FLAO. 31 J 



ngreeable Odour ie is used for ,l,e sa„« purpose i„ cathedrals 

 on festival days. The roo, is used for several articles of pet 

 fumery.and the French snuff, fa MeUe, is scented with it ■ 

 brewers are reputed to employ it to give a flavour to thei; 

 po.ter; and throughout the United States it is used by the 

 courry people as an ingredient in wine-bitters, and by the 

 Swedes ,„ sp„.,ts distilled fro™ corn. The whole plant I e 

 jected by cattle, and is obnoxious to most insects, hence has 



obtained f ;'■, T devastation. The volatile aromatic oil 



tree "oulZ , ' f' "'' P'"™''^'' '■™'" *' ""^ «f ""e Birch 

 tree, would no doubt prevent mouldiness. It has been used for 



u.nn,ng eather. The root is the only par. used in medicine 

 but the leaves are also aromatic, T,™ varieties are met ith 

 m commerce. The one brought from Tartary and Poll d 

 generaUy known by the name of Acoru. .ems, is of the Wth 

 and thickness of the finger, knotted, cylindri al, sligh lylat' 

 tenad, reddtsh externally, whitish within ; the othl- Ued 

 tta„,„ aro,naU„s, which comes from the Levant by way of 

 Marsedles ,s about the thickness of a quil,, reddish grey ,^,h 

 out and whrte .n.ernally -, Both have a pleasant odour and a 



drytng. The aromatic principle is an essential oil, which can be 

 separated by distillation ; it is lighter than water, of a pale 

 ye low colour, and instantly decomposes sulphuric cid The 



rtc^ 'tr atrrr r-" '^-^ '-■ 



, ■ a little muiiate of potass, rum nhosnhai. 



ofpotass, starch, and woody fibre. • S"">. Phosphate 



M.mcAL Properties and UsEs.-The medical virtues of 



his plan were know-n to the ancient Greek and Arabian hysl 

 cans. It IS one of the few aromatics indigenous to Europe and 



by no means deserves the neglect with which it is treated Wte 

 moderns. I„ consequence of its prompt and powerful fonic 

 action upon the system, it has been regarded as excitant Z 

 .nachic, diaphoretic, diuretic, incisive, &C. I, is theret e I M 

 m colic flatulence arising from dyspepsia, and i„ ver.i.o, head 

 aches, &c., proceeding from the same cause. Some uthors 

 have praised its effects in kucorrh.a, pulmonary ch Z 

 catarrhs, and dysentery; but where there is a teLency to 



* Flore Med. torn. vi. p 68. 



Z 2 



