off it'sfalts. But it feems to produce it's princi- 56. An obstruction of fome veffels caufeth the blood to move more fwiftly in other veffels, which are not obstructed. Hence manifold diforders. A liquor that dilutes and attenuates refolves the concretions which obftruct. Tar-Water is fuch a liquor. It may be faid, indeed, of common water, that it attenuates, alfo of mercurial preparations that they attenuate. But it fhould be confidered that mere water only diftends the veffels and thereby weakens their tone; and that Mercury by it's great momentum may juftly be fufpected of hurting the fine capillaries, which two deobftruents therefore might eafily overact their parts, and (by Jeffening the force of the elaftic veffels) remotely produce those concretions they are intended to remove. 57. Weak and rigid fibres are looked on by the moft able phyficians, as fources of two different claffes of diftempers: a fluggish motion of the liquids occafions weak fibres: therefore tar-water is good to ftrengthen them as it gently accelerates their contents. On the other hand, being an untuous bland fluid it moiftens and foftens the dry and stiff fibres: and fo proves a remedy for both extremes. 58. Common foaps are compofitions of lixivial falt and oil. The corrofive acrimony of the faline particles being foftened by the mixture of an unctuous fubftance they infinuate themfelves into the fmall ducts with lefs difficulty and danger. The combination of thefe different fubftances makes up a very fubtile and active medicine, fitsed for mixing with all humours, and resolving D 2 all 1 all obftructions. Soap therefore is juftl moft efficacious medicine in many c Alcaline Soap is allowed to be cleanfing ing, opening, refolving, fweetening; it i vulnerary, diuretic, and hath other goo which are alfo to be found in tar-wa granted, that oil and acid falts combine exift in vegetables, and that confequently acid foaps as well as alcaline. And th ceous nature of the acid vegetable fpirit renders them fo diuretic, fudorific, p abfterfive and refolving. Such, for infta acid fpirit of Guaiacum. And all these f feem to be in tar-water in a mild an degree. 59. It is the general opinion that all gulate the blood. Boerhaave excepts vine he holds to be a foap, inafmuch as it contain an oil as well as an acid fpirit. is both unctuous and penetrating, a pow phlogistic, and prefervative against corr infection. Now it feems evident that is a foap as well as vinegar. For tho the character of refin, which is an infpi oil, not to diffolve in water (a), yet th tract fome fine particles of effential oil: oil ferves as a vehicle for the acid falts, itfelf in the colour of the tar-water; fo falts are colourlefs. And though the not diffolve in water, yet the fubtile oil. the vegetable falts are lodged, may as with water as vinegar doth, which con oil and falt. And as the oil in tar-water itfelf to the eye, fo the acid falts do (a) Seft. 47. themselves to the tafte. Tar-water therefore is a foap, and as fuch hath the medicinal qualities of foapsons 60. It operates more gently as the acid falts lofe their acrimony being fheathed in oil, and thereby approaching the nature of neutral falts, are more benign and friendly to the animal fyftem and more effectually, as, by the help of a volatile fmooth infinuating oil, those fame falts are more easily introduced into the capillary ducts. Therefore in, fevers and epidemical distempers it is (and I have found it fo) as well as in chronical difeafes, a moft fafe and efficacious medicine, being good against too great fluidity as a balfamic, and good against vifcidity as a foap. There is fomething in the fiery corrofive nature of lixivial falts, which makes alcaline foap a dangerous femedy in all cafes where an inflammation is apprehended. And as inflammations are often occafioned by obftructions, it fhould feem an acid foap was much the fafer deobftruent. 61. Even the beft turpentines, however famous for their vulnerary and detergent qualities, have yet been obferved by their warmth to difpofe to inflammatory tumours. But the acid fpirit(a) being in fo great proportion in tar-water renders it a cooler and fafer medicine, And the ætherial oil of turpentine, though an admirable drier, healer, and anodyne, when outwardly applied to wounds and ulcers, and not lefs ufeful in cleanfing the urinary paffages and healing their ulcerations, yet is known to be of a nature fo very relaxing as fometimes to do much mischief. Tar-water is not attended with the fame ill effects, which I believe are owing in a great measure to the etherial oil's being deprived (a) Sect. 7, 8. of of the acid fpirit in diftillation, which and contracting as a ftimulus might h a counterpoife to the exceffive lubricat laxing qualities of the oil. 62. Woods in decoction do not feem ripe and elaborate a juice, as that whi fited in the cells or loculi terebinthiaci taneously oozes from them. And inc the balfam of Peru, obtained by boiling fcumming the decoction, be a very val cine and of great account in divers caf larly asthmas, nephritic pains, nervous obftructions, yet I do verily think (an fay this without experience) that tarmore efficacious remedy in all thofe cafe that costly drug. 63. It hath been already observed tha rative pectoral antihyfterical virtues of th cious balfams and gums are poffeffed in gree by tar-water (a). And I do not purpose answered by the wood drinks, tar-water may not be used with at leaf cefs. It contains the virtues even of which feems the moft efficacious of all warming and fweetening the humours, and ufeful in gouts, dropfies and rheur as in the foul difeafe. Nor fhould it fe if the virtues obtained by boiling an ol prove inferior to thofe extracted from a b 64. There is a fine volatile fpirit in of Geronfter, the most efteemed of all th about Spa, but whofe waters do not bea ing. The ftomachic, cardiac, and diur of this fountain fomewhat refemble th water, which, if I am not greatly mist (a) Sect. 9, 21, 22, 23. water is not. tains the virtues of the best chalybeat and fulphureous waters; with this difference, that thofe waters are apt to affect the head in taking, which tarBefides there is a regimen of diet to be obferved, 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 exercife, or repofe, keep his own hours, pafs his time either within or without, and take wholefom 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 those 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, nevertheless, in their paflage 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 diftilled 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 and diftilled fpirits, are attended with proportionable depreffions of fpirit in their intervals. But the calm chearfulness arifing from (a) Sect. 7. Bains this |