SIRIS: A CHAIN of B479 PHILOSOPHICAL REFLEXIONS AND INQUIRIES Concerning the VIRTUES of TAR WATER, And divers other Subjects connected together CARTOS 24200 FIRTIOTECA BY THE Right Rev. Dr. GEORGE BERKELEY, As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men. Gal. vi. 10. Hor. The SECOND EDITION, DUBLIN Printed, LONDON Re-printed, For W. INNYS, and C. HITCH, in Pater-nofter-row ; GIO CARLOS A CHAIN of PHILOSOPHICAL REFLEXIONS AND INQUIRIES, &c. F OR INTRODUCTION to the following piece I affure the reader, that nothing could, in my prefent fituation, have induced me to be at the pains of writing it, but a firm belief that it would prove a valuable present to the public. What entertainment foever the reafoning or notional part may afford the mind, I will venture to fay, the other part feemeth fo furely calculated to do good to the body, that both must be gainers. For if the lute be not well tuned, the musician fails of his harmony. And in our prefent ftate, the operations of the mind, fo far depend on the right tone or good condition of it's inftrument, that any thing which greatly contributes to preserve or recover the health of the body, is well worth the attention of the mind. Thefe confiderations have moved me to communicate to the public the falutary virtues of tar-water; to which I thought myself indifpenfably obliged, by the duty every man owes to mankind. And, as effects are linked with their caufes, my thoughts on this low, but ufeful theme led to farA 2 ther GABLIOTECA ther inquiries, and thofe on to others remote, perhaps, and fpeculative, but, I hope, not altogether useless or unentertaining. 1. N certain parts of America, tar-water is made by putting a quart of cold water to a quart of tar, and ftirring them well together in a veffel, which is left ftanding till the tar finks to the bottom. A glafs of clear water being poured off for a draught is replaced by the fame quantity of fresh water, the veffel being fhaken and left to ftand as before. And this is repeated for every glafs, fo long as the tar continues to impregnate the water fufficiently, which will appear by the finell and tafte. But as this method produceth tarwater of different degrees of ftrength, I chufe to make it in the following manner: Pour a gallon of cold water on a quart of tar, and ftir and mix them thoroughly with a ladle or flat flick for the fpace of three or four minutes, after which the veffel muft ftand eight and forty hours that the tar may have time to fubfide, when the clear water is to be poured off and kept for ufe, no more being made from the fame tar, which may still ferve for common purposes. 2 This cold infufion of tar hath been used in fome of cur colonies, as a prefervative or preparative against the fmall-pox, which foreign practice induced me to try it in my own neighbourhood, when the fmall-pox raged with great violence. And the trial fully anfwered my expectation: all thofe, within my knowkdge, who took the tar-water having either efcaped that diftemper, or had it very favourably. In one family there was a remarkable inftance of feven children, who came alk very well through the finall-pox, except one young child child which could not be brought to drink tar-water as the reft had done. 3. Several were preferved from taking the fmallpox by the ufe of this liquor: others had it in the mildest manner, and others that they might be able to take the infection, were obliged to intermit drinking the tar-water. I have found it may be drunk with great fafety and fuccefs for any length of time, and this not only before, but alfo during the diftemper. The general rule for taking it is, about half a pint night and morning on an empty ftomach, which quantity may be varied, according to the cafe and age of the patient, provided it be always taken on an empty ftomach, and about two hours before or after a meal 4. It seemed probable, that a medicine of fuch efficacy in a diftemper attended with fo many purulent ulcers, might be alfo useful in other foulneffes of the blood; accordingly I tried it on feveral perfons infected with cutaneous eruptions and ulcers, who were foon relieved, and foon after cured. Encouraged by thefe fucceffes I ventured to advise it in the fouleft diftempers, wherein it proved much more fuccefsful than falivations and wood-drinks had done. 5. Having tried it in a great variety of cafes, I found it fucceed beyond my hopes; in a tedious and painful ulceration of the bowels, in a confumptive cough and (as appeared by expectorated pus) an ulcer in the lungs; in a pleurify and perpineumony. And when a perfon, who for fome years had been fubject to eryfipelatous fevers, perceived the ufual fore-running fymptoms to come on, I advifed her to drink tar-water which prevented the eryfipelas. 6. I never knew any thing fo good for the ftomach as tar-water: it cures indigeftion and gives a good |