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of the acid fpirit in diftillation, which vellicating and contracting as a ftimulus might have proved a counterpoife to the exceffive lubricating and relaxing qualities of the oil.

62. Woods in decoction do not feem to yield fo ripe and elaborate a juice, as that which is depofited in the cells or loculi terebinthiaci, and fpontaneoufly oozes from them. And indeed though the balfam of Peru, obtained by boiling wood and fcumming the decoction, be a very valuable medicine and of great account in divers cafes, particuJarly afthmas, nephritic pains, nervous colics and obftructions, yet I do verily think (and I do not fay this without experience) that tar-water is a more efficacious remedy in all those cases than even that coftly drug.

63. It hath been already observed that the reftorative pectoral antihyfterical virtues of the most precious balfams and gums are poffeffed in a high degree by tar-water (a). And I do not know any purpose answered by the wood drinks, for which tar-water may not be used with at least equal fuccefs. It contains the virtues even of Guaiacum which feems the moft efficacious of all the woods, warming and sweetening the humours, diaphoretic and ufeful in gouts, dropfies and rheums, as well as in the foul disease. Nor fhould it seem ftrange, if the virtues obtained by boiling an old dry wood prove inferior to thofe extracted from a balfam.

64. There is a fine volatile fpirit in the waters of Geronfter, the most efteemed of all the fountains about Spa, but whofe waters do not bear tranfporting. The ftomachic, cardiac, and diuretic qualities of this fountain fomewhat refemble those of tarwater, which, if I am not greatly mistaken, con

(a) Sect. 9, 21, 22, 23.

tains

tains the virtues of the beft chalybeat and fulphureous waters; with this difference, that those waters are apt to affect the head in taking, which tarwater is not. Besides there is a regimen of diet to be observed, efpecially with chalybeat waters, which I never found neceffary with this. Tarwater layeth under no reftraint either as to diet, hours, or employment. A man may study, or exercise, or repofe, keep his own hours, pafs his time either within or without, and take wholesom nourishment of any kind.

65. The ufe of chalybeat waters, however excellent for the nerves and ftomach, is often fufpended by colds and inflammatory diforders; in which they are acknowledged to be very dangerous. Whereas tar-water is fo far from hurting in thofe cafes, or being difcontinued on that account, that it greatly contributes to their cure (a).

66. Cordials, vulgarly fo called, act immedi ately on the ftomach, and by consent of nerves on the head. But medicines of an operation too fine and light to produce a fenfible effect in the primæ viæ, may, neverthelefs, in their paffage through the capillaries, operate on the fides of thofe fmall veffels, in fuch manner as to quicken their ofcillations, and confequently the motion of their contents, producing, in iffue and effect, all the benefits of a cordial much more lafting and falutary than thofe of fermented fpirits, which by their cauftic and coagulating qualities do incomparably more mifchief than good. Such a cardiac medicine is tar-water. The tranfient fits of mirth, produced from fermented liquors, are attended with proportionable depreflions of fpirit in their intervals. But the calm chearfulness arifing from

(a) Sect. 7.

this water of health (as it may be justly called) is permanent. In which it emulates the virtues of that famous plant Gen Seng, fo much valued in China as the only cordial that raiseth the spirits without depreffing them. Tar-water is fo far from hurting the nerves as common cordials do, that it is highly useful in cramps, fpafms of the vifcera, and paralytic numbness.

67. Emetics are on certain occafions adminiftred with great fuccefs. But the overstraining and weakening of nature may be very juftly apprehended from a courfe of emetics. They are nevertheless prefcribed and fubftituted for exercife. But it is well remarked in Plato's Timæus that vomits and purges are the worst exercife in the world. There is fomething in the mild operation of tar-water, that feems more friendly to the economy, and forwards the digeftions and fecretions in a way more natural and benign, the mildness of this medicine being fuch that I have known children take it, for above fix months together, with great benefit, and without any inconvenience; and after long and repeated experience I do efteem it a moft excellent diet drink fitted to all feafons and ages.

68. It is, I think, allowed that the origin of the gout lies in a faulty digeftion. And it is remarked by the ableft phyficians, that the gout is fo difficult to cure, because heating medicines aggravate it's immediate, and cooling it's remote caufe. But tar-water, although it contain active principles that ftrengthen the digeftion beyond any thing I know, and confequently must be highly ufeful, either to prevent or leffen the following fit, or by envigorating the blood to caft it upon the extremities, yet it is not of fo heating a nature as to do harm even in the fit. Nothing is

more

more difficult or difagreeable than to argue men out of their prejudices; I fhall not therefore enter into controversies on this subject, but, if men difpute and object, fhall leave the decifion to time and trial.

69. In the modern practice, foap, opium, and mercury bid faireft for univerfal medicines. The first of these is highly spoken of. But then thofe who magnify it moft, except against the use of it in fuch cafes where the obstruction is attended with a putrefactive alkali, or where an inflammatory difpofition appears. It is acknowledged to be very dangerous in a phthifis, fever, and fome other cafes in which tar-water is not only fafe but useful.

70. Opium, though a medicine of great extent and efficacy, yet is frequently known to produce grievous diforders in hysterical or hypochondriacal perfons, who make a great part, perhaps the greatest of thofe who lead fedentary lives in these inlands. Befides, upon all conftitutions dangerous errors may be committed in the use of opium.

71. Mercury hath of late years become a medicine of very general use. The extreme minuteness, mobility, and momentum of it's parts, rendering it a moft powerful cleanfer of all obftructions, even in the most minute capillaries. But then we should be cautious in the use of it, if we confider, that the very thing which gives it power of doing good above other deobftruents, doth alfo difpofe it to do mischief. I mean it's great momentum, the weight of it being about ten times that of blood, and the momentum being the joint product of the weight and velocity, it must needs operate with great force; and may it not be juftly feared, that fo great a force entring the minuteft E

veffels,

veffels, and breaking the obftructed matter, might alto break or wound the fine tender coats of those fmall veffels, and fo bring on the untimely effects of old age, producing more, perhaps, and worse obftructions than thofe it removed? Similar confequences may juftly be apprehended from other mineral and ponderous medicines. Therefore, upon. the whole, there will not perhaps be found any medicine, more general in it's ufe, or more falutary in it's effects than tar-water.

-72. To fuppofe that all diftempers arifing from very different, and, it may be, from contrary caufes, can be cured by one and the fame medieine must seem chimerical. But it may with truth be affirmed, that the virtue of tar-water extends to a furprising variety of cafes very diftant and unlike (a). This I have experienced in my neighbours, my family, and myself. And as I live in a remote corner among poor neighbours, who for want of a regular phyfician have often recourfe to me, I have had frequent opportunities of trial, which convince me it is of fo juft a temperament as to be an enemy to all extremes. I have known it do great good in a cold watery conftitution, as a cardiac and ftomachic; and at the fame time allay heat and feverish thirst in another. I have known it correct coftive habits in fome, and the contrary habit in others. Nor will this feem incredible, if it be confidered that middle qualities naturally reduce the extreme. Warm water, for instance, mixed with hot and cold will leffen the heat in that, and be cold in this.

73. They who know the great virtues of common foap, whofe coarse lixivial falts are the pro(a) Sect. 3, 4, 5, 6, 21, &c.

duct

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