204 Sketch of the Hiftory of Sugar. 
rides had done, as a kind of honey, called Sacchar, 
that came from India and Arabia Felix, and con- 
creted in reeds. He defcribes it as lefs {weet than 
honey, but of fimilar qualities, as detergent, 
deficcative, and digerent. He remarks a difference, 
however, in that fugar is not like honey injurious 
to the ftomach, or productive of thirft.* 
If the-third' book uf Galen, ‘* Upon Medicines that 
‘may be eafily procured,” be genuine, we have reafon 
to think fugar could not be a fearce article, as it is 
there repeatedly prefcribed. 
- Lucan? alludes to fugar, in his third book, where 
he-fpeaks.of the fweet juices expreffed from reeds, 
which were drank by the people of India.+ 
Seneca,” the philofopher, likewife fpeaks of an 
oily fweet juice in réeds, which probably was 
fugar. f 
Pliny* was better acquainted with this fubftance, 
which he calls by the name of Saccaron; and fays, 
that 
* De fimplic. Medicamentis, Lib. vik 
+ Quique bibunt tenera dulces. ab arundine fuccos, 
Lucani Prarsauis. Lib. iti, lin, 237. 
¥ Aiunt inveniri apud Indos sat! in Arundinum foliis, 
quod aut ros illius coli aut ipfius arundinis humor dulcis 
et inguior gisnat. 
7 Senxc. Epifol. L. 1, Epijft. \xxxivs 
1 Lucani mors. A.D. 65. 2 Seneca mors, A, D. 65, 
3 Phnit mors, A. D, 77 
