1911.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 39 



By means of a sharp flint the affected member was cut or gashed in 

 numerous places over the surface from one end to the other and 

 allowed to bleed freely. Next day the limb was ligatured proximally 

 and a vein was located in a favorable position and opened by means 

 of a pointed stick. The blood was allowed to flow from the vein for 

 some time, after which the wound was stopped and the entire limb then 

 covered with a salve made from the roots of Valeriana or that con- 

 stituting some other bai'-gwi-na-tsu, and thoroughly bandaged. 



For the treatment of burns the most prized remedy was furnished 

 by Spiraea ccespitosa, a shrubby prostrate plant forming dense mats 

 over limestone rocks and clefts in the canyons. The plant has fleshy 

 roots and short matted branches upon which silky villous leaves are 

 arranged in dense rosulate clusters. The roots after being cleaned 

 and freed of their epidermis by means of a knife were boiled in water 

 until soft and readily reducible to a pulpy mass. This is then ready 

 for use, the wet, pulpy mass being smeared directly in a layer over the 

 burned part and bandaged in place. On fresh burns the pulp or salve 

 was renewed usually four times each day. The remedy is much 

 valued and in cases observed by the author seemed efficacious. A 

 moss (Bryum) is said by some also to have been used on burns. For 

 the same purpose the green wood of the mountain mahogany was also 

 sometimes charred, reduced to powder and, after moistening with 

 water, applied to the wound. 



A number of plants furnished materials used as remedies for rheuma- 

 tism. Such was Valeriana, toi'-ya-bit-um-ba-ga, above mentioned, the 

 roots of which are pounded up and rubbed on the affected parts. The 

 common yarrow (Achilleia millefolium), loan'-go-gip, was also bandaged 

 about affected joints, as were also the steeped leaves of the common 

 sage-brush, po'-ho-bi. 



Of remedies used for disorders of the alimentary tract there were 

 many. A remedy much valued for intestinal disorders of babies and 

 infants, but also used with adults, often as a secondaiy treatment in 

 cases of accidents or other bodily trouble, was obtained from the roots 

 of several of the Saxifragacese, especially Heuchera, wi'-giin-dza, and 

 Mitella, pi'-a-nank. The medicine is purgative in action (koi'-na-tsu). 

 Because of the white color of the roots the preparation is commonly 

 known as to' '-sa-na-tsu , meaning "white medicine." It was given in 

 the form of a decoction or tea. Another similar remedy, used especially 

 with children, was prepared from Arenaria triflora, var. obtusa. The 

 wood of the choke-cherry (Primus demissa), to'-o-nump, was some- 

 times scraped and from the scrapings a decoction made which was 



