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themselves to the tafte. Tar-water therefore is a foap, and as fuch hath the medicinal qualities of foaps:

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 fystem and more effectually, as, by the help of a volatile smooth infinuating oil, thofe fame falts are more eafily introduced into the capillary, ducts. Therefore in fevers and epidemical diftempers it is (and I have found it fo) as well as in chronical-diseases, a most safe and efficacious medicine, being good against too great fluidity as a balfamic, and good againft vifcidity as a foap. There is fomething in the fiery corrofive nature of lixivial falts, which makes alcaline foap a dangerous remedy in all cafes where an inflammation is apprehended. And as inflammations are often occafioned by obstructions, it should feem an acid foap was much the fafer deobftruent.

61. Even the best 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 useful in cleansing 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 ætherial oil's being deprived

(a) Sect. 7, 8.

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of the acid fpirit in diftillation, which vellicating and contracting as a ftimulus might have proved a counterpoife to the exceffive lubricating and relaxing qualities of the oil.

62. Woods in decoction do not seem to yield fo ripe and elaborate a juice, as that which is depofited in the cells or loculi terebinthiaci, and fpontaneously oozes from them. And indeed though the balfam of Peru, obtained by boiling wood and fcumming the decoction, be a very valuable medicine and of great account in divers cafes, particularly afthmas, nephritic pains, nervous colics and obftructions, yet I do verily think (and I do not fay this without experience) that tar-water is a more efficacious remedy in all thofe cafes than even that coftly drug.

63. It hath been already observed that the restorative pectoral antihyfterical virtues of the most precious balfams and gums are poffeffed in a high degree by tar-water (a). And I do not know any purpose answered by the wood drinks, for which tar-water may not be used with at least equal fuccefs. It contains the virtues even of Guaiacum which feems the most efficacious of all the woods, warming and sweetening the humours, diaphoretic and useful in gouts, dropfies and rheums, as well as in the foul difeafe. Nor fhould it feem ftrange, if the virtues obtained by boiling an old dry wood prove inferior to thofe extracted from a balsam.

64. There is a fine volatile spirit in the waters of Geronfter, the most efteemed of all the fountains. about Spa, but whofe waters do not bear transporting. The ftomachic, cardiac, and diuretic qualitiesof this fountain fomewhat refemble those of tarwater, which, if I am not greatly mistaken, con

(a) Sect. 9, 21, 22, 23.

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 tarwater is not. Befides there is a regimen of diet to be observed, especially with chalybeat waters, which I never found neceffary with this. Tarwater layeth under no restraint either as to diet, hours, or employment. A man may study, or exercise, 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 thofe cafes, or being discontinued on that account, that it greatly contributes to their cure (a).

66. Cordials, vulgarly fo called, act immediately on the ftomach, and by confent 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 paffage through the capillaries, operate on the fides of those 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 those of distilled 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 chearfulnefs arifing from

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this water of health (as it may be justly called) is permanent. In which it emulates the virtues of that famous plant Gen Seng, fo much valued in China as the only cordial that raifeth the fpirits without depreffing them. Tar-water is fo far from hurting the nerves as common cordials do, that it is highly useful in cramps, fpafms of the vifcera, and paralytic numbness.

67. Emetics are on certain occafions adminiftred with great fuccefs. But the overstraining and weakening of nature may be very juftly apprehended from a course of emetics. They are nevertheless prescribed and fubftituted for exercife. But it is well remarked in Plato's Timæus that vomits and purges are the worst exercife in the world. There is fomething in the mild operation of tar-water, that seems more friendly to the economy, and forwards the digeftions and fecretions in a way more natural and benign, the mildness of this medicine being fuch that I have known children take it, for above fix months together, with great benefit, and without any inconvenience; and after long and repeated experience I do efteem it a most excellent diet drink fitted to all feafons and ages.

68. It is, I think, allowed that the origin of the gout lies in a faulty digestion. And it is remarked by the ableft phyficians, that the gout is fo difficult to cure, because heating medicines aggravate it's immediate, and cooling it's remote cause. But tar-water, although it contain active principles that strengthen the digeftion beyond any thing I know, and confequently must be highly ufeful, either to prevent or leffen the following fit, or by envigorating the blood to caft it upon the extremities, yet it is not of fo heating a nature as to do harm even in the fit. Nothing is

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more difficult or difagreeable than to argue men out of their prejudices; I fhall not therefore enter into controverfies on this fubject, but, if men difpute and object, fhall leave the decifion to time

and trial,

69. In the modern practice, foap, opium, and mercury bid faireft for univerfal medicines. The firft of thefe is highly spoken of. But then thofe who magnify it moft, except against the use of it in fuch cafes where the obftruction is attended with a putrefactive alkali, or where an inflammatory dif pofition appears. It is acknowledged to be very dangerous in a phthifis, fever, and fome other cafes in which tar-water is not only fafe but ufeful.

70. Opium, though a medicine of great extent and efficacy, yet is frequently known to produce grievous diforders in hysterical or hypochondriacal perfons, who make a great part, perhaps the greateft of thofe who lead fedentary lives in these inlands. Befides, upon all conftitutions dangerous errors may be committed in the use of opium.

71. Mercury hath of late years become a medi cine of very general ufe. The extreme minutenefs, 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 deobftruenis, doth alfo difpofe 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 muft needs operate with great force; and may it not be justly feared, that fo great a force entring the minuteft

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veffels,

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