OPIUM  AS  A  THERAPEUTIC  AGENT. 
115 
medicinal  qualities  of  calamus  root ;  the  above  preparations  are 
offered  to  physicians  and  pharmaceutists  merely  to  direct  their 
attention  to  this  grateful  indigenous  aromatic.  While  referring 
to  the  remarks  of  Prof.  Wood,  in  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory,  it  may 
probably  not  be  amiss  to  quote  from  Pareira's  Materia  Medica, 
where  the  following  language  is  used ;  « It  is  rarely  employed 
by  medical  practitioners?  though  it  might  be  frequently  substi- 
tuted, with  good  effect,  for  the  more  costly  oriental  aromatics. 
It  is  a  useful  adjunct  to  other  stimulants  and  tonics.  It  has 
been  employed  in  continuous  asthenic  fevers,  accompanied  with 
much  prostration  of  strength,  and  greatly  weakened  digestive 
power.  For  the  cure  of  the  ague  the  dried  root  powdered  is 
used  by  the  country  people  in  Norfolk.  It  is  well  adapted  for 
dyspeptic  cases,  accompanied  with,  or  dependent  on,  an  atonic 
condition  of  the  digestive  organs,  and  is  especially  servicea- 
ble in  gouty  subjects.  It  has  also  been  used  as  a  local  agent, 
viz.:  in  the  formation  of  aromatic  baths,  poultices  and  gargles, 
as  an  application  to  foul-conditioned  ulcers,  &c." 
In  conclusion  I  give  the  recipe  for  Calamus  Toothpowder, 
which  has  been  successfully  employed  by  Dr.  Pitschaft  in  scor- 
butic or  ulcerated  affections  of  the  gums  and  carious  teeth. 
Take  of  Calamus  Root,  half  an  ounce, 
Charcoal,  one  drachm, 
Castile  Soap,  "  " 
Oil  of  Cloves,  twenty  minims. 
Hub  them  together  into  a  very  fine  powder. 
Philadelphia,  Jan.,  1860. 
OPIUM  AS  A  THERAPEUTIC  AGENT. 
By  Edward  R.  Squibb,  M.  D. 
Opium  as  an  article  of  general  commerce,  in  common  with 
other  articles  of  less  importance,  is  judged  and  selected  by 
inspection  of  its  sensible  properties.  Whatever  relation  these 
sensible  properties  may  bear  to  its  medicinal  value,  they  cer- 
tainly are  in  no  degree  dependent  upon  the  alkaloids  it  contains, 
for,  neither  in  their  natural  nor  artificial  combinations  do  the 
more  important  alkaloids  possess  a  single  sensible  quality  or  pro- 
perty in  common  with  the  opium  from  which  they  come,  except 
