.

Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in read more

Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing

How the Doctor's brow should smile,
Crown'd with wreaths of camomile.

How the Doctor's brow should smile,
Crown'd with wreaths of camomile.

The rich Physician, honor'd Lawyers ride,
Whilst the poor Scholar foots it by their side.
[Lat., Dat read more

The rich Physician, honor'd Lawyers ride,
Whilst the poor Scholar foots it by their side.
[Lat., Dat Galenus opes, dat Justinianus honores,
Sed genus species cogitur ire pedes.]

A pill that the present moment is daily bread to thousands.

A pill that the present moment is daily bread to thousands.

God heals and the doctor takes the fee.

God heals and the doctor takes the fee.

A disorderly patient makes the physician cruel.
[Lat., Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit.]

A disorderly patient makes the physician cruel.
[Lat., Crudelem medicum intemperans aeger facit.]

This is the way that physicians mend or end us,
Secundum artem: but although we sneer
In read more

This is the way that physicians mend or end us,
Secundum artem: but although we sneer
In health--when ill, we call them to attend us,
Without the least propensity to jeer.