AROIDE^. 539 



AROIDE^. 



ACORUS CALAMUS, Linn. 



Fig. — Bentl. and Tnm., t. 279; Bheede, Hort. Mai. xi, 

 t. 48, Sweet-Flag [Enc/.), Acore vrai {Fr.). 



Hab. — Central Asia. Cultivated throufrfiout India, The 



rhi 



izome. 



Vernacular. — Bach, Gora-bach (Rmd., Beng.), Vekhand, 

 Gora-bach {Guz.), Vekband, Bal- vekhand {Mar.), Vashambu 

 [Tarn,], Vasa {Td.)^ Yashanpa [Mai,), Yaje {Can.'). 



History, Uses, &C. — This plant bears the Sanskrit 

 names of Yach^ " talking," Shadgrantha " six-knotted/' Ugra- 

 gandha "strong smelling,*' Jatila "having entangled hair," &c., 

 and is described in the Nighantas as hot,pungent,bitter, stomachic 

 and emetic ; useful for clearing the voice by removing phlegm, 

 and in colic. As an emetic it is administered in doses of about 

 80 grains with half a ser of tepid salt water ; in dyspepsia it is 

 given in combination with asafoetida, long pepper, black pepper, 

 ginger, chebulic myrobalans, sonchal salt, and the tubers, 

 of Aconifum heterophyllum, of all equal parts, in doses of half a 

 drachm. As a stimulant or nervine it is used in combination 

 with other remedies in low fevers, epilepsy, and insanity. The 

 authors of the Pharmacographia remark — "The descriptions of 

 Acoron, a plant of Colchis, Galatia, Pontus, and Crete, given by 

 Dioscorides and Pliny, certainly refer to this drug." The 

 Arabian physicians also agree in identifying it with the 

 Acoron of the Greeks, a name probably derived from the 

 Persian Agar. Ibu Sina describes the drug 

 of Waj, and quotes Galen with regard to its properties, and ail 

 the Arabian and Persian physicians reproduce what Dioscorides 

 tas written concerning aKopov. That this plant is not the Calamus 

 aromaticm of the ancients appears to be evident, as Pliny 

 describes both Acoron and Calamus aromatkus. The Arabians 

 also do not identify the plant wich Calamus aromaUcus, but 

 describe the latter under the name of Kasab-ed-darira and 



under 



