Po oh a te MOOR Me ca eae y 
The Ufeful Family Herbal, 33 
The Leaves are large, and they are compofed 
of many fmaller fet in Pairs, very beautifully and 
evenly about a common Rib, with an odd one at 
the End of each Rib: They are oblong, and of a 
beautiful Green. The Flowers are white, and of - 
the Shape of a Pea Bloffom, the Fruit is a large 
and flat Pod jointed or divided into feveral Parts 
with Seeds in them, the Tree is of the Acacia 
Kind, in many Things very like that which pro- 
duces the Gum Arabic, and the Gum which is 
obtained from it, is in the fame Manner very like 
that. 
This Gum is the only Product of the Tree 
heard of in Medicine, and this is not much. 
_ It is brought over, however, in great Quantities, 
for the Dyers ufe a great deal of it. It is in large 
Lumps of the Bignefs of an Egg; rough on the 
Surface, but gloffy and fmooth when broken, and 
of a pale brown Colour. It is as eafily and in- 
tirely diffolved in Water as Gum Arabic, and has 
the fame Virtues. “It is very feldom called for by 
Name in Medicine, but it is neverthelefs often 
fed, for the Druggifts have a Way of breaking 
the Lumps to pieces, and putting them among 
the Gum Arabic; they may be diftinguifhed by 
their brown Colour, the true Gum Arabic being 
white ; or yellowith, if coloured at all, and never 
having any brown in it: Some pick thefe brown 
Pieces out, but, upon a feperate Trial, they are 
found to be fo Selly of the fame Nature, that 
it is a needlefs Trouble. 
