Tar is a cure for many ailments.

(Amazing medicinal properties of Tar...).

Since ancient times, the Slavs and other northern tribes have used birch tar in everyday life. And in Europe, the name "Russian Oil" has long been assigned to this miraculous, oily, specifically smelling substance.

Birch was revered by our ancestors, and everything that it gave - wood, birch bark, leaves - was considered healing. It was from birch bark that our ancestors learned, by dry distillation, to extract birch bark tar, which is used not only in medicine, but also in everyday life: for lubricating the rubbing parts of wagons, carts, carriages, for giving color, protection and shine to leather products. In addition to birch, there are juniper, pine and beech wood tars.

Birch tar in Folk Medicine.

"Tar" literally means "burnt" or “burnt out". The name of the product comes from an Indo-European root meaning "burn, burn".

What is Tar.

Tar is a liquid product that is formed during the pyrolysis (dry distillation) of wood. In Russia, traditionally tar was made from birch bark - the outer layer of birch bark. But you can also get it from pine, juniper, beech, aspen and some other trees.

The highest quality is considered tar, made from live or freshly cut down trees of 12-14 years of age.

In most languages, tar originally referred only to a product that was obtained from pine trunks and used to tar ships. In Russia, he received the name "vara" or resin.

You can cook tar from coal and brown coal, peat, shale, oil. But in this case, the resulting product is very different from the traditional birch tar and is called bitumen, or pitch.

During the production of tar, 2 fractions are formed: low-boiling, or medical tar, and tar, which serves for technical needs.

History of Tar.

In the old days, tar was exported from Russia to other countries, where it was called "Russian oil". A person producing tar was called a tar, a tar-maker or a tar-maker.

In many countries, this product was used as a means of punishment. In Russia, they smeared the gates of women leading a dissolute life. In the United States, criminals were doused with tar and sprinkled with feathers. After such an execution, they were chased away through the city streets or forced to stand in a conspicuous place.

Tar was also used in heraldry. The emblem of the city of Velsk, located in the Astrakhan region, contains an image of a barrel filled with tar and standing in the middle of a golden field, which indicates the income received by the city from the sale of this product.

Folk art is not left out. But here you can see one rather strange feature. In Russia, the negative features of the substance are emphasized. Everyone knows the saying that a fly in the ointment can ruin a whole barrel of honey. At the same time, residents of other countries attribute opposite properties to this product. What's the matter? Are the tastes of Russians and representatives of other nationalities really so different?

It turns out that the matter is quite different. The conversation is about completely different substances: pine and birch tar. Pine tar is added to flavorings and food products. But birch tar, even in microdoses, can spoil the smell and taste of any product. The proverb states that despite the fact that the birch bark is white, the tar is black.

But birch tar, even in microdoses, can spoil the smell and taste of any product. The proverb states that despite the fact that the birch bark is white, the tar is black. But the same fly in the ointment that spoils a barrel of honey can cure a person of many diseases. It is not for nothing that the Finns endow this product with miraculous power, arguing that if it is impossible to cure a disease with the help of a bath, vodka and tar, then it is fatal.

The medical Talmuds of the Middle Ages claim that during the period of smallpox epidemics, tar water helped to stop the spread of the disease. For prevention purposes, small children were given a few drops of tar.

Types and Varieties of Tar.

In Russia, tar was known in several varieties:

1. Pit - pure tar;

2. Birch bark, or raw tar - the so-called pure birch tar, which was mined in the Tula and Pskov provinces;

3. Kargopolsky - pure birch tar with the consistency of hemp oil, characterized by a bluish tint, was used for tanning leather of the highest grades;

4. Finnish - differs in a more liquid consistency compared to Kargopol, has a greenish tint and a slight reddish tint, they lubricated the wheels of carriages in cold weather, when wheel tar could not be used, as it froze;

5 . Vologda - birch, having a small admixture of resin and a greenish-brown color, it was used to dress lower grades of leather;

6. Aspen - aspen bark is used for its production, it has a sharp characteristic smell;

7. Tar-distillation, or wind tar, or shushmin, or half-finger, or rug - is a mixture of birch bark tar with pine resin, in the old days such tar was widely used: it was used in the manufacture of yuft and the construction of buildings, they were lubricated with cart wheels;

8. Wheel tar is a product consisting of a mixture of coniferous resin and purified birch tar;

9. Steam, or cauldron - is formed during the distillation of birch bark in cauldrons and subsequent cooling of the steam;

10. Korchazhny - the lowest grade of black;

11. Smolye - the remains of distillation of birch tar, to which admixtures of spruce and pine resin are mixed;

12. Resin-tar - birch and pine blocks are used for its forcing;

13. Kolenika, or kolenica, is the dirtiest and little for which unsuitable kind of tar, which was obtained by distillation of residues.

As you can see in the old days there were many varieties of tar, which were used in a variety of ways. As chemistry and industry developed, they were supplanted by more specialized preparations. At the moment, only tar remains in production and sale as a medical and cosmetic product.

What is Tar made of?

It will take several pages to list all the components of tar, since it contains more than 10,000 different substances. Therefore, we will focus only on the main components, which include phytoncides, alcohols, organic acids, aldehydes, toluene, benzene, phenol, cresol, xylene, guaiacol and resinous substances.

Among the whole variety of components, it is impossible to single out one active substance: the product belongs to drugs that have a complex effect.

Properties.

Birch tar has the appearance of a black oily thick liquid, which in reflected light acquires a bluish or bluish-greenish tint.

Concentrated tar is characterized by a specific smell, which, like the taste, is called yuft.

Physical properties

Tar is almost insoluble in water and floats on its surface. But alkalis and alcohols can easily dissolve it. Tar can be mixed with chloroform and ether.

The relative density of he substance is 0.925-0.95.

Medicinal properties .

Birch Tar exhibits antiseptic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, insecticidal, anesthetic, irritating, drying, resolving and regenerating effects. It is one of the best natural antiseptics.

 When used externally, Tar:

- relieves irritation, itching and inflammation;

- has an anesthetic and antiseptic effect;

- promotes healing of wounds and burns;

- stops purulent processes;

- relieves boils and skin fungus;

- normalizes sleep.

If you take Tar inside, then it will have a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body:

- activates the immune system;

- speed up metabolism;

- lower blood pressure;

- strengthens the heart muscle.

Until recently, tar was used not only as an external agent, but also for internal use. But studies have shown that in its composition, in addition to useful substances, there are also toxins that can harm human health. Therefore, modern doctors recommend using tar only as an external remedy. Currently, not pure tar is usually used, but pharmacological preparations made on its basis. In them, due to purification, the concentration of toxins is reduced.

But, oddly enough, the toxic substances that make up the tar, in some cases, can become useful. In particular, they have found their application in oncology in the destruction of tumors.

What cures Tar?

Birch tar is known as an indispensable tool in the treatment of dermatological diseases: scabies, psoriasis, scrofula, eczema, smallpox, erysipelas, neurodermatitis, pyoderma, scaly and multi-colored lichen, diathesis, athlete's foot, seborrhea, burns, frostbite, bruises, dry calluses, trophic non-healing ulcers , leprosy, acne and rashes. Used to treat bedsores and restore skin pigmentation. It accelerates the movement of blood, stimulates regenerative processes in cells, promotes skin rejuvenation.

 Until recently, psoriasis was one of the incurable diseases. But the use of ointments and tar compresses gave hope for the discovery of an effective medicine. The study of the properties of the product showed that it is able to inhibit the synthesis of DNA, if there are any defects in it.

 But tar will be useful not only for skin ailments. It will help get rid of tuberculosis, otitis media, tonsillitis, dropsy of the abdomen, duodenal ulcer, urethritis, night blindness, stomatitis, scurvy, mastitis, mastopathy, bronchial asthma, erosive proctitis, inflammatory diseases of the rectum, hemorrhoids, gangrene, joint diseases , benign and malignant neoplasms, stop bleeding, normalize the functioning of the digestive system.

Another unique property of tar is the ability to inhibit the growth of benign tumor cells, preventing their transformation into malignant neoplasms. Therefore, the product is widely used for mastopathy, ovarian cyst, adenoma, fibromyoma.

The use of purified tar in oncology departments makes it possible to neutralize the negative effects of chemotherapy.

Tar in medicine.

Tar Soap is a soap that contains 10% birch tar. This soap acts as a natural antiseptic, helping with most skin problems. But tar not only disinfects, but also increases blood flow to the skin, due to which its regeneration is accelerated.

Tar soap is recommended for use in the treatment of acne, scabies, dandruff, seborrhea, pediculosis. It will come to the rescue with bedsores, burns, frostbite and with the appearance of corns. It is enough to smear problem areas with tar soap before going to bed so that the calluses soften by morning.

If you wash dogs and cats with tar soap, then fleas will disappear, as they cannot stand the specific smell of tar.

Tar Water.

Many folk recipes involve the use of tar water. Most often, this remedy is used to treat children and those people who cannot stand the smell of tar.

Tar water restores skin pigmentation, improves the functioning of the digestive system, heals ulcers in the stomach and duodenum, removes toxins and toxic substances from the body, has a diuretic effect, treats smallpox, erysipelas, scabies, leprosy, tonsillitis, dropsy, gangrene, tuberculosis, bronchial asthma , acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, constipation, diseases of the intestines, liver, pancreas, diseases of the cardiovascular system, relieves fever, purulent and choking cough.

Tar with milk.

To increase the effectiveness of treatment, tar is diluted with warm milk. Such a remedy is recommended for thrombophlebitis, stroke, diabetes mellitus, catarrhal cystitis, malignant neoplasms in the throat, stomach and lungs.

Tar with honey.

Tar mixed with honey will help get rid of various parasites (pinworms, roundworms, lice, scabies mites).

Tar with bread.

Bread with tar is an effective remedy that cleanses the body and destroys parasites.

Tar for joints.

In diseases of the joints, a therapy will have an effective effect, in which the effects of tar and clay alternate: the tar softens the salts, and the clay draws them out.

Tar in cosmetology.

In cosmetology, it is recommended to use tar for seborrhea, dandruff, acne and other rashes, to stimulate hair growth. It is a part of many cosmetics: ointments, creams, pastes, soaps, lotions, shampoos. The concentration of tar in preparations ranges

from 1-30%.

Tar for hair.

Birch tar will help relieve itching and irritation caused by dandruff and normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands. It will remove the keratinized layer of cells, activate cellular respiration, saturate tissues with oxygen, increase blood circulation, and start regeneration processes.

Contraindications to tar therapy for:

-individual intolerance;

-any problems with the kidneys, as the medicine heavily burdens these organs;

-pregnancy and lactation.

To identify the presence of individual intolerance, it is necessary to make a skin test before using the product, smearing the bend of the elbow with tar.

Nadine Lauren Ph.D