23 r. 'Percival on the Effe£fs of Famine ^t^c. 503 



forbidden to afthmatics. From my own perfonal 

 experience 1 (liould prefunne, that ic is commonly 

 much longer in pafTing by the kidnies, than 

 other liquids j and analogy would lead us to 

 the fame conclufion, concerning its influence 

 on perfpiration. 



Gum arabic miglit be a good fubititute for 

 falep, in the compoiitionj which I have recom- 

 mended. And as it v/ill give fuch firmnefs to 

 che mafs, as to require manducation, the faliva, 

 by this means feparated and carried into the 

 flomach, would further contribute to afluage the 

 fcnfations both of hunger and of third. We 

 are informed, by a traveller of veracity, that 

 the AbyfTinians take an annual journey to Cairo, 

 to fell the products of their country ; and that, 

 as they pals over vaft defarts, the duration of 

 their roue is no kfs uncertain than a voyage at 

 fea. In the year 1750, the caravan had con- 

 fumed all their provifions, and were under the 

 necefllty of learching amongft their merchandize, 

 for fomething wherewith to fupport life, under 

 that extremity. They found a fufficient (lock 

 of gum arabic ; and more than a thoufand per- 

 fons fubfifted upon it folely, for the fpace of two 

 months. The caravaff arrived in fafety at Cairo, 

 without having fu-ftained any extraordinary lofle?, 

 either by hunger or difcafe.4: This gum, com- 

 bined witli fugar and the whites of eggs, has 



\ Hailelquill's Voyapes in the Levant, p. 298. 



K k 4 been 



