us so great a blessing, and made a medicine so cheap and plenty as tar, to be withal so universal in its effects, to ease the miseries of human life, shall men be ridiculed or bantered out of its use, especially when they run no risk in the trial. For I can truly affirm, that I never knew any harm attend it more than sometimes a little nausea, which, if the liquor be well cleared, skimmed, and bottled, need not, I think, be apprehended. 13. It must be owned I have not had opportunities of trying it myself in all cases, neither will I undertake to demonstrate a priori, that tar water is a panacea. yet methinks I am not quite destitute of probable reasons, which, joined to what facts I have observed, induced me to entertain such a suspicion. But 14. I knew tar was used to preserve cattle from contagion; and this may be supposed to have given rise to that practice of drinking tar water for a preservative against the small-pox. But as the tar water used for that purpose was made by mixing equal quantities of tar and water, it proved a most offensive potion: besides, as a fresh glass of water was put in for each glass that was taken out, and this for many days on the same tar, it follows that the water was not equally impregnated with the fine volatile spirit, though all alike strongly saturated with gross particles. 15. Having found this nauseous draught very useful against the small-pox, to as many as could be prevailed on to take it; I began to consider the nature of tar. I reflected that tar is a balsam flowing from the trunks of aged evergreens; that it resists putrefaction; that it hath the virtues of turpentine, which in medicine are known to be very great and manifold; but I observed withal, that turpentines or balsams are very of fensive in the taking: I therefore considered distinctly the several constituent parts of balsams; which were those wherein the medicinal virtues resided, and which were to be regarded, rather as a viscous matrix to receive, arrest, and retain, the more volatile and active particles; and if these last could be so separated and disengaged from the grosser parts, as to impregnate a clear and portable liquor, I concluded that such liquor must prove a medicine of great force, and general use. I considered, that nature was the best chemist and preparer of medicines, and that the fragrance and flavour of tar argued very active qualities and virtues. 16. I had, of a long time, entertained an opinion, agreeable to the sentiments of many ancient philosophers," that fire may be regarded as the animal spirit of this visible world." And it seemed to me that the attracting and secreting of this fire in the various pores, tubes, and ducts, of vegetables, did impart their specific virtues to each kind; that this same light, or fire, was the immediate instrumental or physical cause of sense and motion, and consequently of life and health to animals; that on account of this solar light or fire, Phobus was in the ancient mythology reputed the god of medicine. Which light as it is leisurely introduced, and fixed in the viscid juice of old firs and pines, so the setting it free in part, that is, the changing its viscid for a volatile vehicle, which may mix with water, and convey it throughout the habit copiously and inoffensively, would be of infinite use in physic, extending to all cases whatsoever, inasmuch as all distempers are in effect a struggle between the vis vitæ and the peculiar miasma or fomes morbi; and nothing strengthens nature, or lends such aid and vigour to life, as a cordial which doth not heat. 17. The solar light in great quantity during the space of many successive years, being attracted and detained in the juice of ancient evergreens, doth form and lodge itself in an oil so fine and volatile, as shall mix well with water, and lightly pass the prima viæ, and penetrate every part and capillary of the organical system, when once exempt and freed from the grosser nauseous resin. It will not, therefore, seem unreasonable, to whoever is acquainted with the medicinal virtues of turpentine in so many different distempers, for which it hath been celebrated both by ancient and modern physicians, and withal reflects on the nausea or clog that prevents their full operation and effect on the human body; it will not, I say, seem unreasonable to such a one to suppose, that if this same clog was removed, numberless cures might be wrought in a great variety of cases. 18. The desideratum was, how to separate the active particles from the heavy viscid substance which served to attract and retain them, and so to order matters, that the vehicle of the spirit should not on the one hand be volatile enough to escape, nor on the other, gross enough to offend. For the performing of this, I have found a most easy, simple, and effectual method, which furnisheth a portable inoffensive liquor, clear and fine as the best white wine, cordial and stomachic, to be kept bottled, as being endued with a very sensible spirit, though not fermented. 19. I tried many experiments as to the quantity of water, and the time of stirring and standing, in order to impregnate and clarify it, and after all, fixed on the forementioned receipt, as the most generally useful for making this salutiferous liquor well impregnated, and not offensive to common stomachs, and even drank with pleasure by many in which the most medicinal and active particles, that is, the native salts and volatile oil of the balsam, being disentangled and separated from its gross oil and viscous resin do, combined together, form a fine balsamic, and vegetable soap, which not only can pass the stomach and primæ viæ, but also insinuate itself into the minutest capillaries, and freely pervade the whole animal system; and that, in such full proportion and measure, as suiteth every case and constitution. 20. The foregoing general considerations put me upon making experiments in many various and unlike cases, which otherwise I should never have thought of doing, and the success answered my hopes. Philosophical principles led me to make safe trials, and on those trials is founded my opinions of the salutary virtues of tar water; which virtues are recommended from, and depend on experiments and matters of fact, and neither stand nor fall with any theories or specu lative principles whatever. Howbeit, those theories, as I said, enlarged my views of this medicine, led me to a greater variety of trials, and thereby engendered and nourished my suspicion, that it is a panacea. I have been the more prolix in these particulars, hoping that, to as many as shall candidly weigh and consider them, the high opinion I conceive of this medicine will not seem altogether an effect of vain prepossession or blind empiric rashness; but rather the result of free thought and inquiry, and grounded on my best reason, judgment, and experience. Much complaint is indeed made of the iniquity of the times: however, it is hoped they will not condemn one man's tar water for another's pill or drop, any more than they would hang one man for another's having stolen a horse. 21. Those who have only the good of mankind at heart, will give this medicine fair play; if there be any who act from other motives, the public will look sharp and beware. To do justice to tar water, as well as to those who drink it, regard must be had to the particular strength and case of the patients. Grievous or inveterate maladies must not be treated as common cases. I cured a horrible case, a gangrene in the blood, which had broke out in several sores, and threatened speedy death, by obliging the person to drink nothing but this liquor for several weeks, as much and as often as his stomach would bear. Common sense will direct a pro A portionable conduct in other cases. But this must be left to the conscience and discretion of the givers and takers. 22. After all that can be said, it is most certain, that a panacea sounds odd, and conveys somewhat shocking to the ear and sense of most men, who are wont to rank the universal medicine with the philosopher's stone, and the squaring of the circle; whereof the chief, if not sole reason, I take to be, that it is thought to be incredible the same things should produce contrary effects, as it must do if it cures opposite distempers. And yet this is no more than every day's experience verifies. Milk, for instance, makes some costive and others laxative: this regards the possibility of a panacea in general; as for tar water in particular, I do not say it is a panacea, I only suspect it to be so; time and trial will shew. 23. But I am most sincerely persuaded, from what I have already seen and tried, that tar water may be drank with great safety and success, for the cure or relief of most, if not all diseases; of ulcers, itch, scaldheads, leprosy, the foul disease, and all foul cases, scurvies of all kinds, disorders of the lungs, stomach, and bowels, in rheumatic, gouty, and nephritic ailments, megrims, inveterate head-aches, pleurisies, peripneumonies, erysipelas, small-pox, and all kinds of fevers, cholics, hysteric and all nervous cases, dropsies, decays, and other maladies. Note, that for agues it should be drank warm and often, in small glasses, both in and out of the fit, and continued for several days to prevent a relapse. Nor is it of use only in the cure of sickness, it is also useful to preserve health, and guard against infection, and in some measure even against old age, as it gives lasting spirits, and invigorates the blood. I am even induced, by the nature and analogy of things, and its wonderful success in fevers of all kinds, to think that |
