279 ACORUS CALAMUS 



torpor of the stomach or alimentary canal. A good form of 

 administration is that of the infusion made by macerating an 

 ounce of the rhizome in sixteen ounces of boiling water, and 

 given in doses of two or more fluid ounces ; or it may be chewed 

 habitually as a remedy in the forms of dyspepsia mentioned above. 

 The candied rhizomes are employed by the Turks as a preventive 

 against contagion. In India it is also used as an insectifuge and 

 insecticide, especially in relation to fleas. 



Besides its use in medicine it is also employed by snuff manu- 

 facturers, more especially in the form of the volatile oil. The 

 latter is also sometimes used in the preparation of aromatic 

 vinegar. When the rhizome is masticated it is said to clear 

 the voice, and it is sold by herbalists for this purpose, and 

 for flavouring beer. Johnston also states that it is used by the 

 rectifiers to improve the flavour of gin; and that it is largely 

 employed to give a peculiar taste and fragrance to certain varieties 

 of beer. In the United States it is also used by the country 

 people as an ingredient in making wine- bitters. 



Thomson's Loud. Disp., by Garrod, p. 104; Per. Mat. Med., 

 vol. ii, pt. 1, p. 139; Pharmacographia, p. 614; Steph. and 

 Church., Med. Bot., by Burnett., vol. i, pi. 32 ; U. S. Disp., by 

 W. & B., p. 190; Ainslie's Mat. Med. (Madras, 1813), p. 54; 

 Pharmacopoeia of India, p. 249 ; Stille's Therapeutics and 

 Mat. Med., 2nd edit., vol. i, p. 489; Johnston's Chem. of 

 Common Life, vol. ii, p. 251. 



DESCRIPTION OP PLATE. 



Drawn from a plant collected at Barnes Common, Surrey. 



1. A portion of the rhizome, with the base of the terminal tuft of leaves. 



2. Upper part of scape bearing the spadix and spathe. 



3. Portion of a transverse section of the spadix, showing vertical sections 



of four flowers. 



4. A flower. 



5. Perianth-leaf and stamen. 



6. A stamen. 



7. Diagram of the flower. 



8. A tuft of ovules. 



(3-6 enlarged ; 8 greatly magnified.) 



