Transcribed by David Ross <davidross@despammed.com> from an undated
edition, c. 1761.
Project Gutenberg E-Text of
An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether.
By Matthew Turner (d. 1788?)
AN
ACCOUNT
OF THE EXTRAORDINARY
MEDICINAL FLUID,
CALLED AETHER.
By M. TURNER, SURGEON,
IN
_LIVERPOOL._
LONDON:
Printed by J. WILKIE, at the Bible in St. Paul's Church-yard.
The Publisher of the following short Account of the AETHER having
prepared, and successfully made Use of it in his private Practice,
for several Years, has at length determin'd to endeavour to extend
it's Utility, by thus making it public; as he knows of no one who
has ever published it's _medicinal virtues_; or offered it to Sale
in it's _Perfection_; or given the Criteria by which they who are
unacquainted with it might distinguish the _Genuine_ from the
_Spurious_: And he doubts not but every candid Person who examines
it, will agree with him, That it carries with it the strongest
Marks of a valuable Addition to the _Materia Medica_, and
therefore ought to lie no longer in Obscurity.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE AETHER, _&c._
This truly extraordinary Chemical Preparation is not a new
Discovery, having been known and esteemed, as a valuable
Curiosity, by many of the greatest Chemists and Philosophers, both
Ancient and Modern; particularly by Sir _Isaac Newton_ [Footnote:
Quere 31st, at the End of his Optics.], and the Honourable
Mr. _Boyle_ [Footnote: Treatise on the Producibleness of Chemical
Principles.], who both mention it in their Works, tho' not by this
Name: And therefore before any Thing is said of it's Virtues as a
Medicine, it may not be improper to explain the Nature of it, and
enumerate a few of it's remarkable Properties, considered as a
Curiosity in Chemistry, in which Light chiefly it has hitherto
been view'd by those who have been acquainted with it.
It is a kind of ETHEREAL OIL, produced by the Decomposition of the
Vinous Spirit by Means of the Vitriolic Acid, and differs
essentially both from Vinous Spirits and Essential Oils in several
Respects, tho' it agrees with them in some, as will appear
hereafter: But as the Vinous Spirit may be decomposed by means of
all the three Mineral Acids, _viz._ the _Vitriolic_, the _Nitrous_
and the _Marine_, and as these all act differently on the Spirit,
they will, of Course, produce three different Kinds of AETHER,
which, from the Name, of the Acid employ'd in making them, are
term'd _Marine, Nitrous_, or _Vitriolic_: the last only is the
Kind here understood, it's Properties being more singular and
extraordinary, and, as an AETHER, more perfect than either of the
others; the Reason of which seems to be, that the _Vitriolic Acid_
is a much stronger Agent on the Spirit, and more perfectly
decomposes it, than either the _Nitrous_ or _Marine_.
It is the most light, most volatile, and most inflammable, of all
known Liquids: It swims upon the highest rectified Spirit of Wine
as Oil does upon Water, and flies away so quickly as hardly to wet
a Hand it is dropped upon; from which Properties it probably has
obtained it's Name. It is so readily inflammable, as to take Fire
at the approach of a Candle, before the Flame touches it. Any
Electrified Body will also produce the same Effect.
It is one of the most powerful Solvents known in Chemistry: It is
neither _acid_ nor _alcaline_, and therefore is perfectly free
from that saline Acrimony with which all the common Volatile
Spirits abound: It has a greater Affinity with Gold than _Aqua
Regia_ has, altho' it will not dissolve it in the Mass, or whilst
in it's Metallic Form; but if you add AETHER to a solution of Gold
in Aqua Regia, it presently takes all the Gold from it's former
Solvent, keeping it perfectly dissolved and suspended, without the
least Precipitation; and becomes of a yellow Colour: The AETHER,
thus saturated with the Gold, does not mix with the Aqua Regia,
but may readily be separated from it by simple Decantation, and
thus a true and safe _Aurum potabile_ is readily prepared for
those who want such a Medicine. The Union of these two Substances
is very remarkable, one being the heaviest solid Body we know, the
other the lightest Liquid.
The AETHER is remarkably cold, when dropped upon the Hand, and it
affects the thermometer in an extraordinary Manner; for if the
Ball of either a Mercurial or Spirituous Thermometer be immersed
in it, the Spirit or Mercury immediately sinks considerably, tho'
both the AETHER and the Thermometer have stood a sufficient Time
together to be brought to the temperature of the Room, before the
Experiment was made. The Thermometers dipt into Water, or Spirit
of Wine, in the same Manner, suffer not the least Alteration.
They who chuse to see a further Account of the singular Effects
which this curious Fluid produces, may peruse what Doctor
_Frobenius_, a _German_ Chemist, has published concerning it, in
the Philosophic Transactions for the Years 1733 and 1741.
But the most valuable Qualities of the AETHER are it's _medicinal_
ones; it having been found by repeated Experience to be an
excellent Remedy in most _nervous Diseases_; particularly in FITS
of all sorts, whether _Epileptic, Convulsive, Hysteric,
Hypochondriac, or Paralytic_: In habitual HEAD-ACHES, GOUT,
RHEUMATISM, PAINS IN THE, STOMACH, WINDY DISORDERS OF THE STOMACH
AND INTESTINES, HOOPING COUGH, ASTHMA, PLEURITIC PAINS, and
DEAFNESS, all which Diseases have, in a singular Manner, been
removed by it; and that the Publisher may contribute all the
Assistance he can in extending the use of this Medicine, the
following Methods of applying, it are given, which have been
attended with Success.
_Particular Directions for using the_ AETHER.
In the HEAD-ACH.
A fit of the Head-ach is almost instantly removed by applying the
AETHER externally to the Forehead, by means of a bit of Linen Rag,
in the Manner hereafter directed for it's external Application. Or
it may be applied to any other Part of the Head where the Pain
lies, being first shaved, if necessary. If the Pain is violent, a
Dose of it should be also taken inwardly. In stubborn Cases it
will likewise be serviceable to snuff a little of the AETHER up
the Nostrils, either alone or mixed with equal Parts of Lavender
Water, _Hungary_ Water, or Brandy; or it may be more convenient to
apply a bit of Linen Rag, wetted with AETHER, up the Nostrils. Any
of these Means, or all of them, must be repeated if the Pain is so
urgent as to require it. To cure this Disorder radically, when it
is of long standing, and to prevent it's Return, the Medicine must
be taken inwardly for a considerable Time every Night at Bed-time,
or in violent Cases, every Night and Morning in a small Draught of
cold Water, according to the General Direction for taking it
inwardly, given p. 11. In some particular Cases, Vomits are very
serviceable.