GUM SENEGA, is a gum extremely resembling gum arabic. It is brought to us from the country through which the river Senega runs, in loose or single drops, but these are much larger than those of the gum arabic usually are; sometimes it is of the bigness of an egg, and sometimes much larger: the surface is very rough, or wrinkled, and appears much less bright than the inner substance, where the masses are broken. It has no smell, and scarce any taste. We are not acquainted with the tree which produces it. The virtues of it are the same with the gum arabic; but it is rarely used.
in medicine, unless as mixed with the gum arabic: the dyers and other artificers consume the great quantities of it that are annually imported here. The negroes dissolve it in milk, and in that state make it a principal ingredient in many of their dishes; and often feed on it thus alone.