Genre:

Discourse, Spoof

Subjects:

Quackery, Medical Treatment, Imposture, Crime, Pharmaceuticals

    Evidently inspired by the recent trial of the quacks A F Henery and Mr Anderson, this article is written from the perspective of a quack doctor confined in a pillory and being pelted with, amongst other things, his own medicine. He begins by describing the pain caused by the pillory and the 'nasty things' being thrown at him. He then wishes he had gained 'all the fees I could by legal means', and agrees that he deserves to be punished for threatening 'violation of confidence [of his customer] in black and white' and thereby furnishing 'evidence of extortion against myself'. However, he castigates the 'howling rabble' who throw his 'own filth' at him, and insists that 'Considering how many fools there are amongst you, I cannot help feeling that, standing here all filth as I am, I constitute the very best advertisement of myself that could possibly be exhibited'.