Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Supplement, Volume 2.djvu/610

 TAR

thereby. Hence the prejudice which fome, perhaps, may en- tertain againft Tar-water, the ufe whereof might inflame the blood, by its fulphur and refm,as a medicine, appears to be not well grounded. It is obferved by chemifts, that all forts ot balfamic wood afford an acid fpirit, which is the volatile oily fait of the vegetable. Herein is chiefly contained their medi- cinal virtues ; and this author affirms, that by the trials he has made, it appears, that the acid fpirit in Tar-water poflefles the virtues, in an eminent degree, of that of guaiacum, and other medicinal woods.

It is certain Tar-water warms, and therefore fome may per- haps ft ill think it cannot cool. The more effectually to re- move this prejudice, let it be farther confidered, that, as on one hand, cppolite caufes do fometimes produce the fame effect j for inltance, heat by rarefaction, and cold by conden- faticii, do both increafe the air's elaft icity ; fo, on the other hand, the fame caufe ftialJ fometimes produce oppofite effects. Heat, for inftancef in one degree thins, in another coagulates the blood. It is not therefore ftrange, that Tar-water ihould warm one habit, and cool another ; have one good effect on a cold conftitution, and another good effect on an inflamed one; nor, if this be fo, that it fhould cure oppofite diforders. All which juftifies to reafon, what has often been found true in fac~t. The falts, the fpirits, the heat of Tar-water, are of a temperature congenial to the conflitution of a man, which re- ceives from it a kindly warmth, but no inflaming heat. It is cf admirable ufe in fevers, being at the fame time the furcft, fafeft, and molt effectual both paregoric and cordial ; for the truth of which the bifhop appeals to any man's experience, who (hall take a large draught of it milk warm, in the parox- ifm of a fever, even when plain water and herb teas fhall be found to have little or no effect. To him it feems, that its fingular and fui prizing ufe in fevers of all kinds, were there nothing elfe, would be alone fufficient to recommend it to the public. As Tar-water potteries the virtues of fortifying the ftomach, as well as purifying and invigorating the blood, it may be prefumed of gieat and general efficacy in all thoie nu- merous iilnefles, which take their rife from foul or vapid blood, or from a bad digeftion. The animal fpirits are ela- borated from the blood ; fuch therefore as the blood is, fuch will be the animal fpirits, more or lefs, weaker or ftronger. This mews the ufefulni_fs of Tar-water in all hyfteric and hy- pochondriac cafes ; which, together with the maladies from indigeftion, comprize almoft the whcle tribe of chronical dif- cafts. In very dangerous and acute cafcs, 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. A medicine of fo great vntue in fo many different diforders, and efpecially in that grand enemy the fever, muff needs be a be- nefit to mankind in general. There are neverthelefs three forts of people to whom the bifhop fays he would peculiarly recommend it ; fea faring pcrfons, ladies, and men of ftudious and fedentary lives.

To failcrs, and all fea-fanng perfons, who are fubjecT: to fcor- butic diforders, and putrid fevers, efpecially in long fouthern voyages, he is perfuaded this Tar-water would be very bene- ficial. And this may deferve particular notice, when fo many of cur countrymen have perifhed by fuch diltempers, con- tracted at fea, and in foreign climates, which, it is probable, might have been prevented by the copious ufe of Tar-iuater. This fame water will aifo give charitable relief to the l.'.dies, who often want it more than the parifh poor ; being many of them never able to make a good meal, and fitting pale, puny, and foibidden like ghofts, at their own table, victims of va- pours and indigeftion. Studious peifons alio pent up in nar- row holes, breathing bad air, and Itooping over their book;, are much to be pitied ; as they are debarred the free ufe of air and exercife ; tiiis, he fays, he will venture to recommend as the belt fuccedancum to both. Though it were to be wilhed, that -modern fcholars would, like the antients, meditate and converfe more in walks and gardens, and open air ; which, upon the whole, would perhaps be no hindrance to their ftudies. It has been infinuated, that Tar-water, made in the common way, as here defcribed, contains noxious oils or particles of Tar, which renders it dangerous to thoie who drink it. But the bifhop fays, this is contrary to all his experience, and that Tar-water is fofar from doing hurt by anycaufticor fiery qua- lity, that it is, on the contrary, a muff potent medicine for the allaying of heat, and curing of all inflammatory diftempers. It has alfo been publickly aflerted, that the acid juice of Tar, freed from the volatile oil, is much more fafe and efficacious than Tar-water. But the above-mentioned author is of opi- nion, that if Tar-water be robbed of its fine volatile oil (which neither finks to the bottom, nor floats at the top, but is in- timately united with it, and appears to the eye only in the co- lour of Tar-zvaier) it can be no cordial, he having obferved, that themoft acid water is the leait cordial ; fo far is he from imputing the whole virtue to the acid, as fome have thought. See Two Letters from the Bijhcp of 'Cloyrte, Sec. pubhfhed 1747. , The fame author obferves, that the ufe of Tar-water, made a fecond time from the fame Tar, is not at all noxious, or of a fiery caultic nature, only it is not fo ilrong as that firfr. made. If it be afked, what precife quantity or degree of ftrength is ru-quird' in Tar-WfiUr? it is anfwered, that the palate, .the

TAR

ftomach, the particular cafe and conftitution of the patient,

the very feaibn of the year will difpofe and require him to

drink more or lefs in quantity, ftronger or weaker in degree.

Preciiely to meafure its ftrength by a fcrupulous exaftneJs, is

by no means neceflary.

It is to be obferved, that Tar-water fhould not be made in

unglazed earthen veflels, thefe being apt to communicate a

nauieous fweetnefs to the water.

The fame ingenious author recommends Tar-water in the

plague, and for the oiitemper among the horned cattle now

raging ; with what fuccefs mull be left to experience.

TAR ABE, in zoology, the name of a Braiilian parrot, larger than the common green parrot. Its general colour is green ; but its head, breaft, and the origin of its wings, are red. Its beak and legs are of a dufky grey. Marggrave'% Hift. Braf.

TARAii Lapis, the name given by the writers of the middle ages to a Hone which they fay had the power of flopping all forts of fluxes. They have left us no defcription of it, and it feems to have been loit even in their times ; for they obferve that the phyficians ufed the fanguis draconis, or dragon's- blood, in its place.

TARAGUICO Aycuraba, in zoology, the Brafilian name for a fpecies of lizard, much approaching to the nature of the taraguira ; but its tail is covered from its beginning with fmall triangular fcales, and very regularly marked with four brown fpots. The back alfo, particularly that part which is next the head, is variegated with undulated brown lines. Ray's Syn. Quad., p. 26O.

TARAGUIRA, in zoology, the name of an American lizard. It grows to about a foot long ; its body is rounded, and every where covered with fmall triangular dufky grey fcales. Its back is fmooth, and it has not that falfe gullet under the throat which the iguana has.

This is tire fpecies of lizard of which it is reported, that it will wake a fleeping pcrfon, it it fee him in danger of being bitten by a ferpent. It is very common about houfes and gardens in South America, and runs very fwittly, but with a waddling motion j and when it fees any thing at a diftance, has an odd way of nodding its head very fwittly. Ray's Syn. Quad. p. 266.

TARANDUS, in zoology, a name given by Agricola, and fome other authors, to the rein deer. See the article Rangifer.

TARANIOLO, in zoology, a name by which the wbimbrel, or fmall curlew, called the arquata minor by authors, is known in the markets of Italy. Ray's Ornithology, p. 217.

TARANTULA, {Cych) in zoology, a name given by the Ita- lians to a peculiar fpecies of lizard, called by Aldrovand and fome others, lacertus facetanus. See Tab, of Quadrupeds and Serpents, N°. 36, 1

It is of a grey colour; its fkin is extremely rough ; and it is thicker and rounder bodied than the other lizards. It is found like our common eft, under old walls, and among the ruins of buildings, particularly, in the neighbourhood of Rome, in great plenty ; its colour looks dead and ghaftly, and it is as odious to the fight among the Italians, as the toad is with us, being never feen without a fort of natural horror. It is efteemed alfo a poifonous creature, as the toad is with us, tho* it is not eafy to find well-attciled ftories of any bodies ever having been hurt either by the one or the other of thefe crea- tures. Ray's Syn. Quad. p. 264.

TARBASON, a word ufed by fome chemical writers as a name for antimony.

TARCONANTHUS, in botany, the name of a plant de- fcribed by Vaillant, the chara&ers of which are the fame with thofe of the parthenium. Faillant, A. G. 171 9. See the article Parthenium.

TARDA Avis, in zoology, a name given by many to the buffard, more commonly known among authors by the name etis. Ray's Ornithology, p. 129. See the article Otis.

TARDO, in the Italian mufic, is ufed to denote a flow move- ment, being much the fame as largo. See thearticleL/ARGo.

TARE1BOIA, in zoology, the name of a fpecies of ferpent found in America, and called alfo cacaboia; though, according to fome authors, the Tareibo'ia and cacaboia are two different fpecies. They are both of the amphibious kind, and live in lakes and waters, as well as on land ; but they are not very poifonous. They are fmall makes, and all over black ; when offended, they will bite ; but the wound is eafily curable. Authors have written differently of thefe ferpents, fome making the latter very different from the former, and of a yellow colour. Ray's Syn. Anim. p. 329.

TAREIRA, in ichthyology, the name of a fifh caught in the American feas, and eaten ; but of no fine flavour. It is of an oblong and thick body, gradually tapering toward the tail. Its head refembles that of a fnake, and is raifed into two tubercles over the eyes : Its eyes are yellow, with a black pupil i its nofe pointed, and its mouth large and yellow with- in. It has extremely iharp teeth in both its jaws, and on its tongue. It has eight fins, the tail being accounted one, and this is forked ; but this, as well as the reft, is of the confift- ence of a poppy leaf, tender, thin, and foft, and fuftained by foft rays. Its fcales are fo nicely laid on one another, that it feems fmooth to the touch. Its belly is white, and its back ' and fides are variegated with longitudinal green and yellow lines, M&rggravS sH\tt, Braf. '

TARGAR,