over the membrane of the alimentary canal and genitourinary organs, and is consequently very useful in diarrhœa, dysentery, gonorrhœa, gleet and chronic cystitis. Although the extract is less effectual in checking dysentery and diarrhœa 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 diarrhœa 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 Akâkiyá 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 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 compound powder of Akâkia or Aqáqíyá. 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 diarrhœa, 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
