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113. Sir John Floyer remarks, that we want a method for the use of turpentine, and again, he who fhall hit, faith he, on the pleasanteft method of giving turpentine, will do great cures in the gout, ftone, catarrhs, dropfies and cold fcurvies, rheumatifms, ulcers, and obftructions of the glands. Laftly, he fubjoins, that for the use of altering and amending the juices and fibres, it must be given frequently, and in fuch small quantities at a time, and in fo commodious a manner, as will agree beft with the ftomach (a), stay longest in the body, and not purge itself off; for large dofes (faith he) go through too quick, and befides offend the head. Now the infufion of tar or turpentine in cold water seems to supply the very method that was wanted, as it leaves the more unctuous, and grofs parts behind (b), which might offend the ftomach, inteftines and head; and as it may be easily taken, and as often, and in fuch quantity, and fuch degree of ftrength, as fuits the cafe of the patient. Nor fhould it feem, that the fine fpirit and volatile oil, obtained by infufion of tar (c) is inferior to that of turpentine, to which it fuperadds the virtue of wood foot, which is known to be very great with refpect to the head and nerves; and this appears evident from the manner of obtaining tar (d). And as the fine volatile parts of tar or turpentine are drawn off by infufion in cold water and eafily conveyed throughout the whole fyftem of the human body; fo it fhould feem the fame method may be used with all forts of balfams or refins whatfoever, as the readieft, eafieft, and most inoffenfive, as well as in many cases the moft effectual way of obtaining and imparting their virtues. (b) 47. (c) 7, 42, 58.

(a) 9.

(d) 13.

114. After

114. After having faid fo much of the uses of tar, I must farther add, that being rubb'd on them it is an excellent prefervative of the teeth and gums; that it sweetens the breath, and that it clears and ftrengthens the voice. And, as its effects are various and useful, fo there is nothing to be feared from the operation of an alterative fo mild and friendly to nature. It was a wife maxim of certain ancient philofophers, that diseases ought not to be irritated by medicines. But no medicine difturbs the animal oeconomy lefs than this (a), which, if I may truft my own experience, never produces any disorder in a patient when rightly taken.

115. I knew indeed a perfon who took a large glafs of tar-water just before breakfaft, which gave him an invincible naufea and disgust, although he had before received the greateft benefit from it. But if the tar water be taken and made in the manner prescribed at the beginning of this effay, it will, if I mistake not, have enough of the falt to be use ful, and little enough of the oil to be inoffenfive. I mean my own manner of making it, and not the American; that fometimes makes it too strong, and fometimes too weak; which tar-water, however it might serve as there used, merely for a preparative against the fmall-pox, yet I queftion whether it may be fitly ufed in all thofe various cafes wherein I have found tar-water fo fuccessful. Perfons more delicate than ordinary may render it palatable, by mixing a drop of the chemical oil of nutmegs, or a fpoonful of mountain wine in each glafs. It may not be amifs to obferve, that I have known fome, whose nice ftomachs could not bear it in the morning, take it at night going to bed without any inconvenience; and that with fome it agrecs beft warm, with others cold. It may be

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made ftronger for brute beafts, as horfes, in whofe diforders I have found it very ufeful, I believe more fo than that bituminous fubftance call'd Barbadoes

tar.

116. In very dangerous and acute cafes much may be taken and often; as far as the ftomach can bear. But in chronical cafes, about half a pint, night and morning, may fuffice; or in cafe fo large a dofe fhould prove difagreeable, half the quantity may be taken at four times, to wit, in the morning, at night going to bed, and about two hours after dinner and breakfast. A medicine of fo great virtue in fo many different disorders, and especially in that grand enemy, the fever, muft needs be a benefit to mankind in general. There are nevertheless three forts of people to whom I would peculiarly recommend it: Sea-faring perfons, ladies, and men of ftudious and fedentary lives.

117. To failors and all fea-faring perfons, who are fubject to fcorbutic disorders and putrid fevers, efpecially in long fouthern voyages, I am perfuaded this tar-water would be very beneficial. And this may deserve particular notice in the prefent course of marine expeditions, when so many of our country-men have perifhed by fuch diftempers, contracted at fea and in foreign climates. Which, it is probable, might have been prevented, by the copious ufe of tar-water..

118. This fame water will alfo give charitable relief to the ladies (a), who often want it more than the parish poor; being many of them never able to make a good meal, and fitting pale, puny, and forbidden like ghofts, at their own table, victims of vapours and indigeftion.

119. Studious perfons alfo pent up in narrow holes, breathing bad air, and stooping over their (a) 103!~

books,

books, are much to be pitied. As they are debarred the free use of air and exercife, this I will venture to recommend as the beft fuccedaneum to both. Though it were to be wifhed, that modern fcholars would, like the ancients, meditate and converse more in walks and gardens and open air, which, upon the whole, would perhaps be no hindrance to their learning, and a great advantage to their health. My own fedentary courfe of life had long fince thrown me into an ill habit, attended with many ailments, particularly a nervous cholic, which rendered my life a burthen, and the more fo, because my pains were exafperated by exercise. But fince the use of tar-water, I find, though not a perfect recovery from my old and rooted illness, yet fuch a gradual return of health and eafe, that I efteem my having taken this medicine the greatest of all temporal bleffings, and am convinced that, under providence, I owe my life to it.

120. In the diftilling of turpentine and other balfams by a gentle heat, it hath been obferved, that there rifeth firft an acid fpirit (n) that will mix with water; which fpirit, except the fire be very gentle, is loft. This grateful acid fpirit

that first comes over, is, as a learned chemist and physician informs us, highly refrigeratory, diuretic, fudorific, balfamic or prefervative from putrefaction, excellent in nephritic cafes, and for quenching thirst, all which virtues are contained in the cold infufion, which draws forth from tar only it's fine flower or quinteffence, if I may fo fay, or the native vegetable fpirit, together with a little volatile oil.

121. The diftinguishing principle of all vegetables, that whereon their peculiar fmell, taste, and specific properties depend, feems to be fome

(n) 7.

H

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extremely

extremely fine and fubtile fpirit, whofe immediate vehicle is an exceeding thin volatile oil, which is itself detained in a groffer and more vifcid refin or balfam, lodged in proper cells in the bark and feeds, and most abounding in autumn or winter, after the crude juices have been thoroughly concocted, ripened, and impregnated with folar light. The fpirit itself is by fome fuppofed to be an oil highly fubtilized, fo as to mix with water. But fuch volatile oil is not the fpirit, but only it's vehicle. Since aromatic pils, being long exposed to air, will lofe their fpecific fmell and taste, which fly off with the spirit or vegetable falt, without any fenfible diminution of the oil.

122. Thofe volatile falts, that are fet free and raised by a gentle heat, may juftly be supposed effential (a), and to have pre-exifted in the vegetable; whereas the lixivial fixed falts obtained by the incineration of the fubject, whofe natural conftituent parts have been altered or deftroyed by the extreme force of fire, are by later chemifts, upon very good grounds, fuppofed not to have pre-exifted therein; all fuch falts appearing, from the experiments of fignor Redi, not to preferve the virtues of the refpective vegetable fubjects; and to be alike purgative and in an equal degree, whatsoever may be the fhape of their points, whether fharp or obtufe. But although fixed or lixivious falts may not contain the original properties of the fubject; yet volatile falts raised by a flight heat from vegetables are allowed to preserve their native virtues: and fuch falts are readily imbibed by water.

123. The most volatile of the falts, and the moft attenuated part of the oil, may be fuppofed

(a) 8.

the

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