94. But thus much is certain, the cure of the fcurvy is no more to be attempted by ftrongly active medicines than (to ufe the fimilitude of an ingenious writer) a thorn in the flesh, or pitch on filk to be removed by force. The vifcid humour must be gently refolved and diluted, the tone of the veffels recovered by a moderate ftimulation, and the tender fibres and capillary veffels gradually cleared from the concreted ftuff, that adheres and obftructs them. All which is in the apteft manner performed by a watery diluent, containing a fine vegetable foap. And although a complete cure by alteratives, operating on the fmall capillaries, and by infenfible difcharges, must require length of time, yet the good effect of this medicine on cachectic and fcorbutic perfons, is foon perceived, by the change it produceth in their pale difcoloured looks, giving a florid healthy countenance in Jefs time than perhaps any other medicine.

95. It is fuppofed by phyficians, that the immediate caufe of the fcurvy lies in the blood, the fibrous part of which is too thick and the ferum too thin and fharp and that hence arifeth the great difficulty in the cure, because in the correcting of one part, regard must be had to the other. It is well known how extremely difficult it is to cure an inveterate fcurvy: how many scorbutic patients have grown worfe by an injudicious course of evacuations: how many are even rendered incurable by the treatment of inconfiderate phyficians and how difficult, tedious and uncertain the cure is in the hands even of the best, who are obliged to ufe fuch variety and change of medicines, in the different ftages of that malady: which nevertheless may be cured (if I may judge by what I have experienced) by the fole, regular, conftant, copious ufe of tar-water.

96. Tar

96. Tar-water moderately infpiffates with it's balfamic virtue, and renders mild the thin and fharp part of the blood. The fame, as a foapy medicine, diffolves the grumous concretions of the fibrous part. As a balfam it destroys the ulcerous acrimony of the humours, and as a deobftruent it opens and cleans the veffels, reftores their tone, and ftrengthens the digestion, whose defects are the principal cause of fcurvy and cachexy.

97. In the cure of the fcurvy, the principal aim is to fubdue the acrimony of the blood and juices. But as this acrimony proceeds from different caufes, or even oppofite, as acid and alkaline, what is good in one fort of scurvy proves dangerous, or even mortal, in another. It is well known, that hot antifcorbutics, where the juices of the body are alcalefcent, increase the disease. And four fruits and vegetables produce a like effect in the fcurvy, caused by an acid acrimony. Hence fatal blunders are committed by unwary practitioners, who, not diftinguishing the nature of the disease, do frequently aggravate, inftead of curing it. If I may truft what trials I have been able to make, this water is good in the feveral kinds of fcurvy, acid, alcaline, and muriatic, and I believe it the only medicine that cures them all without doing hurt in any. As it contains a volatile acid (a) with a fine volatile oil, why may not a medicine cool in one part and warm in another be a remedy to either extreme (b)? I have obferved I have observed it to produce a kindly genial warmth without heat, a thing to be aimed at in all forts of fcurvy. Befides the balfam in tar-water fheaths all fcorbutic falts alike and it's great virtues as a digester and deob

(a) 7.

(b) 72.

ftruent

ftruent are of general ufe in all fcorbutic, and, I may add, in all chronical cafes whatsoever.

98. I cannot be fure that I have tried it in a fcrophulous cafe, though I have tried it successfully in one that I fufpected to be fo. And I appre hend it would be very ferviceable in fuch diforders. For although Doctor Gibbs in his treatife of the King's Evil derives that disease from a coagulating acid, which is also agreeable to the opinion of fome other physicians, and although tar-water contain an acid, yet as it is a foap (a), it refolves instead of coagulating the juices of the body.

99. For hysterical and hypochondriacal diforders fo frequent among us, it is commonly supposed that all acids are bad. But I will venture to except the acid foap of tar-water, having found, by my own experience and that of many others, that it raifeth the fpirits, and is an excellent antihysteric, nor lefs innocent than potent, which cannot be faid of thofe others in common use, that often leave people worse than they found them.

100. In a high degree of fcurvy a mercurial fa livation is looked on by many as the only cure. Which, by the vehement fhock it gives the whole frame, and the sensible secretion it produceth, may be thought to be more adequate to fuch an effect. But the disorder occafioned by that violent process, it is to be feared, may never be got over. The immediate danger, the frequent bad effects, the extreme trouble and nice care attending fuch a courfe do very deservedly make people afraid of it. And though the fenfible fecretion therein be fo great, yet in a longer tract of time the use of tar-water may produce as great

(a) 58.

a discharge of fcorbutic falts by urine and by perfpiration, the effect of which laft, though not fo fenfible, may yet be greater than that of faliyation; especially if it be true, that in common life infenfible perfpiration is to nutrition, and all fenfible excretions, as five to three.

101. Many hyfteric and fcorbutic ailments, many taints contracted by themselves, or inherited from their ancestors, afflict the people of condition in these islands, often rendering them, upon the whole, much more unhappy than those whom poverty and labour have ranked in the lowest lot of life; which ailments might be fafely removed or relieved by the fole use of tar-water; and thofe lives, which feem hardly worth living for bad appetite, low fpirits, reftless nights, wafting pains and anxieties, be rendered eafy and comfortable.

102. As the nerves are inftruments of fenfation, it follows that fpafms in the nerves may produce all fymptoms, and therefore a diforder in the nervous fyftem fhall imitate all diftempers, and occafion, in appearance, an afthma for inftance, a pleuFify, or a fit of the ftone. Now whatever is good for the nerves in general, is good against all fuch fymptoms. But tar-water, as it includes in an eminent degree the virtues of warm gums and refins, is of great ufe for comforting and ftrengthening the nerves (a), curing twitches in the nervous fibres, cramps alfo, and numbness in the limbs, removing anxieties and promoting fleep, in all which cafes I have known it very fuccefsful.

193. This fafe and cheap medicine fuits all circumftances and all conftitutions, operating eafily, curing without disturbing, raising the fpirits without depreffing them, a circumftance that deserves

repeated attention, efpecially in these climates, where ftrong liquors fo fatally and fo frequently pro duce thofe very diftreffes they are defigned to remedy; and, if I am not mifinformed, even among the ladies themfelves, who are truly much to be pitied. Their condition of life makes them a prey to imaginary woes, which never fail to grow up in minds unexercifed and unemployed. To get rid of these, it is faid, there are who betake themfelves to diftilled fpirits. And it is not improbable they are led gradually to the ufe of those poisons by a certain complaifant pharmacy, too much used in the modern practice, palfy drops, poppy cordial, plague water, and fuch like, which being in truth nothing but drams difguifed, yet coming from the apothecaries, are confidered only as medicines.

104. The foul of man was supposed by many ancient fages, to be thrust into the human body as into a prifon, for punishment of paft offences. But the worst prifon is the body of an indolent Epicure, whofe blood is inflamed by fermented li quors (a) and high fauces, or render'd putrid, fharp, and corrofive, by a ftagnation of the animal. juices through floth and indolence; whofe membranes are irritated by pungent falts, whofe mind is agitated by painful ofcillations of the nervous (b) fyftem, and whofe nerves are mutually affected by the irregular paffions of his mind. This ferment in the animal economy darkens and confounds the intellect. It produceth vain terrours and vain conceits, and ftimulates the foul with mad defires, which, not being natural, nothing in nature can fatisfy. No wonder, therefore, there are fo many fine perfons of both fexes, fhining themfelves, and fhone on by fortune, who are inwardly miferable and fick of life.

(a) 66.

(b) 86.

G

105. The