63 jDEM. 
cent property of gum-arabic, I am not prepared 
to speak so confidently, but subscribe to the pithy 
remarks of Cullen on this head. He disclaims a 
belicf in the power of its ** correcting the acrimo- 
ny that occasions coughing,’ and its supposed 
power of ‘reaching the urinary passages, and 
there to’ cover any acrimony prevailing in the 
urine,” and that ** gum-arabic as an internal de- 
mulcent, can be of no service beyond the alimen- 
tary canal”—and that from ‘innumerable trials, he 
never observed the effects of gum-arabic in the 
mass of blood, or in the excretions derived from it.” 
And he further remarks, that in ardor uring he 
has been often disappointed in its effects and had 
‘* found that two pounds of water or watery liquors, 
added to the drink, would be of more service than 
four ounces of gum-arabic taken without such 
addition.” The demulcents then are fairly resol- 
ved, 1 think, into this nothingness ; and their repu- 
ted efficacy in diarrhea. dysentery, calculus and 
gonorrhea, stands a baseless fabric of misconcep- 
tion and error, In short, the class itself, is, as § 
have advanced in the outset of these observations, 
if not an absurd at least a very unnecessary one 5; 
and the subjects it comprises, as, (besides those 
already discussed,) liquorice, isinglass, spermaceti 
‘and wax, may be disposed of under the head of 
expectorants. The other gums and mucilages, and 
the amylaceous fecule, as starch, tapioca, sago, 
salep, arrow-root, wheat-flour, together with olive 
oil, under the section of restorative dietetics. 
Flaxseed, slippery elm bark, althee flowers, 
mallows, almonds, &c. &c. under the class of 
Diluents. Without better grounds, than it ap- 
pears to me exist at present, the class should be 
expunged, and in my tabular distribution of medi- 
caments, I shall.so modify Murrays arrangement, 
