The medicinal virtues of tar water fully explained ... To which is added the receipt for making it, and instructions to know by the colour and taste of the water when the tar is good, and of the right sort. Together with a plain explanation of the Bishop's physical terms / [George Berkeley].

  • Berkeley, George, 1685-1753.
Date:
1744
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The medicinal virtues of tar water fully explained ... To which is added the receipt for making it, and instructions to know by the colour and taste of the water when the tar is good, and of the right sort. Together with a plain explanation of the Bishop's physical terms / [George Berkeley]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    < V that peculiar Venom, which infeds the Blood in the Small-pox, and that the Profped of fo great a public Benefit fhould dir up Men to fearch for it. Its wonderful Succefs, in preventing and mi¬ tigating that Diftemper, would incline one to fuf- ped that Tar-water is fuch a Specific, efpecially fince he has found it of fovereign Ufe as well dur¬ ing the Small pox as before it. Some think an Tryfipelas and the Plague differ only in degree. If fo, Tar-water fhould be ufeful in the Plague, for he has known it cure an Eryfipelas. Tar-water, as cleanfing, healing, and balfamic, is good in all Diforders of the urinary Paffages, whether obflruded or ulcerated. Dodor Lifter fuppofeth, indeed, the Turpentines ad by a Cauf- tic Quality, which irritates the Coats of the urina¬ ry Duds to expel Sand and Gravel. But, ft fhould feem, this expelling diuretic Virtue con¬ fided rather in the Salts than the Refin, and con- fequently refides in the Tar-water, gently ftimu- lating by its Salts, wrhout the dangerous Force of a Caudic. The violent Operation of- Ipecacu¬ anha lies in its Refin, but the laline Extrad is a gentle Purge and Diuretic, by the Stimulus of its Salts. \ _ That which ads as a mild Cordial, neither hurting the capillary Velfels as a Caudic, nor a fr¬ ied ing ihe Nerves, nor coagulating the Juices, mud in ail Cafes be a Friend to Nature, and aflift the Vis Vitce in its Struggle againd all kinds of Contagion. And from what he has obferved. Tar water appears to him an ufeful Prefervative in all epidemical Diforders, and againd all other Inledion whatfoever, as well as that of the Small¬ pox. What Effeds the Animi Pathemata have in human Maladies, is well known, and confe- quentiy the general Benefit of fuch a Cardiac may be reasonably fuppofed. He