USES OK KABUL GUM 



reduce Kehlin^s solution only slightly, are darkened in colour by ferric 

 chloride and gelatinised by borax. The darker samples (highly charged 

 with tannin) an- precipitated by basic acetate of lead, form inky colorations 

 with ferric chloride, dee]) brown with bichromate of potash and red with 

 molybdatc of ammonia. They freely reduce Fehling's solution. Moreover, 

 the darker portions are much less soluble in water and leave a gelatinous 

 portion undissolved. [Cf. Pharmacog. Ind., i., 551.] 



Uses Indian gum arabic is used in CALICO-PRINTING und in all other 

 industries where a mucilage is necessary and in which the peculiar pro- 

 perties of this particular gum are recognised as specially suitable. Amongst 

 other minor purposes it is, for example, employed as an ingredient in 

 whitewash and in paints used for wall-distempering. It is added to 

 certain MORTARS and to paints that are used for clay toys. As a MEDICINE 

 it is an indifferent substitute for the true gum arabic of European phar- 

 macy. It is often used as a vehicle for castor oil, and has the merit of 

 absorbing the offensive smell. One drachm of gum dissolved in oz. of 

 water will carry 1 oz. of castor oil. Its use in lozenge-form is diminished 

 by the fact that it is less soluble than the true Gum Arabic. [Cf. Taleef 

 Shercef (Playfair, transl.), 1833, 142-3.] 



At one time the gum was said to form an important item of human 

 FOOD in times of scarcity, but recent inquiry has brought out a flat 

 contradiction of that statement from almost every district in India. The 

 gum at all seasons is several times as expensive as the grains eaten by the 

 poor ; preferably, therefore, they would purchase grain with it. It is 

 nowhere so abundant as to become a famine food. It is, however, un- 

 questionably edible, and fried with ghi, sugar and spices, is employed in 

 the preparation of certain Native sweetmeats which are very generally 

 eaten after child-birth. 



So far as they have proceeded, the investigations into the Indian 

 gums suitable for the European confectionery trade have revealed several 

 very surprising circumstances connected with this gum. There are, for 

 example, great variations in quality, which are not alone to be explained 

 by adulteration with inferior gums. Not only does the quality depend 

 largely on the age and variety of tree, but on the locality of production. 

 Thus two samples, one said to have been the best quality from Nagpur, 

 the other from Cawnpore (both believed to have been authentic samples 

 of Ac<tci (frtthica gum), were forwarded to Messrs. Rowntree & Co. 

 for examination and report. The reply which came in due course was 

 " They gave exceedingly dark solutions of medium strength, but both are 

 quite useless to us on account of the colour." A third consignment 

 procured from the Panjab was said to give " a pale solution, very thin 

 and probably of little value for any purpose." The best Indian edible 

 gum, from Messrs. Rowntree & Co.'s standpoint, would appear to be 

 that referred to under A. Jfic(/ncinonfii. It would thus seem that, 

 far from A cud a <n-abic<i affording the best edible gum arabic of India, 

 it might almost be described as the least important of all the Indian 

 edible gums. It seems, however, probable that babul gum from Sind 

 may be of a much superior quality to that from other parts of India. 

 As met with in trade this gum comes mainly from the Central Provinces 

 and Berar and is known in Bombay as Umrawatti and Amrad. But 

 attention may here be called to the circumstance often discussed (e.g. by 

 Vilbouchevitch, I.e. 48), that all gum from the same species and even 



ACACIA 



ARABICA 



Cultivation 



Reaction*. 



Mortar. 

 Medicinal Uses. 



Famine Food. 



Sweetmeats. 



Variation 

 in Quality. 



Best Edible 

 Qum. 



Umrawatti Gum. 



