GIN 
digestive organs, dyspreda, hypochondriasis, and also in 
scrofulous Grections Taken internally, in doses of 
from half a pint to two or three quarts (English mea- 
sure) in the morning, it generally acts very powerfull 
as a diuretic, increases the cuticular discharge, and, 
from the moderate stimulus of the carbonic acid, increa- 
‘ses the appetite, and ) eg 7 digestion, But these wa- 
ters often luce a degree of constipation which ought 
‘to be lly obviated, otherwise a disagreeable giddi- 
ness and head-ache comes on, Externally applied in 
the form of warm bath, it has been employed with con- 
siderable advantage in herpetic eruptions ; and particu- 
larly in those morbid derangements of the dermoid tex- 
ture, psoriasis, and lepra, which are referred by Dr Wil- 
lan to the order Squame, in his admirable treatise on 
cutaneous diseases. Locally applied, it is also used to 
remove contractions and pains in the joints from strains 
or hard glandular tumours, and is a valuable remedy in 
chronic rheumatism,. Though the sulphureous water is 
resorted to and chiefly drank at Gilsland, there is a fine 
‘chal te situated on a moor, at no ¢ distance from. 
the former spring. The water sparkles when poured 
into a glass, baa a strong styptic taste, and deposits a 
‘copious yellow sediment. A wine gallon of this chaly- 
' beate, according to Dr Garnet, contains 
OPN orein cs eee 8) ee : 
Of muriate of soda ..... 3 § 87D 
Of carbonic acid. ...... 14 sal 
Of azdtic gas es. PS cubic inches. 
From this analysis, it would appear that this mineral 
water, if properly administered, might prove a useful re- 
medy in all cases where chalybeates are indicated. (5. s.) 
GINGEE, is a town and fortress in the Carnatic, and 
the capital of a district of the same name, 
The fortis situated on astupendous and almost impreg- 
nablerock, and hasalways heen considered by the natives 
of India as the strongest in the Carnatic. The climate 
is very unhealthy ; and the French are stated to have lost 
1200 troops during the 10 years in which it was in their 
possession, although they never kept more than 100 Eu- 
) s. Itis situated 82 miles south-west from Ma- 
dras, and 37 north-west from Pondicherry. East Long. 
79° 34’, and North Lat. 12° 15’. 
' GINGER, is the root of a plant which grows spon- 
taneously in the East and West Indies, and in China. 
It flowers about August or September, and fades about 
the end of the year. When the stalks are withered, the 
roots-are dug up, commonly in January and February, 
_ and are picked, cleansed, and gradually scalded in. boil- 
_ ing water. They are then dried by exposure to the 
sun, and form what is called black ginger. White 
ginger is the very same root, but in order to produce 
it, roots are not scalded, but are picked, scraped, 
separately washed, and dried very carefully. Ginger 
is generally sold in knotty, branched, and flattish 
pieces, and is of a pale colour and fibrous texture, when 
stripped of the outer bark. It should generally be 
chosen in lange roots, new, and not easily broken ; its 
colour should be‘of a light brownish green, and it 
should be resinous within, and of a pungent aromatic 
taste. eo soft, and fibrous kind, should be re- 
\ etimes it is imported’ green from Bengal. 
oe ed ginger is brought from the West Indies or 
China, but the former is preferred. It is brought home 
in large and somewhat tran pieces, of a bright 
yellow colour. The jars wha contain it idnanka be 
carefully sealed up. © Yeas 
288 
Ae. 
The following Table'contains the quantities of ginger 
imported and sold by thé East India Company, from 
1804 to 1808. Sixteen ewt. of dry and 20 cwt. of green 
ginger are allowed to the ton. The permanent duty 
1s 14s, 6d. per ewt. and the war duty, 4s. 10d. 
Years, |March Sale, | Sept. Sale. | Total. ] Average per cwt. 
Cwe) Le | Cwt L, |Cwe} Le | Leow de 
1804 111} 268) 111) 265 27 9 
BOOGIE ef od) fps Pa es a ie 
1806 | 285 | 925)1001|2991|1286 3916 3 O11 
1807 | 570 1489 299| 581| 7992069} 211 9 
1808 | 925 |2182)1320|3447/2245 5629 210.2 
See Lewis’s Materia Medica, and Milburn’s Oriental 
Commerce. 
GINGOULPH, Sr, is a large village of Switzerland, 
situated on the extreme frontier of the Lower Vallais, 
upon the lake of Geneva, and at the foot-of a rugged 
mountain, from whose summits, called the Dents d’Oche, 
about 5655 feet high, the environs of Geneva can be dis- 
tinctly seen at the distance of ten leagues. The village 
is divided into two parts by a torrent, which issues 
from the valley of Oche, and forms the boundary be- 
tween Savoy and the Vallais, The road from Evian to 
St Gingoulph, was formerly only a foot path, but the 
French government cut a magnificent road out of the 
rock, which has been open to all sorts of carriages since 
the 6th of December 1805. The lime of St Gingoulph 
is esteemed the best in this part of Switzerland. See 
Ebel’s Manuel du Voyageur en Suisse. 
GINSENG, is the name of a root which constitutes 
one of the principal medicines of the Chinese and Tar- 
tars. It grows chiefly in Chinese Tartary, and also in 
several parts of North America, from which it is sent to 
China. This trade to China was carried on by the 
French in 1750, and subsequently by the English ; but 
since the Americans established their independence, 
they have carried it direct to China. .The American 
root seldom exceeds the size of the little finger. It is 
frequently forked, and is of a horny texture, and a yel- 
lowish-white colour. The large roots, which are sound, 
fresh-coloured, and not very tough, are those which 
should be chosen for the Chinese market. In the year 
1709, the Emperor of China sent an. army of 10,000 
Tartars in search of this root, on condition that each 
soldier should give him two catties of the best, and sell 
the rest for its weight in silver. By this means the 
Emperor gained 20,000 catties in one year. 
GIORNICO, called Irnis by the Germans, is a town 
of Switzerland, situated on the Tesino, at the mouth 
of the Lower Levantine valley. It stands 1098 feet 
above the level of the sea, and 462 above that of the 
Lake Maggiore. The village, which is divided into two 
parts by the Tesino, is encircled with superb chesnut 
trees, some of which are more than: thirty fect in cir- 
cumference. Near the bridge are the remains of an 
old castle, which is sup to have belonged to the 
ancient Gauls ; and in the east are the ruins of a tower 
built in 940. This town is celebrated’ by the battle 
which 600 of the Swiss confederates, under Henry 
Troger, gained over 15,000 of the Milanese, under Bo- 
relli, in 1478. More than 1500 of the Milanese were 
killed, -and most of their cannon, horses, and mules ta- 
ken. Several of the cannon were kept at Giornico till 
1798. ‘ 
GIPSIES. See Gypsies. 
GIRGENTI, or Aaricenti, is a.town of Sicily, 
, 
Gingoulph 
i] 
Girgenti. 
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