CALAMUS. 



[Acorus calamus L/.) 



Another goblet ! quick ! and stir 

 Pomegranate juice and drops of myrrh 

 And calamus therein. 



— Longfellow : Golden Legend, IIL 



Acorus calamus, commonly known as 

 Calamus, sweet flag and cinnamon sedge, 

 is a reed-like plant common in Europe, 

 and Northern United States. It grows 

 in swamps, marshes and very moist 

 places. It is a herbaceous perennial 

 growing from spreading fleshy rhizomes. 

 The long, sword-like, deep green, pointed 

 leaves grow up from the rhizomes. 



The history of this plant dates back 

 to remote antiquity, yet there is consid- 

 erable uncertainty as regards the identity 

 of the various plants which have at vari- 

 ous periods been supposed to be sweet 

 flag. There is no doubt that some reed- 

 like plant in many respects similar if 

 not identical with calamus was used by 

 the ancient Egyptians in the preparation 

 of incense as recorded in the papyri of 

 Ebers. These Egyptian records date back 

 to the eighteenth dynasty, or from 1800 

 to 2000 years B, C. Vague references to 

 a similar plant are to be found in the 

 ancient sacred writings of the Hindoos. 

 It is likely that the plant referred to and 

 that which is mentioned in the Bible is 

 a species of Andropogon, and not 

 Acorus. In Exodus, 30:23, we find: 

 "Take thou also unto thee principal 

 spices of pure myrrh, of sweet cinna- 

 mon, and of sweet Calamus." 



Our first reliable information of Cala- 

 mus is from Plinius, who received spec- 

 imens from the country about the Black 

 Sea and who described it under the name 

 of Acorus calamus. Acorus, derived 

 from the Greek a for, and corus, the eye, 

 because the plant was highly recommend- 

 ed in the treatment of diseases of the 

 eye. Calamus, also derived from the 

 Greek, means a reed or reed-like plant. 

 Dioscorides and Theophrastus also de- 



scribe the plant with special reference to 

 the rhizome and its uses. 



The rhizomes should be collected late 

 in the autumn, carefully cleaned of dirt, 

 leaf remnants, leaf scales and roots and 

 dried in the sun or in an oven at a mod- 

 erate temperature. The aromatic odor 

 increases greatly on drying. 



Calamus has ever been a favorite pop- 

 ular remedy. Its principal use seems to 

 have been that of a tonic and blood puri- 

 fier, for which purpose bits of the dried 

 rhizomes are masticated and the saliva 

 swallowed. It undoubtedly is a tonic 

 and it also has a beneficial, stimulating 

 and antiseptic effect upon gums and 

 teeth. Chewing the rhizomes is also said 

 to clear the voice. Calamus is, or has 

 been, used in flavoring beer and gin. 

 Country people add it to whisky, wine 

 and brandy to make a tonic bitters for 

 the weak and dyspeptic. It is said that 

 the Turks employ it as a preventive 

 against contagious diseases. In India it 

 is used to destroy vermin, especially fleas. 

 In England it is employed in the treat- 

 ment of malaria. 



At the present time Calamus is no 

 longer extensively employed in medicine. 

 It is considered as stimulating, aromatic 

 and bitter tonic. It is perhaps true that 

 its value as a tonic is at present some- 

 what underestimated by the medical pro- 

 fession. It is also serviceable in flatu- 

 lent colic, and in what is designated as 

 atonic dyspepsia. It is added to other 

 medicines, either as a corrective, or ad- 

 juvant. 



Description of plate: A, rhizome and 

 basal portion of leaves; JB, upper end 

 of leaf with inflorescence (spike) ; i, 2, 

 3, 5, flowers; 4, stigma; 6, section of 

 fruit; 7, stamens; 8, pollen grains. 



Albert Schneider. 



191 



