The virtues of common water

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.

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.

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.

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.

’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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Some few indeed pretend they are not able to vomit by this means: Now, if they cannot vomit, let them take a pint of water when they find themselves ill from eating, and do so every three or four hours, eating no more till they are hungry; and they will find the water digest and carry off what was offensive. The ingenious Dr. Cheyne, in his Treatise of the gout, affirms, that warm water drank freely in a morning fasting, and at meals, (and I say cold water is as good) hath a sovereign remedy for restoring left appetites, and strengthening weak digestions, when other more pompous medicines have failed. And he adviseth gouty persons, after excess either in meat or drink, to swill down as much fair water, as their stomach will bear, before they go to bed, whereby they will reap these advantages, either the contents of the stomach will be thrown up, or both meat and drink will be much diluted, and the labour and expence of spirits in digestion much saved, p. 44. ed. 4: And indeed I have found by long experience, that nothing causeth so good a digestion as fair water; but this requires time to free us from the uneasiness that an ill digestion causeth, whereas vomiting is an immediate remedy, and frees a man from it upon the spot.

We are told by Sir John Floyer, in his Treatise of bath and mineral springs, that vomiting with water is very useful in the gout, sciatica, wind, shortness of breath, hypochondriac melancholy, and falling-sickness; which distempers are generally derived from evil matter contained in the stomach, as is likewise giddiness in the head, and apoplexies, with which myself once seemed to be threatened: For, after eating a plentiful dinner, I was seized with giddiness, and the sight of my eyes became so depraved, that things seemed double, which was accompanied with a strange consternation of spirit; and having read, that apoplexies generally seize after eating, I immediately called for water, and, net daring to stay till it was warmed, I drank it cold, and by the help of my finger provoked vomiting: Upon which I did immediately overcome the evils I was threatened with, the symptoms before-mentioned being the same as did precede the fit of an apoplexy in another person, as himself afterwards told me, who died of it the third fit, about a year after.

As for people who are troubled with shortness of breath, it is certain from experience, that vomiting with warm water three or four times, will afford certain relief. And the same may be prevented by drinking nothing but water afterwards, either cold or warmed with a toast. For, upon doing this, the difficulty of breathing will apparently abate; which water, if you please, may be boiled with honey. And I knew one, who by this means, as he was advised by me, lived comfortably in this city two or three winters, but, having undertaken business which did occasion drinking strong drinks, was the next winter carried off by the distemper: Wine, ale, or brandy, being as bad as poison to people troubled with shortness of breath. So that nothing but water ought to be drank in that distemper.

Some people are taken with violent vomiting, and the excess thereof in some hath been so great as to endanger their lives, yea, cause death: In which case water will be very helpful; for, if a pint of it warmed be drank after every vomit, it will prevent that violent straining, wherein lieth the danger of all vomiting, because to strain violently, when but little will come up, endangers the breaking of some inward vessel. And, besides this, the offending matter will be sooner loosened from the internal part of the stomach, and cast out, upon which the vomiting will sooner cease: For after this manner the famous Sydenham, a most honest writer, did overcome the cholera morbus, or vomiting and looseness, so common in his time, and was found by the weekly bill to kill more than now die of convulsions; for his way was to boil a chicken in four gallons of water, which made a broth not such differing from water, of which he ordered large draughts to be given, and some of it to be taken by clyster, till the whole quantity was spent, if the vomiting did not stop before; which did so take off the sharpness of the matter offending, and wash it out, that the party in a little time became well. And the same was the practice of Sigismundus Grafius, who commends pure water in a vomiting or looseness to be drank in large quantities; for thereby, he saith, the corrosive and sharp humours will be so weakened, that they will no more offend: And he saith, it may be drank cold if the patient be strong, otherwise let it be warmed.

And in common fluxes without vomiting, a quart or more of warm water drank, will so weaken the sharpness whereby the distemper is caused, that is will soon be overcome, and the gripings eased. And in the bloody flux, which is the most dangerous of all fluxes, the ingenious Cornelius Celsus adviseth a large drinking of cold water as the best of remedies: But then no other substance must be taken till the disease is cured. And Lusitanus, another great physician, affirms, Cent. 1. Obser. 46. that he knew one, who, being in the summer-time afflicted with the bloody flux, drank a large quantity of cold water, and thereby recovered. This large quantity of water, in these fluxes, doth so correct the sharpness of the humour offending, that it can have no power to cause pain, or corrode the vessels, and cause bloody digestions or stools.

Water also is a drink that conduceth above all things to cure consumptive people; for the digestion being weakened, is the cause of producing a hot fretting nourishment, which is injurious to the tender substance of the lungs, and which constringes and stops up the lymphatic vessels thro’ which the nourishment is to pass to all the parts, so that by degrees the body for want of due supplies consumes: Which obstructions, and that acrimony which causeth them, will be opened and sweetened by the plentiful use of water, if taken before the lungs become ulcerous. Which cure of consumptions by water is recommended in the writings of Dr. Couch, who, in his Praxis Catholica, tells us, that he knew a man cured very soon of a consumption by drinking pure water. And it is said by another, that some have been cured of consumptions by drinking no other drink but water, avoiding all malt liquors, and sharp wines: For wine or any other strong liquor is pernicious in this distemper, whose original is affirmed by Dr Coward to be always in the stomach, from some intemperance in meat or drink.

Some there are who are much troubled with flushing heat in the face, and others with a heat in the back; in both which cases, water used as common drink is the best remedy, with a spare cooling diet: And it is also excellent for such as have red blotches in their face, which proceed from a hot fretting blood, which by water-drinking, and a moderate diet, will be kept under: For as Dr. Duncan, before quoted, doth affirm, those who keep their blood cool and clean, are never troubled with breakings-out, like many others, who may be known to be drinkers of hot drinks, and to use a hot full diet, by their faces being full of blotches.

Water is also commended by the learned for the cholic; large drinking of water hath been found to be an excellent remedy. And it is said by Fortis, that when he practised at Venice, he often gave cold water in the cholic, with good success. With whom an English physician, Dr. Wainwright, in his Mechanical account of the six non-naturals, concurs; for he saith, that water-drinkers are never troubled with the cholic, and that many thereby have been cured, when all other remedies failed: But in this case a quart at least is required.

And, in the Small Pox, water hath also been proved to be an excellent drink. Salmon, in his Synopsis Medicinæ, saith, that in this distemper you may safely give the sick fair water, of which, says he, they may drink liberally to quench thirst; the want of which plenty of drink, hath been the death of many a patient. Which opinion of his was right, as by experience I have found in two of my own children, when sick of this distemper; to whom, after I had given a gentle vomit of emetic tartar, I gave no other drink but water, and they both recovered safely, and were not in the least light-headed, as two others before were in the same distemper, when treated otherwise. And I remember that one Dr. Betts, being consulted in a case where the eruption did not come out kindly, ordered two quarts of cold water to be drank as soon as could be, upon which they came out according to expectation, and the party did well.

It is also certain, that, in what we call burning fevers, water is found to be a safe and effectual remedy. It is said by Dr. Primrose, in his Popular Errors, that many great physicians have commended the drinking cold water in diseases, and they attribute to it the chief place in fevers, where the sick must drink largely; for thus taken it will quench all heat, p. 374. And Galen is said, by an English author, to reprove Crasistratus for denying cold water in burning fevers; and says, that this is a remedy for any fever, provided it be drank in great abundance. With which opinion I find Dr. Oliver to agree, who, in his Essay on Fevers, says, that in fevers we must drink oftner than thirst calls for it, and such draughts as are plentiful; and the drink he prescribes is either cold water or barley-water. Dr. Wainwright affirms also, that water is proper in fevers, and that the ancients gave as much of it as the patient could drink. And by another it is said, that if you give the patient nothing but water for three days, that in the third day the fever will be cured generally; but, if it is not, give for food a little barley-broth, and the fever will not exceed the seventh day. And by another we are informed, how one in a fever, that was past hope, being forbidden to drink water, which he greatly desired, did find means, in the absence of his nurse, to get a large potfull, which he drank off, and lay down again, being well cooled; after which he fell into a sweat, and so was cured. Dr. Cook of Warwick, in his book of Observations on English bodies, prescribes for the cure of fevers, first a vomit, and afterwards as much cold water as the patient can drink; and he saith, that, if he sweat upon it, the sweat must be continued as long as can be. And it is said by another, that it is an excellent remedy in fevers to drink a quart of hot water, and sweat upon it, being covered warm. Dr. Quinton, in his book of Observations, writes, that to one in a malignant fever, whose pulse was so low it could scarcely be felt, there were three quarts of water given, at several draughts, to make him vomit; but it did not operate that way, yet the event was this: It refreshed him much, raised his pulse, brought him into a breathing sweat, and passed off by urine; which lowness of the pulse I have often found to be raised in other cases, by drinking water plentifully. And I know a woman, who, tho’ she in a fever had the advice of two doctors, yet became distracted; I bid the nurse give her a pint of cold water, which she drank up, and in three or four minutes came to her right senses; and desiring to drink more, she recovered. And I have observed, that when in fevers the patient can relish no other drink, yet water is always drank with pleasure, as it also will always be after the eating of sweet things, that spoil the relish of other drinks; which is one excellence peculiar to water, and shews it to be most agreeable to the nature of mankind, tho’ now so much slighted. And, besides this, it is a drink that will not turn sour in the stomach, as all fermented drinks will do, to the increase of distempers already begun there, by acidity or sourness.

And as for the gout, which Dr. Harris saith, in his Anti Empiric, is gotten either by high feeding or drinking much wine, or other strong drink; it may be cured, as that author affirms, by a very spare diet, and drinking water: According to what is said also by Sir Theodore Mayhern, who, in his Medicinal Counsels, adviseth to leave off all strong drinks in this disease, and drink only water. And Van Heyden saith also, in his Treatise of help for the rich and poor, that there is not any greater remedy for the gout than drinking water, not only by young, but old men; many of whom, he saith, have drank cold water for many weeks, which hath succeeded so well, though they were far gone in years, that they found great ease thereby, without that offence to the stomach, or hindrance of digestion, which some did not seem to fear. And he also commends the large drinking of water in the sciatica or hip-gout, he having often cured that distemper, by this means, in less time than could reasonably be expected. And the same I have found to be effectual in a pain in the shoulder, which had continued very bad for three months: For, being taken with a fever, I drank in one day about four quarts of water; which tho’ it did not make me sweat, because I lay not in my bed, yet it cured me so that I slept well that night; and, in the morning when I rose, the pain in my shoulder was not felt, neither did it ever return. And the same success I have had in the pains of other parts; whereby, I judge, that, in all pains whatever, the drinking of water is proper, as well as in the gout: And accordingly I find cold water advised to be drank largely for the cure of the head-ach from hard drinking; that pain proceeding from the same cause the gout does, namely, from heat, as all pains do, that are not from bruises.

It is said also by Dr. Wainwright, that in the itch, scurvy, leprosy, and all hot inflammatory distempers, such as pleurisies, rheumatisms, and St. Anthony’s fire, water is a proper remedy; but he adviseth to drink it hot in some cases, as doubtless it ought to be done in pleurisies. He also saith, that water is proper in head-achs, catarrhs, vapours, falling-sickness, dulness of sight, melancholy, shortness of breath, scurvy in the mouth, and windiness in the stomach: And for this wind in the stomach, I, by long experience, have found it the best remedy, who in the former part of my life, through a disorderly diet, and drinking strong drink like others, was never free from windy belchings, and sometimes very sickish qualms after meals; from which at length I was delivered, by drinking only water at meals; so that for above forty years I have been seldom troubled: And, if I find myself troubled, a pint or more of cold water, in less than half an hour will set me free, by drinking of it.

And that water is the best remedy for the mischiefs that come by hard drinking, experience teacheth; there being nothing that so effectually frees from these nauseating and reaching qualms the next morning, as the drinking a pint or more of fair water; which effectually allays the inflammation of the bowels, occasioned by strong or hot drink, which spoils the strength of the stomach, and of all other parts; nothing being a greater enemy to the vigour of the nerves and sinews, since by much drinking, men make themselves unable to stand or go; which effect would never follow, if liquors that abound with spirits were strengthening; nor would the fibres of the stomach be so weakened after drinking strong drinks, as to make men sick; which sickness will soonest be recovered by the drinking cold water, this being also the best remedy, if taken largely, for that heat of urine often occasioned by hard drinking.

In colds, water is the best of all drinks to prevent floods of rheum from the nose and mouth, as my long experience testifies, and therefore will prevent coughs; for a cough will seldom succeed a cold, if water is used from the first as common drink: And if, through neglect, a cough should become troublesome, the use of water, avoiding all wine and strong drink, will contribute much to the cure. Some order the water to be drank warm, but others say, that the drinking it cold vastly excells the using it hot in a cough. It is said by Van Heydon, that some may think it strange to advise water in such diseases, which most account to proceed from crudity or indigestion; but he says, that, in any disease where the case is dangerous, the use of water is the only friend to nature; cold being a preventer rather than a cause of crudity; since by all experience it is proved to be a promoter of good digestion. And at this time I know a woman, seventy-eight years of age, who for ten years past hath had a great cough, and spit much tough phlegm, that this present winter 1722, hath been persuaded to leave off both strong and small fermented liquor, and drink only water at meals, and sometimes a dish or two of tea; and hath found herself much less subject to cough than before, and scarce coughs at all in bed, tho’ subject before to cough very much in the night: She also drinks at bed-time half a pint of cold water, and the same quantity first in the morning, and finds Heart burn. more comfort by it at so great an age, than wine hath at any time afforded, Moreover, drinking of water is a certain cure for the heart-burning; as some affirm.

It is generally the opinion of most physicians, that wine and strong drinks are not proper for children; and that the smaller and cooler their drink is, the better it will be with them; and that nothing conduceth more to the health of children than drinking water, which will prevent the foundation of those diseases that are caused in many by strong drink, and shew themselves in their more advanced age, wherein many also suffer much by the mother’s ill custom of making them gluttons, by constantly cramming their stomachs with food, many being thereby destroyed among the children of the rich, before they come to the years of maturity; when the children of poor country people, who fare hard, stand their ground till full grown: For fewer children die in the country than in great cities, where luxury in diet doth more abound; which is one reason why so few house-keepers in London were born in it, the great supply of inhabitants being from the country, children being brought up more hardy there than in London, where great numbers are killed by over-eating or pleasing their palates. Which mischief would be in a great measure prevented by their being accustomed to eat less, and drink water; this by experience being found to make young children free from that frowardness, which is commonly caused by a sharp, and hot, or feverish blood, which engendereth wind, and causeth pain and gripes: for there is no pain but is the consequence of heat, or inward as well as outward inflammations.

To what hath been said may be added this consideration, that, when the best physicians are baffled by some distempers, they advise their patients to use the water of some mineral spring, tacitly acknowledging thereby, that all their prescription may be excelled by water. They pretend indeed to ascribe its effects to some minerals with which the waters are tinctured: But Dr. Baynard, in p. 438, of Sir John Floyer’s Cold bathing, tells of a certain person who used to frequent Tunbridge, by which he found much benefit; but, being hindered from going thither one season, drank the same quantity of water taken from the pump of a spring in his own yard, which did him as much service: whereupon he wrote thus upon his pump:

And, indeed, if we consider how many diseases and pains proceed from a sizey, thick blood, which cannot pass as it ought to do through the finest pipes that convey the blood to the parts, pure water, without minerals, drank to the quantity of a quart or three pints in a morning, will attenuate or thin the blood sufficiently: Nothing, as Boerhaave affirms, being a greater diluter of thick blood, than warm water drank in great quantity. Which to thin the blood may be best, tho’ to strengthen the stomach it is best drank cold, having the same effect inwardly, in some cases, as cold bathing hath outwardly; its use this way being also great.

For water I have found, by long experience, to be of excellent use in burns and scalds; for in all burns and scalds, that are slight, if the part is plunged immediately into cold water, the colder the better, the pain will instantly be taken off; and it will fetch out the fire, if continued so long as will be required to do it by any other remedy. And if the burn be so considerable, that other remedies must be applied, none of which will take off the smart of themselves in less than two or three hours; yet if you apply cold water presently, after other applications are made to the part, the pain will immediately cease, till the remedy becomes effectual: So that the ease water will give in such cases, makes it of good use. Which remedy, as it hath not been discovered till now, appears to transcend all other remedies in this case; because, in a moment, the greatest smart will eased, if the water is cold, and will be felt no more, if the part afflicted be kept immersed in it till the fire is extinguished, either by the water, or the medicine applied. Besides, it is a remedy every-where ready at hand, which cannot be said of any other; which generally requires so much time to get it ready, that much pain will be endured, if blisters do not arise, which do much increase the trouble. If the part burnt, or scalded, cannot be dipped in water, you may apply water to it, with double linen cloths dipped therein, and new dipped as they grow warm; by which means I have cured burns and scalds in the face without blistering, when applied immediately before blisters did arise.

I once knew a large ulcer in the foot, made by the running of melted brass into the shoe, that was kept in hand by a surgeon nine weeks, without any probability of healing, because of the great inflammation that attended it; but the party, being a lover of angling, was persuaded to go with some others to Hackney-river: Some of them went bare-legged into the water, to come at a certain hole where much fish was sometimes found. The sport was so good, that the lame man having pulled off his stockings and plaisters, went in also, where he staid above two hours, and coming out again, the ulcer, which appeared very red and angry when he went in, looked pale; he put on his dressings, and came home, and in less than a fortnight his ulcers healed up; which doubtless was occasioned by the abating of the inflammation by the coldness of the water. And I have had an account also from an acquaintance, that was a surgeon to a merchant ship, that their gunner, at a time when the captain treated some friends on board, going to charge a gun that just before had been fired off, the cartridge he was ramming down took fire, whereby he was blown into the water, and had some of his fingers torn off, and it was about an hour before a boat could be got to take him up: But they found that the coldness of the water had almost stopt the bleeding, and the cure was effected so speedily, that other surgeons wondered at it; which he imputed to the water, which kept back the humours, by its coldness, from flowing to the part at the first: So that there was no impediment, from inflammation, to hinder healing; for the chief impediment to healing, is inflammation in wounds or ulcers. Moreover, Hot swellings. to bathe with cold water, is affirmed by Dr. Lower to be a sovereign remedy for any hot swelling, if continued a due time at the first beginning; and it is affirmed also to be a good cure for the cramp.

And as for strains and sprains in the joints, cold water affords the best and most speedy remedy, as Van Heydon affirms; who saith, that, by bathing in cold water, all harm so received may by this remedy be cured more safely and more speedily than by any other, without loss of time, cost or trouble; for no more is to be done, as I have often found, than, as soon as can be, to put the part into a vessel of cold water for about two hours, which will prevent all swelling and pain, by repelling or keeping back the humours that otherwise would flow to the part. And if it should be the shoulder, or any other part, which is so hurt, that cannot well be immersed in water after this manner; water may be applied, by dipping towels folded up into it, and laying them to the part, as is done, in effect, to the Sprains in horses.wrenched joints of horses, about which, if you wind oftentimes a thick rope made of hay, and then cast upon it divers times a pail of cold water, the wrench will be cured; which experiment is now commonly practised by those concerned about horses.