Take of gum-arabic, in powder, 4 oz.
boiling water, 8 oz.
Triturate the gum with a small portion of the water until it be dissolved.
It is necessary to pass the mucilage through linen, in order to free it from pieces of wood and other impurities, which always adhere to the gum: the linen may be placed in a funnel.
Mucilage of gum-arabic is very useful in making up medicines, &c. it also possesses the powers of a mucilaginous demulcent in a high degree; and is frequently given in diarrhœa, dysentery, chin-cough, hoarseness, strangury, &c.
GUM-ARABIC EMULSION.
Take of gum-arabic, in powder, 2 drams,
sweet almonds, blanched,
double refined sugar, each ½ dram,
decoction of barley, 1 pint.
Dissolve the gum in the warm decoction; and when it is almost cold, pour it upon the almonds, previously well beaten with the sugar, and at the same time triturate them together, so as to form an emulsion, and then filter.
The almonds are blanched by infusing them in boiling water, and peeling them. The success of the preparation depends upon beating the almonds to a smooth pulp, and triturating them with each portion of the watery fluid, so as to form an uniform mixture before another portion be added.
DECOCTION OF MARSHMALLOWS
Take of marshmallow roots, bruised, 4 oz.
sun raisins, stoned, 2 oz.
water, 7 pints.