Tar-water was a medieval medicine consisting of pine tar and water. As it was foul tasting, it slowly dropped in popularity, but was revived in the Victorian era, when it was used both as a tonic and as a substitute for strong spirits. Both uses were originally advocated by the philosopher George Berkeley, who lauded it in his 1744 tract Siris, A Chain of Philosophical Reflections and Inquiries Concerning the Virtues of Tar Water. It was regarded by medical experts to be quackery.
Facts
Classification
StatusDiscontinued or Obsolete 1 FAQs
Who promoted tar-water, and what did medical experts think of it?
Berkeley advocated it in his 1744 tract Siris; the source says medical experts regarded it as quackery.
According to Wikipedia, tar-water was a medieval medicine consisting of pine tar and water. It was foul-tasting and slowly dropped in popularity, but was revived in the Victorian era, used both as a tonic and as a substitute for strong spirits. Both uses were originally advocated by the philosopher George Berkeley, who lauded it in his 1744 tract Siris: A Chain of Philosophical Reflections and Inquiries, Concerning the Virtues of Tar Water. The article says it was regarded by medical experts to be quackery.
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
Tar water (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_water, lead sectionQuote, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_water, lead section
Tar-water was a medieval medicine consisting of pine tar and water.
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