Part 1

Transcriber’s notes:

Apart from the corrections listed below, the text of this e-book has been preserved as in the original. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.

universa → universal Digeston → Digestion liqours → liquors hydochondriac → hypochondriac childdren → children loosenese → looseness watet → water appply → apply rhey → they absoltue → absolute or → of yest → yeast distilation → distillation mettalic → metallic Leediensis → Leodiensis sudirifics → sudorifics primative → primitive closs → close it → is decripedness → decrepidness

THE VIRTUES OF COMMON WATER:

OR,

_THE ADVANTAGES THEREOF_, IN PREVENTING AND CURING MANY DISTEMPERS.

GATHERED _From the writings of several eminent Physicians, and also from more than forty years experience_.

By JOHN SMITH, C. M.

To which is added, SOME RULES FOR PRESERVING HEALTH BY DIET.

_That’s the best physic, which doth cure our ills Without the charge of ’pothecaries bills._

_THE TENTH EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS._

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COMMUNICATED BY _Mr RALPH THORESBY, F. R. S. and Others_.

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DUNDEE,

_PRINTED BY T. COLVILL AND SON_,

FOR

G. MILLN, BOOKSELLER.

1799.

THE

VIRTUES

OF

COMMON WATER.

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For the benefit of mankind in general, I have taken pains to give the world an account of what I have found written in the works of the most eminent physicians, concerning the good that mankind may receive from the use of Common Water; and of the informations I have had concerning the benefits thereof from others by word of mouth; and of what I have discovered by my own experience, from frequent trials, during a time that hath intervened from that of thirty to seventy-four years of age: which is sufficient to confirm the stupendious effects thereof; especially in the many particulars that shall be mentioned as my own discovery with respect to this excellent remedy, which will perform cures with very little trouble, and without any charge, and is also to be had wherever there are any habitations, which can hardly be said of any other: So that in some sense water may be truly stiled, _an universal remedy_, since the diseases it either prevents or cures may have this remedy applied to all persons, and in all places where men inhabit.

[Sidenote: _Excellency of Water._]

The first commendation of Common Water I shall mention, is that of Dr Manwaring, in his _Method and means of enjoying health_; wherein he saith, that water is a wholesome drink, or rather the most wholesome--being appointed for man in his best state; which doth strongly argue that drink to be the most suitable for human nature--answering all the intentions of common drinks; for it cools, moistens, and quencheth thirsts; ’tis clear, thin, and fit to convey the nourishment through the smallest vessels of the body--and it is a drink that is a rule to itself, and requires little caution in the use of it, since none will be tempted to drink of it more than needs: And that, in the primitive ages of the world, water-drinkers, he says, were the longest livers by some hundreds of years--not so often sick and complaining as we are.

[Sidenote: _Digestion to help._]

Dr Keill, treating of the stomach, in his _Abridgment of the anatomy of human bodies_, saith, that water seems the fittest to promote the digestion of food; all spirituous liquors having a property by which they hurt, rather than help digestion; the sad effects of which they are sensible of, he saith, who by a long use thereof have lost their appetites, hardly ever to be restored without drinking water, which seldom faileth of procuring a good appetite and a strong digestion. With which Dr. Baynard agrees, affirming, “That water liquifies and concocts our food better than any fermented liquor whatever.” _Hist. of cold bathing_, p. 440.

[Sidenote: _Diseases to prevent._]

Dr. Prat, in his _treatise of mineral waters_, shews it to be his judgment, that, if people would accustom themselves to drink water, they would be more free from many diseases; such as tremblings, palsies, apoplexies, giddiness, pains in the head, gout, stone, dropsy, rheumatism, piles, and such like: which diseases are most common among them that drink strong drinks, and which water generally would prevent. Moreover, he saith, that water plentifully drank, strengthens the stomach, causeth an appetite, preserves the sight, maketh the senses lively, and cleanseth all the passages of the body, especially those of the kidneys and bladder.

[Sidenote: _Health to procure by Water._]

’Tis also said by Dr. Duncan, in his _treatise of hot liquors_, that, when men contented themselves with water, they had more health and strength; and that at this day those who drink nothing but water are more healthy, and live longer, than those who drink strong liquors, which raise the heat of the stomach to excess, whereas water keeps it in a due temper. And he adds in another part of the book, that by hot liquor the blood is inflamed; and such whose blood is inflamed, live not so long as those who are of a cooler temper; a hot blood being commonly the cause of fluxes, rheums, ill digestion, pains in the limbs, head-ach, dimness of sight, and especially of hysteric vapours. He also imputes the cause of ulcers to a hot blood, and declares, that if men kept their blood cool and sweet, by a moderate and cooling diet, they would never be troubled with ulcers, or other breakings-out. Which coolness of the blood will be well attained to by drinking a large draught of water in the morning, which also will carry off the bilious and salt recrements by urine. And, if water is drank also after dinner, it will cool a hot stomach, and prevent the rising of those fermentations which cause wind and belching after meat. So that if persons who are liable to these disorders will leave off strong liquors and a hot diet, and drink water, they will procure better health to themselves than they had before.

[Sidenote: _Some of the good properties of Water._]

Sir John Floyer also, in his _treatise of cold baths_, p. 109, edit. 5, affirms, that water-drinkers are temperate in their actions, prudent and ingenious; they live safe from those diseases which affect the head, such as apoplexies, palsies, pain, blindness, deafness, gout, convulsions, trembling, madness: And the drinking of water cures the hiccough, fætor of the mouth, and of the whole body; it resists putrefaction, and cools burning heats and thirsts, and after dinner it helps digestion.--And if the virtues of cold water were seriously considered, all persons would value it as a great medicine, in preventing the stone, asthma, and hysteric fits; and to the use of this, children ought to be bred up from their cradles. And, in page 434, he saith, That as water is in chief the universal drink of the world--so it is the best, and most salubrious. And, in page 434. That he hath known where a regular drinking of spring-water hath done considerable cures by washing off the acrid, scorbutic salts from the blood, and strengthening the coats and fibres of the stomach and bowels, and hath brought on a good appetite, and a strong digestion. And I add, that it will infallibly do it in all curable cases.

[Sidenote: _Cold Water strengthening._]

Having read over an old book written by Sir Thomas Elliot, intituled, _The castle of health_, he there declared from his own experience, that in the county of Cornwall, tho’ it was a very cold quarter, the poorer sort, which in his time did never, or but very seldom, drink any other drinks but water, were strong of body, and lived to a very great age. To which relation that of Sir Henry Blunt’s is very agreeable, who affirmed, in his book of travels into the Levant, (where under the Turkish government the use of wine was forbid, and where the common drink is water) that he then had a better stomach to his food, and digested it more kindly than he ever did before or since.

[Sidenote: _Digestion considered._]

And in the _treatise of the vanity of philosophy_, written by Dr. Gideon Harvey, it is affirmed, that it is not heat that causeth a good digestion, but a proper ferment, or liquor provided by nature, to dissolve the food into a substance like unto pap made with fine flour; which dissolvent, he saith, is much depraved by hot spirituous liquors; and therefore he commends water above all other drinks to promote digestion.

[Sidenote: _Gout and Hypochondriac Melancholy._]

Water-drinking is also said by Dr. Allen to be good to prevent two deplorable distempers, the gout and the hypochondriac melancholy; For, says he, the gout is generally caused by too great drinking of fermented liquors, and is never said to have assaulted any drinker of water; and he saith also, that melancholy hypochondriac is kept off longest by drinking water instead of strong drink. To which let me add, that I once knew a gouty gentleman, who, to avoid his drinking companions in London, retired to New Brentford, where I then lived; in which town, by a very temperate diet of one meal a day, and drinking only water, he lived two whole years free from pain: But being visited by one who came that way, and invited to drink but one bottle of Claret between them, he fell next day into a terrible fit of the gout, which held above a month after; of which being recovered, he by the same course continued well till I left the place, which was about a year and an half after.

[Sidenote: _Gravel._]

The good properties of water are further manifested in preventing the breeding of gravel in the kidneys; for Zechias, in _Consult._ 17. as quoted by Salmon, affirms, that nothing so much abates the heat of the kidneys, and frees them from those recrements which cause pain in the back, one great sign of gravel, as water does; but he adviseth to drink it warm. By the use of which, he saith, the unnatural heat in time will be so extinguished, that no more of that matter causing gravel will be produced in the body. Which assertion by experience I have found to be true; for observing much gravel to be voided by me, also abundance of matter floating in the urine like bran; with a great number of recrements like cuttings of hair, some above an inch long, which substances were found in all the water that I made in above twelve months; for which I could get no remedy: I was advised to drink water, which in about half a year did entirely free me from those symptoms, which some out of ignorance imputed to witchcraft, so that from that time to this I never have been troubled with it.

[Sidenote: _Stone in the Bladder._]

Water also is commended as efficacious to prevent the breeding of the stone in the bladder; for it hath been observed, that in some who have been cut for the stone, that new stones have been engendered, so that some young persons have been cut several times. Now, to prevent this, the drinking water hath been advised with success; for by this that intemperate heat in the body was abated, which did occasion the distemper. Some have advised to drink it warm, and others cold, particularly Van Heyden, a physician of Ghent in Flanders, in his book intituled, _Help for the rich and poor_; which, he saith, in p. 40, is sufficiently insinuated by Piso and Alexander, who assure us, that the taking a draught of cold water in the morning hath done so much good, that several, after the voiding of a stone, never had any more stones grew in them.

[Sidenote: _Stone to dissolve._]

Which experiment may give light to the discovery of a way to cure the stone without cutting: For if the growing of new stones can be prevented by drinking water, let it be hot or cold, it may prevent a stone from growing bigger when begun; and if the adding matter to increase a stone new begun, can be prevented, nature in time may waste that which is begun, especially if some drops of sweet spirit of nitre be added to all the water drank, which will powerfully help to cool, and is known to be an admirable mover or provoker of urine, and will waste a stone, and make it crumble like fuller’s earth, if applied to a stone taken from the body. Or the water may be sweetened with honey, which is now much in use among the gentry, as I am informed by an ingenious apothecary; who told me, that, among them at present, pump-water and honey are in great repute to give ease in gravel: And there is so near an affinity between gravel and the stone, that what is proper for one, will doubtless be suitable for the other, and will prevent the growth of both.

[Sidenote: _Beneficial in child-bearing._]

Water is also stiled in Senertus’ works, _The balsam of children_, the drinking of it by the mother being one of those things whereby children will be strengthened in the womb, and will prevent those injuries that are done them by womens drinking strong liquors; which Samson’s mother was not allowed to do, for she was commanded not to drink wine or strong drink, Judg. xiii. 4. But I will not say, if all women should do this, their children shall be as strong as Samson was; yet this I will say, if they would do this, they would find their children more free from distempers and frowardness, and so much more easy to nurse and bring up, and be less liable to an immature death; the want of which abstinence from strong drinks, is the cause why so many rich people find it hard to bring up children, in comparison to what is done by the poor: For these last are born of mothers who not only are prevented from being gluttons by their want of dainties, which are deceitful meat, Prov. xxiii. 3. but they seldom taste wine or strong drink; whereas the rich not only feed high, but also drink strong drinks, which in most constitutions do overheat and corrupt the humours of the body, and that blood by which their children are nourished during their pregnancy: which injury to unborn infants would be prevented, if the mother would be temperate in diet, and drink water, especially at meals, by which the blood of the mother would be kept cool and clean; which must needs communicate a healthful substance to the child within her, and prevent all those distempers which infants bring with them into the world.

[Sidenote: _Increases milk in women._]

And here it may be proper to add, what by divers experiments it hath been found to be true, that the drinking water by nurses, while they give suck to children, will wonderfully increase milk in those that want it, as every one will find, who can be persuaded to make use thereof. I have advised many to use it, who have found that, by drinking a large draught of water at bed-time, they have been supplied with milk sufficient for that night; when before they wanted it, and could not be supplied by any other means: And besides, they who have found their children restless, by reason of too much heat in their milk, do find them much more quiet after their milk is cooled by water-drinking.

[Sidenote: _Stays hunger, and prevents starving._]

By drinking water also the want of food for a time may be suffered without starving: For I have been informed by a credible friend, who was an officer at sea, that being sent down to Stafford to see some men conveyed on shipboard, that had been pressed by act of Parliament for the sea-service; he found in the prison where they were kept a lusty fellow, who had declared he would starve himself rather than go to sea; and, taking particular notice thereof, he found upon due enquiry, that for twenty days he had refused to eat any manner of food, only he drank each day about three pints or two quarts of water, hoping thereby to get himself discharged: But when he found his pretensions to be in vain, and that in or about two days they should all march for London, he condescended to eat some food, beginning with a little; and in the march he was observed to travel as well as the best man. I find also an account in Dr. Car’s letters, of a certain crack-brained person, who at Leyden, when the doctor resided in that university, pretended he could fast as long as Christ did; and it was found he held out the time of forty days without eating any food, only he drank water and smoked tobacco. And I once had a sad complaint from a poor old woman of the greatness of her want, affirming, that oftentimes she had not eaten any food for two or three days; upon which I asked her, if she did not then suffer much uneasiness in her stomach? she said she did; but found a way at last to asswage her hunger by drinking water, which satisfied her appetite.

[Sidenote: _Strengthens weak children._]

Water is also of great use to strengthen weak children; For we are informed by Dr Joseph Brown, in his _treatise of cures performed by cold baths_, that the Welsh women do preserve their children from the rickets, by washing them night and morning in cold water, till they are three quarters of a year old, p. 79. And ’tis said by Sir John Floyer, in his _treatise on cold baths_, that a lady in Scotland, who had lost several children thro’ weakness, did, by the advice of a Highland beggar woman, preserve those she had afterwards, by washing them daily in cold water. And I myself advised a neighbour, whose child began to be ricketty, to treat the child in the same manner; but she, instead of washing, dipped it over head and ears every morning, it being then in the summer-time: The event of which was, the child became strong, and had a good countenance, tho’ before it was very pale and wan: Which shews how great the power of water is, when used outwardly, to invigorate the spirits, and strengthen nature.

[Sidenote: _Swellings from bruises._]

It is also a known custom, to prevent the swellings that follow bruises in the faces of children, by immediately applying thereunto a linen cloth four or six times double, dipped in cold water, and new dipped as it begins to grow warm; for the cold repels or prevents the flowing of humours to the part, which otherwise would cause great swelling, and after turn blackish: And if upon neglecting to do so, a swelling should succeed, it may be discussed by fomenting night and morning, for an hour at a time, with water as hot as can be endured; for that will give vent to the humours to transpire through the skin, or dissolve them, so as to make them capable of returning back.

[Sidenote: _All sickness at the stomach to cure._]

Moreover, by means of water all sickness at the stomach may be cured, which is done thus: Take four quarts of water, make it as hot over the fire as you can drink it: of which water let a quart be taken down at several draughts; then wrap a rag round a small piece of stick, till it is about the bigness of a man’s thumb; tie it fast with some thread; and with this, by endeavouring gently to put it a little way down your throat, provoke yourself to vomit up again most of the water: Then drink another quart, and vomit up that, and repeat the same the third and fourth time, if once or twice is not sufficient. You may also provoke vomiting by tickling your throat with your finger, or the feather-end of a goose quill; but the cloth round a skewer maketh one vomit with more ease, which is done with no trouble when the stomach is full. And by this way of vomiting, which will be all performed in an hour’s time, that viscous and ropy phlegm in the stomach, which causeth the sickness, will be cast up, so that the party in that time will be free from all that inward disturbance, if you use the remedy at first; but, if the sickness hath continued for a time, it will require the same course once or twice more, which may be done in three or four hours, one after another, without any other inconvenience, besides that of being a little sore in the breast the next day, which will soon go off by the force of nature. Which remedy, by forty years experience, I look upon to be infallible in all sickness at the stomach, from what cause soever, and for all pains in the belly which seem to be above the navel; for these are all in the stomach, as by long experience I have found: Which pains are generally counted the cholic; but it is not so; for true cholics are always below the navel, in the gut colon. And by this means I have eased very great pains caused by eating mussels that were poisonous; and it is also a certain cure for all surfeits or disorders that follow after much eating. So that the lives of multitudes might be saved by this means, who, for want of expelling what offends, often die in misery: For, by thus cleansing the stomach at the first, the root of diseases proceeding from surfeiting, or unwholsome food, or any viscous humours from a bad digestion, are prevented; the stomach being the place in which all distempers at first begin. No man was more subject to sickness than myself before thirty years of age; but since I found out the way of vomiting with water, which is now above forty years, I never have been sick for two days together: For, when I find myself ill to any great degree, I betake myself to this way of vomiting, which in an hour’s time restores me to ease, and perfectly removes my illness. And the same benefit all my family find in it, as do others also whom I can persuade to try the experiment, which is such, that no physician whatever can advise a better to the king himself, should he fall sick. For, in the first place, it is not a nauseous remedy, it does not make the patient sick, as the best of all other vomits do; and then it is a vomit which is at our own command, since we can leave off when we please: And it infallibly works a cure to all sick stomachs, from whatever cause.

[Sidenote: _Digestion to cause._]