134
MATERIA MEDICA
fresh legumes dried in the sun before their seeds are well developed
and hard is pretty useful in diarrhœa 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 Com
- p o u n d p o w d e r o f A k a k i a o r A q á q í y á . A d e c o c t i o n o f t h e b a r k o f t h i s
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 diarrhœa, and in
irritable states of the genito-urinary organs. It is most frequently
resorted to for the purpose of suspending heavy, insoluble or immis--
cible 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 parti--
cles 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, specially the
Muhammadans, often relieve themselves by allowing a piece of this
gum to dissolve slowly in their mouth. I did this occasionally myself
with success. It is, according to my own experiments, more adhesive
than all the gums produced in India, and is therefore well suited for
the formation of all kinds of lozenges. It is an ingredient in numerous
prescriptions described in Persian, Arabic and Hindustani medical
works.
Preparations.—Of the gum—Mucilage: Put four ounces of the gum,
in small pieces, with six ounces of cold water into a bottle or earthen
jar; stir them frequently until the gum is dissolved, and strain the
solution through muslin, if necessary. A thicker mucilage for special
purposes is prepared as follows :—Take of the gum in powder, four
ounces; water four fluid ounces. Put the gum in a mortar and rub
it first with a small quantity of water; then continue rubbing and
adding the water very gradually till the mucilage assumes a white
jelly-like appearance. Of the pods—Simple and Compound Powders,
and a Watery Extract or Aqáqíyá. Simple-powder: Select the young
and fresh legumes before their seeds are hard and well developed., dry
them in the sun and reduce to a fine powder in the usual way,
Compound-powder: Take of the Simple-powder, just described, two
ounces; the gum of Butea frondosa, Betel-nut Catechu (Areca Catechu), in
powder, each five drachms; Ginger, in powder, three drachms; fruit of
Carum Carui, and of Dill-seeds (fruit of Peucedanum graveolens), in
powder, each two drachms; Opium, in powder, one drachm and twenty
- t w o g r a i n s ; a n d
G u m , a c a c i a
o r t h e I n d i a n g u m - a r a b i c , i n p o w d e r s i x
ounces. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly, pass the powder through
a fine sieve, rub and mix it well in a mortar, and keep it in a stoppered
bottle. Aqáqíyá or the Watery Extract: Take of the young and fresh
legumes of this plant (Acacia Arabica) before their seeds become hard.
and well developed, rub and bruise them with water in a stone mortar,
strain the solution through muslin or thin cloth, and dry it in the sun