i)

Materia Medica.

Part II.

acrimony is almost entirely destroyed. For medical use, theplant must be gathered before the stem shoots.

Uses and dose. —When properly administered, it acts as apenetrating stimulus, and generally excites sweat, and some-times an increased discharge of urine.

On many occasions it has been found a very effectual re-medy in glandular swellings, venereal nodes, anchylosis, spinaventosa, itch, amaurosis, gouty and rheumatic pains, intermit-tent fevers, and convulsive disorders.

When the powder of the dried leaves is to be used, wemay begin by giving one or two grains, and gradually increasethe dose ; but it is commonly used in the form of an inspissa-ted juice. As soon as the plant is gathered, the juice is ex-pressed, and evaporated, without any previous clarification,to the consistence of an extract. It is to be regretted, thatthe powers of this medicine vary very much, according to itsage, and the heat employed in its preparation. When re-cently prepared, its action is often very violent; and when keptmore than a year, it becomes totally inert. It may thereforebe laid down as an universal rule, in ihe employment of thisand of many other similar active medicines, to begin withvery small doses, and to increase them gradually to the neces-sary degree; and whenever we have occasion to begin a newparcel of the medicine, we should again commence with thesmallest dose, and proceed with the same caution as at first.

We may begin with giving half a grain of this extract,either formed into a powder with ten grains of white sugar,or made up with any convenient addition into a pill, twice orthrice a-day, and gradually increase the dose ; or a tincture ofaconite may be prepared, by digesting one part of the driedleaves in six parts of spirit of wine ; the dose of which will beat first five or ten drops, and may be gradually increased toforty.

Acorus calamus. Ed. Lond. Dub.

Willd.g. 663. sp. 1.— Smith. F/or. Brit._ g. 179. sp. 1___

Hexandria Monogynia. —Nat. Ord. Piperita.Sweet flag.

Officinal —The root.

ACORI CALAMI RADIX. Ed.

Calami radix. Lond.Acori radix. Dub.

This plant is perennial, and grows plentifully in rivuletsand marshy places about Norwich, and other parts of Eng-land, in the canals of Holland, in Switzerland, and in other