^ 



/ 



189 



JT 



Gum arable is now ufually imported into 

 packed up in Ikins, which was the pra(flice in Egypt and Arab 



England from Barbary 



3 



but in large caiks or hogfheads 



Th 



common appearance of th 



um 



fo well known as not to require any defcription of it here; 

 and the various figures which it afTumes feem to depend upon a variety 



of accidental circumft 





ttending its tranfudation and 



Gum Arabic of a pale yellowiili colour is mofl efteemed 



the 



; on 



idiih 



d of a brownifh or reddifh hue, are found to be lefs pure, and 



rary, tht)fe pieces which are large, rough, of a 



are faid to be produced fro 



a 



differ 



of Mimofa 



•" 



but the Arabian and Egypt 



Sene 



with pieces of this kind, fimilar to that which comiCS from th 



(M 



commonly intermixed 



river Seneg 



of Africa, near the 



folution by fpirit or oil, but in twi 





Giim Arabic does not admit of 



quantity of water it diiTolves 



muci 



mou 



fiuid, of the confiftence of a thick fyrup, and 



this flate anfwers many ufeful pharmaceutical purpofes, by rendering 



refm 

 g 



d pinguious fabftances, mifcible v/ith water 



quality of g 



a 



able is preferred to moft other 



The 

 ums and mucilaginous fubllances as a demulcent, in coughs, hoarfe 



y' 



neife 



and other 



ifea 



r\ 



A 



acrimonious humour 



5 



in order to obtund 



It has be 

 fcran 



d to fupply the lofs of abraded mucus 



§ 



.» 



7 



b 



y generally' employed in cafes of .ardor urins, and 



It 



1"" 



o 



the 



opinion 



of D 



Cul 



leii 



a 



th 



th 



mucilage, as an internal demulcent, can be of no fervice beyond th 



\^- 



y canal. In common pradice hardly more than a few 



nous 



d 



qu 



iJL A 



Tnin one day ; i 

 to many pounds 



d what that can give of a mucil 



of f 



er 



jud 



ofity 



1 



I leave my intelligent 



e 



S 



Still, however, it may not be thought enough to 



afon a priori, and I Ihould fay, what experience has adually 



What others may have obfei 



J 



I cannot determi 



I 



ail 



that, in 



but, for myfelf 



able trials, I have never obferved the 





'ed:s of gum arable in the mafs of blood, or in the excretions d 



from it. The moft frequent occafion for its ufe is in the ardor ur: 



and in that I have been often difappointed, and have often found 



d 



two pounds of y/ater or watery liquors added to the drink,- wou 



\ 



\ 



Mr. French's Experiments in Lond. Med. Obferv. vol. i; p. 413, &c. 



* See 



of 



