THE Gum-Arabick, Theban, Babylonish, or the Egyptian Thorn call'd Acacia, which is the Name of the Trees which produce it, is a whitish, transparent Gum, which flows from several little Trees that are very prickly, whose Leaves are so small, 'twould be difficult to count them; and that grow in the happy Arabia, from whence it is call'd the Arabian Gum. This is brought to France by the Way of Marseilles: But since the Gum Senega has been brought us, the true Gum Arabick is become so scarce at Paris, that you can hardly meet with any.
Chuse such as is white, clear, transparent, and the dryest and largest Drops that can be got, especially for Treacle, which is the chief Use of it. This Gum is us'd with good Success for several Infirmities of the Lungs, and to soften the Sharpness of Coughs; for which Reason several People make it the Basis of the Liquorice Juice, especially at Blois, tho' very improperly; not only because it will not answer, but because they pay dearer for that which is worth nothing, and where they use Gum Arabick, there they likewise use Senega Gum.
Gummi, Arabicum, Thebaicum, Babylonicum, Achantinum, Saracenicum, is a Gum that is brought to us in large Tears, or white Pieces, inclining sometimes towards a yellow, clear, transparent, and glewy in the Mouth, without manifest Taste: It flows by Incision from a little thorny Tree, call'd Acacia. This is a noble Tree growing in Egypt, and cultivated in several Gardens of Europe, having Sprigs and spreading Roots, and a Trunk rising six Fathom Height, solid, full of Branches and Boughs, arm'd with strong and stiff Thorns or Prickles; the Leaves are small and fine, growing by Couples on each Side of a Nerve or Rib, that is two Inches long: The Thorns or Prickles are of a bright green Colour, a quarter of an Inch long, and the twelfth Part of an Inch broad; out of whose Wings the Flowers come forth in round Heads, resting upon a Foot-stalk an Inch long; they are of a golden Colour, single-leav'd, of a fragrant Smell; and from a small narrow Pipe, enlarging themselves to a wide-mouth'd Cup with five Notches, adorn'd in the middle with a numerous Train of Threads, or small Chives, and a Colour inclining to a reddish, two Inches long, and bending or crooking, after the Manner of a Bow, in whose Cavity are several Partitions, distinguish'd with fungous or spongy Membranes, of a whitish Colour, containing Seeds that are of an oval Figure, flat and hard.
The greatest Part of the Gum we call Arabick, that is in the Druggists Shops, comes not from Arabia, but is only a Gum that is like it in Figure and Property, that is brought from Senega, or rather a Collection of several aqueous Gums, found upon several Sorts of Trees, as Plums, Cherries, &c. all which are in some Measure, pectoral, moistening, cooling, agglutinating and sweetening; proper for Rheums, Inflammations of the Eyes, Looseness, &c. The true Gum Arabick falls by little and little from the Trees, especially in Time of Rain; and agglutinates or sticks together in large Pieces, that are fine, clear, white and transparent; and this is call'd Gum Turick that is us'd by the Silk Dyers.