An authentic narrative of the success of tar water, in curing a great number and variety of distempers; with remarks ... Carefully abridged / To which are subjoined, two letters from the author of Siris: shewing the medicinal properties of tar water, and the best manner of making it.

  • Thomas Prior
Date:
1793
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An authentic narrative of the success of tar water, in curing a great number and variety of distempers; with remarks ... Carefully abridged / To which are subjoined, two letters from the author of Siris: shewing the medicinal properties of tar water, and the best manner of making it. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    to live, nor could I eat or drink ahy thing that would flay upon my ftomach ; nor had Lany eafe dur- ing the whole time, but when I ufed to ride, which 1 did 30r 4 weeks fucceflively, 3° or 4 times during my illnefs, on bufinefs ; a week or 6 days after which, I’was tolerably eafy, and could eat pretty hearty, after which, though I took feveral things, and by the belt ad- vice, I ftill grew worfe. 1 took ‘Parwater, once a day, for near a week, in the beginning of /ri/, 1744, but it would not flay on my ftomach, and made me fick ;. fol Jeft it off for about 3 weeks ; but continuing to grow: worfe, I again took itin May-following with fuc- cefs, twice a day, and with a dofe or two of rhubarb, after 3’ weeks (1 thank God) was perfeétly well.” 103. From’ the Rev. Mr. T. Col- lier, of Aunfield, in the C. of Wexford, Jan. 24, 1744. , ‘ Catharine Dobbin, a poor woman, had for 3 years been troubled every fummer with very ugly inveterate blotches and’ ulcers, efpecially on Her face ; I advifed her toa courfe of marfh, or wild celery-tea, which gave fome relief for the prefent, but fhe grew worfe every fummer, the ulcers increafing in number and fize. Juft after I had read Siris, fhe came to my door, her face and body fwelled toa mon- ftrows fize, hardly any eyes to be feen, and in as loathfome a'way as ever I faw one in the worit flage of “the fmall-pox. She told me the was dying, and” begged a little charity: 1 had fome 'Tarwater jut made, and gave her 2 quarts, defir- ing her to drink it, and come to me sgain ; | did not fee her for a week, and then fhe told me fhe had tried’ to take the water, and it. was fo cold on her ftomach, that it almoft 13) killed her; that inftead of comforr- ing her, itthrew her into a cold {wesat; I advifed her to go home and take it as warm. as fhe could bear it; fhe did fo, and ina week came to me for more. By that time, the fwelling had much fub- fided, and fhe could fee with both her eyes. J] gave her a gallon of water more, and in a month fhe came to me quite well, no {welling inany part of her body, only a rednefs in her face, juft as after the tmall-pox. She continued well tiit Jait fummer, when fhe had a {mall return of the diforder, which was cured the fame way, and is ‘at this time «feemingly well. The cure was prodigious, and what Ff efteemed almoft miraculous, be- caufe I had known the woman’s ailment a long time, which I] judge to be a fcurvy, occafioned by poor living, and attended by 2 drapfy.: 104. The nextcafe I tried was: a violent pain in the ftomach, which had greatly troubled a young: gentlewoman 12 months, far re— moving which, fhe had’taken fe- veral things to no purpofe; one gation of watercured her. 105. A third patient was Ed- mund Dunfy, an oid labouring man,. fo weakened by a long dry cougli,. that I took him to be on the ex treme verge of fife. He. was for weak that he was aflifted in coming: a quarter of a mile to my hovfe; and was obliged ta ftop at every fourth ftep: [ gave him a pitcher of Tarwater, and in about a month: he came to Know if [had any work for him, his cough quite removed, and witht a ruddy healthy counte-- nance ; he has been fince labouring’ conftantly, 106. A fervant-mridin this pa-: rifh was feized abour 2 month paft with a violentitching all’ over : . her