Page images
PDF
EPUB

languishes at his recess; this terrestrial globe only a matrix difpofed and prepared to rec from his light; whence Homer in his hymn earth the wife of heaven, ἄλοχ ̓ οὐρανὸ ἀφερόεν

44. The luminous fpirit which is the life of a plant, from whence it's differer properties flow, is fomewhat extremely It is not the oil, but a thing more fubtile, oil is the vehicle, which retains it from fly and is lodged in feveral parts of the plant cularly in the cells of the bark and in th This oil purified and exalted by the o powers of the plant, and agitated by becomes a proper receptacle of the fpirit; which fpirit exhales through the leaves and and part is arrested by this unctuous hum detains it in the plant. It is to be noted th tial oil animated, as one may fay, with vour of the plant, is very different from a that can be procured from the fame plan mentation.

45. Light impregnates air (a), air imp vapour; and this becomes a watery juice lation having rifen firft in the cold ftil kindly gentle heat. This fragrant vegetable poffeffed of the fpecific odour and taft plant. It is remarked that diftilled oils water for counterfeiting the vegetable w never equal it, artificial chemistry falling the natural,"

46. The lefs violence is ufed to nature ter it's produce. The juice of olives or g fuing by the lighteft preffure is beft. R drop from the branches fpontaneously, upon the flighteft incifion, are the fineft

(a) 37. 43.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

fragrant. And infufions are obferved to act more
ftrongly than decoctions of plants, the more fub-
tile and volatile falts and fpirits, which might be
loft or corrupted by the latter, being obtained in
their natural ftate by the former. It is also obferv-
ed that the fineft, pureft, and moft volatile part
is that which firft afcends in diftillation. And,
indeed, it should feem the lightest and most active
particles required leaft force to difengage them from
the fubject.

47. The falts, therefore, and more active spirits
of the tar are got by infufion in cold water: but
the refinous part is not to be diffolved there-
by (a). Hence the prejudice which fome perhaps may
entertain against Tar-water, as a medicine, the
ufe whereof might inflame the blood by it's ful-
phur and refin, appears to be not well grounded;
it being indeed impregnated with a fine acid fpi-
rit, balfamic, cooling, diuretic, and poffeffed of
many other virtues (b). Spirits are fuppofed to
confift of falts and phlegm, probably too fome-
what of a fine oily nature, differing from oil in
that it mixeth with water, and agreeing with oil,
in that it runneth in rivulets by diftillation. Thus
much is allowed, that the water, earth, and fixed
falt are the fame in all plants; that, therefore,
which differenceth a plant or makes it what it is,
the native spark or form, in the language of the
chemifts or schools, is none of thofe things, nor
yet the finest oil, which feemeth only it's recep-
tacle or vehicle. It is obferved by chemifts, that
all forts of balfamic wood afford an acid fpirit,
which is the volatile oily falt of the vegetable:
Herein are chiefly contained their medicinal virtues,
and by the trials I have made it appears, that the

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

acid fpirit in Tar-water poffeffeth the virt an eminent degree, of that of guaiacum, an medicinal woods.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

48. Qualities in a degree too ftrong for nature to fubdue, and affimilate to itfelf hurt the conftitution. All acids, therefor not be useful or innocent. But this feen acid fo thoroughly concocted, fo gentle, bla temperate, and withal a fpirit so fine and as readily to enter the smallest veffels, and milated with the utmost ease.

49. If any one were minded to diffolv of the refin, together with the falt or fp need only mix fome fpirit of wine with th But fuch an intire folution of refins and gu to qualify them for entering and pervad animal fyftem, like the fine acid fpirit t flies off from the fubject, is perhaps impo obtain. It is an apophthegm of the chemifts ed from Helmont, that whoever can mak foluble by the human body, has the fecret longing his days and Boerhaave owns th feems to be truth in this, from it's refiftin faction. Now this quality is as remarkabl with which the ancients embalmed and p dead bodies. And though Boerhaave himi other chemists before him, have given for making folutions of myrrh, yet it is b of alcohol which extracts only the infla parts. And it doth not feem that any of myrrh is impregnated with it's falt or a rit. It may not, therefore, feem ftrange water fhould be found more beneficial for ing health and long life, than any fol myrrh whatsoever.

50. Certainly divers refins and gums m virtues, and yet not be able for their gro

2

n

It

ay

an

nd

le,

ff

me

he ter.

as

the

first

le to eriv

yrrh pro

here

utre

tar, rved

and

hods

eans

able tion

fpi

this cur

a of

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

1

pafs the lacteals and other finer veffels, hor yet, perhaps, readily impart thofe virtues to a men ftruum, that may with fafety and fpeed convey them throughout the human body. Upon all which accounts, I believe tar- water will be found to have fingular advantages. It is obferved that acid fpirits prove the ftronger, by how much the greater degree of heat is required to rake them. And indeed, there feemeth to be no acid more gentle than this, obtained by the fimple affufion of cold water; which carries off from the fubject the moft light and fubtile parts, and, if one may fo fpeak, the very flower of it's fpecific qualities. And here it is to be noted, that the volatile falt and spirit of vegetables do, by gently ftimulating the folids, attenuate the fluids contained in them, and promote fecretions, and that they are penetrating and active, contrary to the general nature of other acids..

51. It is a great maxim for health, that the juices of the body be kept fluid in a due proportion. Therefore, the acid volatile fpirit in tarwater, at once attenuating and cooling in a mode rate degree, muft greatly conduce to health, as a mild falutary deobftruent, quickening the circula tion of the fluids without wounding the folids, thereby gently removing or preventing thofe obftructions, which are the great and general caufe of moft chronical difeafes; in this manner anfwering to the antihyfterics, affa foetida, galbanum, myrrh, amber, and, in general, to all the refins and gums of trees or fhrubs ufeful in nervous

cafes.

[ocr errors]

52. Warm water is it felf a deobftruent. There fore the infufion of tar drunk warm, is eafter infinuated into all the nice capillary veffels, and acts, not only by virtue of the balfam, but alfo by that

D

of

}

of the vehicle. It's tafte, it's diuretic q being fo great a cordial, fhew the acti medicine. And at the fame time that the fluggish blood of the hyfterical, it oily nature abates the too rapid motion a thin blood in those who are hectic. lentour and fmoothness in the blood ftrong people; on the contrary, there acrimony and folution in that of weal perfons. The fine particles of tar are warm and active, they are alfo balfamic lient, foftening and enriching the fharp blood, and healing the erofions occafio in the blood-veffels and glands.

53. Tar-water poffeffeth the ftomach diac qualities of Elixir proprietatis, drops, and many fuch tinctures and ex this difference, that it worketh it's e fafely, as it hath nothing of that fpir which, however mixed and difguifed, well accounted a poison in fome degree.

54. Such medicines are fuppofed to retic, which, being of an active and fu pafs through the whole fyftem, and effect in the fineft capillaries and ducts which they gently cleanfe and d water is extremely well fitted to work infenfible diaphorefis, by the fineness of it's acid volatile fpirit. And furely ought to be very fine, which can fco fpiratory ducts, under the scarf skin if it be true that one grain of fand ver the mouths of more than a hu fand.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

55. Another way wherein tar-wat is by urine, than which perhaps none and effectual, for cleaning the blood a

2

« EelmineJätka »