Reflexions concerning the virtues of tar water: Wherein is proved by experience, that its present preparation is not founded upon philosophical principles; ... By H. Jackson, chemist.

REFLEXIONS Concerning the VIRTUES OF TAR WATER, &c.

TAR WATER, as it is lately ordered by the Bishop of Cloyne, being at present al∣most as universal in its Use as it is proved to be in its Properties, by this learned Author; I hope it will not be thought presumptuous in me to undertake to prove why, and in what Manner, it may be im∣prov'd in its excellent Qualifications, by a particular Management in its Preparation, since nothing but the general Good of Mankind is hereby aimed at. And tho' the

learned Bishop has given Directions to pre∣pare it in a very simple Manner, probably with the Intention that it might be equally serviceable to the Poor and Rich, yet I think few Reasons can be assign'd, why the Rich may not be supplied with a mose neat and certainly a more efficacious Re∣medy; especially, since the Price, even then, will not much exceed the present Rate, as I shall endeavour to prove.

Norway Tar, as it is now imported, is unquestionably the best for this most noble Medicine, as being endowed with the most fragrant and subtile Parts, beyond other Tars, which is evident by its Smell, and by its Taste, as being least acrimonious; and it has been proved by several ingenious Chemists, that it partakes least of that heat∣ing sulphurous Property, which abounds in all these Balsams, either more or less.

Common Tar, or Tar from hot Climates, is not so well Saturated with this fine vola∣tile aromatic Flavour. This, perhaps, in some Measure, may be owing to the In∣fluence of the Sun, which exhales all the finest Parts, except those that are closely connected, and suppress'd by the viscid Juices of the Trees; whereas in colder Re∣gions, the Pores of the Trees are more

close and compact, and by that means these subtile Parts are more detain'd and lock'd up in their proper Cells, from whence pro∣ceeds the siner Flavour. But notwithstand∣ing this, the best Norway Tar, as it is now imported, is so loaded with heteroge∣neous Matter, such as Sticks, Straws, Flies, Sand, and various other Bodies which can∣not be defined, and which cannot subside in the Barrel by Reason of its Consistence or Thickness, (it being defign'd more for the Use of Ships than Medicine) that a Method ought to be considered which Way to refine it, like other natural Bal∣sams, without damaging its natural Proper∣ties. This none but the chemic Art can well effect, so that it is needless to de∣liver the Process, since none but Chemists can perform it with Success; and that they can do at a trifling Expence. By this Method it is so contriv'd, that the pun∣gent Taste of the Water is greatly lessen'd, and it is not so apt to regurgitate upon weak Stomachs; which frequently hap∣pens to the fair Sex, and renders them in∣capable of retaining it, for whose parti∣cular Maladies it is peculiarly excellent, as is unquestionably prov'd by the Au∣thor of Siris, Sect. 51, 99, 101, and 118.

The next Thing I shall take notice of is the Water. Our Author has not expresly informed us what Sort to make use of; so that we might use any Sort indifferently, was it not that our own Reason is sufficient to convince us what Sort to prefer; but lest the injudicious Part of Mankind may not comprehend what is meant, I shall endea∣vour to prove what Water ought to be preferred in compounding this most valu∣able Medicine.

Our Author tells us in Sect. 110 of his Siris, that Tar Water ought to be taken for some considerable Time in chronic Cases, such as the Gravel, Gout, Scurvy, &c. And that he has known very great Advantages pro∣cured thereby, which did not begin to appear till it had been taken two or three Months; which Circumstance in all Alteratives ought to be, but seldom is, regarded: now, as such a long Time must be allowed to compleat the Cure of a chronic Distemper, it fol∣lows, that a large Quantity of Water must be drank during this Time, perhaps the Quantity of twenty or thirty Gallons, or it may be three Times as much, before it be entirely forborn. But admit, that in painful Distempers, as the Gout and Rheumatism, it shou'd only procure Ease, during the taking it, and a Relapse shou'd ensue upon

omitting it, as it may justly be suspected sometimes to fall short of a perfect Cure in the Gout or Scurvy; then it naturally fol∣lows, that a Patient wou'd continue taking it, perhaps for Years, or, so long as he per∣ceived any good Effect by its Use. Now as there is thus sometimes a Necessity for drinking so great a Quantity of Water, it may justly be disputed whether the Cure might not be of worse Consequence to the Patient than the Disease; I mean, by employing an improper Water in ma∣king the Medicine: For most Waters are widely different in their Properties, accord∣ing to the various Sources from whence they arise; as for Instance, Well-Waters chiefly are impregnated with mineral or me∣talline Particles, and River-Waters, which I suppose are chiefly used in London for this Medicine, abound with divers heteroge∣neous Particles, according to the various Soils they glide upon; and there is no Wa∣ter at all so pure, but is loaded either more or less, with something foreign to itself: If any one disputes the Truth of this, let him but inspect the Infide of one of the Lady's Tea-kettles, and that will certainly convince him, or look into one of the lea∣den Pipes which conveys this Water for Kitchen Use, even if it has been laid but for three Months, and he will find the In∣side

lined with a stony Concrete: Then, without any cavilling or entering into any abstruse Mathematical Demonstration in this Point, I shall leave every one to judge what must be the Consequence of drinking so much of this crude Water, which must be done in the common Method of making Tar Water.

But that I may not be thought sin∣gular in my Opinion, I shall just beg leave to subjoin some Quotations from Au∣thors of established Reputation for Learn∣ing and Genius, to confirm what I have already advanced, and then propose a Me∣thod how to avoid this Evil at a small Ex∣pence.

Most Naturalists tell us of surprizing In∣stances of some Waters, which are of such a petrifying Nature, that in Rivulets where∣in Water-mills have been fixed, the Peri∣phery which catches the Water in small Boxes has been petrified to such a Degree, that the Owners have been obliged to clear it frequently with proper Instruments, in order to facilitate the Motion of the Wheel: such an Instance as this I have seen, and whoever inspects the Water-works of Lon∣don Bridge, will find something to the same Purpose.

Dr. Mead has furnished us with some Hints of this Kind, in his last Essay on Poisons. At Paris, it has been remarked, that the River Seine is so full of stony Cor∣puscles, that the Inhabitants there are more subject to the Stone and Gravel, than at other Places.

Now let us suppose, what is very possible, that Waters may be impregnated with Me∣tallic Particles of some Ore or other; then these, according to their various Gravita∣tions, the Capacities of the Canals or Vessels, and such like Circumstances, (when they come to circulate in the human Body) must attract and be attracted by other Particles, which are already deposited either in the Kidneys, Bladder, or other secretory Passages, and cannot but form, and, as it were, cement a stony Substance, which, 'tis greatly to be feared, will defeat all the Efforts and sovereign dissolving Pro∣perties of Tar Water itself; nay, much stronger Medicines; of which the once famed Mrs. Stephens's are an Instance.

The Consideration of what has been said, and the Idea, which may be con∣ceived of the infinite Number of small Ducts or secretory Vessels, through which this Liquor must be strained, ought to

give us convincing Demonstrations, why it is as likely to procure Obstructions, as to remove them, and, consequently, lay the very Foundation for all Chronic Deseases, which, in my Opinion, must and do pro∣ceed from one and the same Cause.

Dr. Lister observes, that Waters which pass through a clayish Bottom, must par∣take of metallic Particles, because Clay is a mineral Glebe; and that these Particles are not to be master'd, that is, they can∣not be digested in the human Body; and therefore he concludes, they cannot but cause calculous Concretions in the Kidneys, Bladder, and Joints. If this be the Case, we need not wonder why insensible Perspiration is obstructed by them; and thus says the great Sanctorius in Sect. 2. Aphor. 2. that heavy Water converts the Matter of Transpira∣tion into an Ichor, which being retain'd, inchuces a Cachexy, which the learn'd Au∣thor of Tar Water says, (Sect. 93.) is of the same Kind with the Scurvy, proceeds from the same Causes, and is attended with like Symptoms; which are so mani∣fold and various, that the Scurvy may be looked on as a general Cachexy infecting the whole Habit, and vitiating all the Di∣gestions.

From hence proceed Pains in the Limbs, livid Pustules and Ulcers in the Body, with great Inflammation from the Acri∣mony of the obstructed Ichor, or perspira∣ble Matter. Hysterical Maladies are occa∣sioned by the same Means; for the said Sanctorius observes, in Sect, 3. Aphor. 13. that the Wind, so inseparable from those Cases, is nothing else than the Fluid of Perspiration crude and unfinished: And a late very learned Author gives us the Hi∣story of a Lady, his Relation, who was very much afflicted with frequent Returns of violent Cholic Pains, till she was advis'd by the noble Van Helmont, not to drink, as she then did, Beer brew'd with Well∣water, and soon after her Health was so far owing to that Management, that an Error in it, was unavoidably followed with the usual Complaint.

It may be objected, that all Persons are not alike subject to the Stone and Gravel, and that when Water is mix'd with the oily and acid Particles of the Ballam, it may, in some measure, relax the Vessels, and by that means give Liberty to the ob∣structed Matter to recover its Circulation or Secretion; but it must be considered that most Constitutions are more or less subject to Gravel, as appears upon Dis∣sections,

and by a sandy Sediment depo∣sited in the Urine at various Times; it must be consider'd too, whether the attra∣ctive Force of these stony Particles, or the relaxing or attenuating Properties of Tar Water predominate; which I should ima∣gine (considering the Narrowness of the Vessels or Ducts, &c. thro' which it must pass, whereby consequently the Particles are brought more within the Sphere of one an∣others Attraction) must be yielded to the former; especially since it is a known Law in Mechanics, that in all Bodies or Particles of Matter, the attractive Force is as their Solidities, and Points in Contact, and that the attractive Force is infinitely greater at the Point of Contact, or extremely near it, than at any determined Distance. Besides, it is allowed that this Balsam con∣tains an Acid, which incorporates with Water; and there must be a Sulphur be∣cause there is an Acid, for Homberg says, the Acid is always join'd to Sul∣phur, Vide Siris, Sect. 129, and Sir Isaac Newton says, that whatever at∣tracts and is attracted strongly, is an Acid, ib. Sect. 130. The last Author has also proved, that Acids which lay suppress'd in sulphurous Bodies, attract earthy ones more strongly than their own; from whence

he accounts for Fermentation, &c. which may be seen fully explain'd, as it is printed in the second Volume of Dr. Harris's Lexicon Technicum. From hence it fol∣lows, that when these acid Particles meet with earthy ones, which abound in Water, they cannot but attract them; and when these Particles so attracted, do, by any Mo∣tion or Impulse meet with other Particles of a homogeneal Nature with themselves, which they cannot fail to do, either in the Bladder, Kidneys, or other Vessels in the Body, then it is that they attract each other most strongly, and so form Ob∣structions in this or that Vessel or Duct, which makes least Resistance, in spite of all the Intermediation of the Oil in Tar Wa∣ter, which bears but a small Proportion to the acid or attractive Force.

But to return to our Subject, Water is of so constant a Service in preparing our Diet as well as Medicine, that it may be justly said to be the Vehicle of all our Nourishment, so that we cannot be too inquisitive into its Nature and Difference, nor too nice in our Choice of it; and as it is the only Menstruum of so noble a Medicine as Tar Water, it cannot be amiss to try and prove, if by our Art we can

divest it of all its noxious Qualities, since we can find none without, and by that Means make it approach nearer to a Prin∣ciple; when it will be fittest to join and cohere with the most subtile Parts of that excellent Balsam called Tar.

This must be resolved into the noble Art of Chemistry, the experimental Part of which can only convince us, that Wa∣ters may be purified so as to partake little, or, perhaps, nothing, of that noxious Qua∣lity so obvious in them; and I have been convinced of this, by frequent Repetitions of various Processes perform'd with various Glasses within these two Months past, which would take up too much Room to insert in this Place. What is here said may occasion various Objections, especial∣ly from those at present concerned in the common Preparation of Tar Water; but I dare venture to affim, if the Question was put to any Chemist, nay to those who have only acquired a superficial Know∣ledge in Physick, it would not be disputed, but Waters may be purified by various Means to a great Degree, though they might still fall short of that Perfection which cannot be perform'd effectually, without the Addition of a second Princi∣ple,

which has been successfully discover'd after a tedious Course of Experiments: For Distillation of Water alone, will not answer the Purpose; since after it has been distilled two or three Times, it will still continue to form a stony Concrete in the Inside of any Vessel it is boiled or even simmered in; and it is very easy to ima∣gine what Consequences a continued Quantity may produce, when strained through the fine capillary Vessels in a human Body; which, as our great Author ob∣serves in Sect. 54, of his Siris, are said to be so small, that one Grain of Sand would cover the Mouths of more than a hundred Thousand.

It was observed before, and it may be justly repeated, that none but a Chemist can so dexterously prepare this Water, so as to free it from what is foreign to itself, consequently no Person can better prognosticate what Effects may proceed from its Use; for as our learned Bishop observes from Socrates, Sect. 253, You and the Cook may judge of a Dish on the Table equally well, but while the Dish is making, the Cook can better foretel what will ensue from this or that Manner of composing it; conse∣quently

the Chemist can judge best what will ensue from this or that manner of making a Medicine. People addicted to censure, may give out that self Interest is the only Motive that has induced me to publish this Pamphlet, because the Method of refining the two Principles is not recited; to which I answer, that the Chemic Province is too much invaded al∣ready by Empiries and Impostors, and those who are dissatisfied in this Point, are left to their own Option, either to con∣tinue drinking common Tar Water, or else apply to a Chemist for the other, since it is, at the same Time with this Book, published, where the genuine may be had at an easy Expence.

And though the Preference of this Me∣dicine may be imagined from the Reasons already given, yet I am far from disparag∣ing, or assuming the least Merit due to, our original and illustrious Author the Bishop of Cloyne; his excellent Treatise certainly deserves the greatest Applause and Homage from every Rank, and from Persons of Genius; and it would be folly in me to think him in the least ignorant, either of theoretical or experimental Part of Chemistry; what he has done may be more

plausibly accounted for, from the Satisfa∣ction he enjoyed in discovering a Medicine so universal, and easy in its Purchase to Rich and Poor; yet no Reasons can be assigned why we may not exercise our Faculties in meliorating that Medicine, and prove it more universal both by Reason and practi∣cal Experience.

I shall now conclude with making some Remarks upon the Manner of preparing this most noble Medicine, which when rightly managed, will justly deserve all the Encomiums conferred upon it. Its present Preparation is the most improper that can be, which, in some measure, the Bishop himself has proved by his own Philosophy, in several Parts of his Trea∣tise; for by his ordering it to be stirred with a Ladle, or flat Stick, one may suspect that he and most others hitherto have pre∣pared it in an open Vessel, which must be inconsistent with all manner of Philosophy. He lays great stress upon its Volatility, its subtile Oil or Acid, and its oily volatile ve∣getable Salt, which he says are the very Flower of its specific Qualities; this makes it appear more strange, that a Medicine endowed with such fine volatile Parts, should be made in an open Vessel, unless

we intended to evaporate, o•• rob it of this Volatility: For he has taught us, in Sect. 46. that all the finest and purest Parts of any Volatile very easily ascend first: Where then must all these fine volatile, oily, and sub∣tile acid Parts, as he calls them, go to, in a Vessel uncovered? It ought to be our chiefest Care to preserve them. What is the Worth of the once greatly fancied Spirits of Scurvigrass, after they have stood forty eight Hours in an open Vessel? Sal Armoniac and Salts of Tartar, perhaps, have less Volatility, than either Tar or Water, when single, yet upon the least mixing them one with the other, there immediately arises a Volatility, which affects the Nose so strongly, as not to be endured. But tho' this will greatly admit of a Comparison, ••et it does not exactly solve the present Problem: For, Tar being impregnated with such subtile Parts, which are suppressed from flying off by Reason of the Viscidity of its component Parts, yet when it comes to be divided, and, as it were, fluxed with such a Fluid as Water, then all its volatile Parts are disengaged, and set loose from their Imprisonment, and cannot fail to escape according to their different Degrees of Pu∣rity; especially if the Water be refined, for it is then rendred much fitter for Infusion,

because its Parts, which before were gross and heavy, being now made small, and, as it were, volatile, it is fitted to inlinuate itself into the most remote Abscesses, and there adjoin itself to the most subtile parts of the Subject, which before were so closely shut up in these narrow Cells, as to debar the Entrance of more crude aqueous Particles: Much in the Manner as Spirits of Wine will dissolve a resinous Substance sooner than Water; for the spirituous Particles being more subtile and exceedingly smaller than those of Water, they can more readily enter into the In∣terstices of the Resin, and easily dis∣join its Parts, which are too closely uni∣ted for the gross Corpuscles of Water to enter.

Hence it is manifest, that purified Wa∣ter is not only incomparably better adapted to enter into the Stage of Circulation in human Bodies, but likewise more appro∣priated to extract a Tincture from Vege∣tables or their Balsams; which is the sole Aim of our present Business.

FINIS.