394 Account of the Acacia Arabica [May, 



the branches is used for the stoppage of blood from fresh wounds. This forms 

 the principal ingredient of the oil of Shekh Sunnan. The bark of the tree 

 bruised and steeped in ten times the quantity of water and kept for two days, 

 and then boiled and the liquid reduced to one half the quantity, and then 

 strained off after rubbing the bark well in it, and kept in a china or a glass 

 vessel, will make an excellent wash for women to use during menstruation after 

 urine — it serves to contract the vagina considerably. The fruit, leaves and bark 

 are good for tanning leather in lieu of Mazoo -\^ (gall-apple). The bark and 



blossoms are principal ingredients in making molasses, and spirituous liquor 

 of the same. 



The root and the bark are detergent. They make a good dentifrice for streng- 

 thening the gums gj'^. A brush made of the thin sprigs is used for strengthen- 

 ing the teeth. The wood is used, in consequence of its extreme hardness and 

 solidity, in making wheels for carriages, and instruments for tillage and tent 

 pins. There is another kind of Oommigheelan, of which the leaves, fruit, color 

 and bark resemble the 2nd kind, but it has a very bad odour, and has great abun- 

 dance of blossoms. This kind, which generally grows in Bengal, is brought to 

 no kind of medical use whatever : the filament of its root, however, if taken to 

 a snake, will cause it to drop its head and make it languid. 



Remarks. By the European physicians the gum is only used. They say " that 

 gum exerts no action on the living system ; but is a simple demulcent, serving to 

 lubricate abraded surfaces, and involve acrid matters in the prima; vife. In the 

 solid form it is scarcely ever given unless to sheathe the fauces, and allay the 

 trickling irritation which occasions the cough in catarrh and phthisis pulmo- 

 nalis ; in which case a piece of it is allowed to dissolve slowly in the mouth. 

 It is chiefly used in the state of mucilage. — London Dispensatory. 



Hi^i Aqaqia. A name given to the pressed juice of Quruz ~/' 

 and Quruz is the fruit of the Tuleh f*>> from which the Gum Arahic is 

 obtained. This plant in Hindi is called Keehur j&*>* , and the pressed 

 juice of the fruit Keekur ka rus {J"Jy^ir» By the Franks or Euro- 

 peans it is called Acacia. 



Quality. That obtained from unripe fruit previous to its drying, is of a red 

 ruby color ; and when dried, it assumes a greenish hue mixed with red and black. 

 That obtained from fruit after it is ripe, is of a black color. The former kind 

 is always chosen for medicinal purposes ; it has an agreeable smell, of a mixture 

 of green and black color, and is weighty and hard. 



Character. When unwashed cold in 1st, and dry in the 1st and 3rd degrees. 

 When washed cold and dry in the 2nd degree. 



Medical properties. Drying, repelling, and binding j^^a-Ai C«3lt ujAs'*. 



It stops flow of blood from any part of the body * jJJi»_JV) • also from the mouth, 



m jJli^i^sfti It strengthens the stomach iJ.A.< and the liver tlO, and prevents 



the flow of humours (by the nose) arising from heat TJ.tA.cu5V>i^*Aa. and 

 the dysentery ,Jta*J, It is good, both internally and externally, in cases of 



