this water of health (as it may be juftl permanent. In which it emulates the that famous plant Gen Seng, fo muc China as the only cordial that raiseth without depreffing them. Tar-water is hurting the nerves as common cordials is highly useful in cramps, fpafms of and paralytic numbness. 67. Emetics are on certain occafions with great fuccefs. But the overst weakening of nature may be very juftly ed from a course of emetics. They are prescribed and fubftituted for exercife. well remarked in Plato's Timæus that purges are the worst exercise in the wo is fomething in the mild operation a that seems more friendly to the eco forwards the digeftions and fecretions in natural and benign, the mildness of t being fuch that I have known children above fix months together, with great without any inconvenience; and afte repeated experience I do esteem it a m diet drink fitted to all feafons and ages 68. It is, I think, allowed that th the gout lies in a faulty digestion. remarked by the ableft physicians, t is fo difficult to cure, because heatin aggravate it's immediate, and cooling caufe. But tar-water, although it ce principles that ftrengthen the digeftion thing I know, and confequently mu useful, either to prevent or leffen t fit, or by envigorating the blood to the extremities, yet it is not of fo h ture as to do harm even in the fit. ) s of in pirits from hat it ifcera, niftred g and rehendrtheless at it is its and There r-water, y, and ay more medicine Le it, for efit, and ong and excellent 33 more difficult or difagreeable than to argue men 69. In the modern practice, foap, opium, and 70. Opium, though a medicine of great extent and efficacy, yet is frequently known to produce grievous diforders in hyfterical 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 ufe of opium. 71. Mercury hath of late years become a medi cine of very general ufe. The extreme minuteness, mobility, and momentum of it's parts, rendering it a moft powerful cleanfer of all obftructions, even in the moft minute capillaries. But then we fhould be cautious in the ufe of it, if we confider, that the very thing which gives it power of doing good above other deobftruents, doth alfo dif pole it to do mifchief. 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 minureft veffels, and breaking the obftructed ma also break or wound the fine tender coa fmall veffels, and fo bring on the unti of old age, producing more, perhaps. obftructions than those it removed? Si quences may juftly be apprehended from neral and ponderous medicines. Ther the whole, there will not perhaps be medicine, more general in it's ufe, or tary in it's effects than tar-water. 72. To fuppofe that all diftempers very different, and, it may be, fro caufes, can be cured by one and the cine must seem chimerical, But it mat be affirmed, that the virtue of tar-wat a furprising variety of cafes very dift like (a). This I have experienced in bours, my family, and myfelf. And remote corner among poor neighbou want of a regular phyfician have ofte me, I have had frequent opportuni which convince me it is of fo juft a ten to be an enemy to all extremes. do great good in a cold watery conf cardiac and ftomachic; and at the fan heat and feverish thirft in another. I h correct coftive habits in fome, and habit in others. Nor will this feem it be confidered that middle qualities duce the extreme. Warm water, mixed with hot and cold will leffen that, and the cold in this. I ha 73. They who know the great vi mon foap, whofe coarfe lixivial falts (a) Sect. 3, 4, 5, 6, 21, &c. ight fects vorfe Confe r mi upon any e falu g from ontrary : medi h truth tends to and uny neigh live in a who for courfe to of trial, ament as Known it on, as a me allay known it contrary edible, if curally reinftance, eheat in of com duf duct of culinary fire, will not think it incredible 74. It is certain tar-water warms, and therefore 75. I have dwelt the longer on this head, because fome gentlemen of the faculty have thought fit to declare that tar-water muft enflame, a would never vifit any patient in a fev been a drinker of it, But I will ventu that it is fo far from increafing a feve mation, that it is on the contrary a moft to allay and extinguish it. It is of a in fevers, being at the fame time the and most effectual both paregoric and the truth of which, I appeal to any perience, who fhall take a large di milk warm in the paroxyfm of a fever plain water or herb teas fhall be found or no effect. To me it feems that it's furprizing ufe in fevers of all kinds. nothing elfe, would be alone fufficien mend it to the public. 76. The best phyficians make the ver to confift in a too great velocity o motion, and too great refiftance at th Tar-water, as it foftens and gently fti nice veffels, helps to propel their cont contributes to remove the latter part o der. And for the former, the irritati which accelerates the motion of the h ed by watery, corrected by acid, and balfamic remedies, all which intention ed by this aqueous acid balfamic mo fides the vifcid juices coagulated by th are refolved by tar-water as a foap, an refolved, as it is a gentle acid foap; may add, that the peccant humours a carried off by it's diaphoretic and di ties. 77. I found all this confirmed by m rience in the late fickly feafon of the yo fand feven hundred and forty one, 3 |