These, by their sweetness, allay the
sharpness of rheums, and lenify their acrimony. Being filled with an
oily salt, they open the passage of the lungs and kidnies. By opening
the pores, they extraordinarily discuss outward tumours, and attenuate
the internal coagulation. All these virtues may be said to be derived
from the union of their balsamic oil and volatile salt.

By a second class of aromatics, with which Dr. Solander composed this
sanative tea, is such as have a bitter astringency joined to their
volatile oil and salt. These united qualities correct acids in the
stomach, cleanse the lungs, and open obstructions in the glands caused
by coagulated serum; and the saline pungent oil altering the acids in
the glands of the brain, by correcting and attenuating its lympha and
succus nervosus, produces the same effect; for the lympha and nervous
juice are, like other glandulous humours, liable to acidity and
stagnation; therefore these aromatics, by exciting their motion and
correcting their acidities, render the liquids of the nerves more
volatile, and are therefore justly termed cephalics. And as it is the
property of volatiles to ascend, the reason is evident of the brain
being assisted by their salutary qualities. These aromatics likewise
evacuate serum from the blood, promote its circulation, and attenuate
the coagulations of chyle, lympha, and succus nervosus. And here, it is
proper to add, that all aromatics, by rarefying the blood, are cordial.
There being aromatic astringents in this tea, its infusion strengthens
the fibres and membranes of the stomach, and all the nervous system, in
such a manner as not to destroy their tensity by that too great
contraction caused by the foreign teas; and, having no acid in their
astringency, the blood is preserved from too great a rarefaction, which
would otherwise happen from the pungency of their oily qualities. These
also excite the appetite, by stimulating the natural progress of the
chyle, and thus prevent its too rapid fermentation of its spirituous
parts into windy flatulencies. For the same reason vinegar is taken
with hot meats and herbs. Having mentioned vinegar, it may not be
improper to state this vegetable acid is the best antidote against the
poison of any acrid herbs. That part of the tea which has a
mucilaginous taste is inwardly cooler than oil, although it be
different in nature. Such herbs defend the throat from the sharpness of
rheums, the stomach from c