Brea Gum

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Brea Gum.—This substance, which has been proposed as a substitute for gum arabic, is believed to be derived from Caesalpinia praecox, a Brazilian tree. It occurs in stalactitic pieces or oval reddish-yellow tears, isolated or agglomerated. It forms with water a viscous, pale reddish-yellow mucilage, of acid reaction, which may be partially decolorized by heating with a few drops of hydrochloric acid. It is said to contain 77 per cent. of arabin.


The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 1918, was edited by Joseph P. Remington, Horatio C. Wood and others.