504 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 



over the membrane of the alimentary canal and genitourinary 

 organs, and is consequently very useful in diarrhoea, dysentery, 

 gonorrhoea, gleet and chronic cystitis. Although the extract 

 is less effectual in checking dysentery and diarrhoea than opium 

 and some of its preparations, yet it is more efficacious in this 

 respect than all other vegetable and mineral astringents when 

 used alone. When dysentery or diarrhoea is complicated with 

 dropsy, opium and its preparations are often injurious, because 

 they generally increase the latter affection, in the same 

 proportion as they check the two former diseases. It is under 

 these circumstances I have found Akdkiyd more useful and 

 successful in bowel-complaints than opium and all opiates. 

 A simple powder of the fresh legumes dried in the sun before 

 their seeds are well developed and hard, is pretty useful in 

 diarrhoea and dysentery, and its efficacy is much greater if it is 

 combined with some other vegetable astringents, demulcents, 

 stimulants, and with opium, as is the case with the compound 

 powder of Akakia or Aqaqiya. A decoction of the bark of this 

 plant, together with that of the Tamarindus Indica and a few 

 other trees, is frequently resorted to by the natives of this 

 country, as a gargle in sore-mouth, and its use has often been 

 attended with success to my own knowledge. 



The gum of this plant or the Indian Gum-arabic, in the 

 form of mucilage, is a most common and useful adjunct to 

 other medicines in pulmonary and catarrhal affections, dysentery 

 and diarrhoea, and in irritable states of the genito- urinary 

 organs. It is most frequently resorted to for the purpose of 

 suspending heavy, insoluble or immiscible medicines, such as 

 the preparations of bismuth, &c. If the mucilage is very thick, 

 it forms one of the best mechanical antidotes in cases of 

 poisoning by irritant substances. It envelopes the particles or 

 pieces of the poison on one hand, and sheaths the membrane 

 of the stomach on the other, and thus protects the latter from 

 the action of the former, at least, to some extent. In slight 

 cases of cough or irritation of the throat the natives of this 

 country, especially the Mahomedans, often relieve themselves 

 by allowing a piece of this gum to dissolve slowly in their 



