ARROW- HOOT HORTUS jAMAICENSIS. 3t' 



This root is so call-'d from its curing and expelling the poisoii which Indians put to 

 their arrows when they shoot at their enemies, which, ii' the\- make but a slight wound, 

 certainly kills the person if the poison he not expelled; and that this ]-;!a;";t doth, bv 

 takini- the juice iawardl}-, and applying the bruised root as a poultice outwardly : This 

 ivas discovered by an Indian, taken after he had wounded an European with one of these- 

 poisoned arrows, whom they tortured until he promised to cure him, which he did c<- 

 fcctually with the I'oot of this plant. It hath a stalk and leaf exactl}- like Indian shot, 

 only that hath a bfMutiful scarlet Hower, and this hath a milk-white one. The leaves of 

 it fall in Deceniber, and the root is fit to dig in January. Sir Hans Sloane calls it canna. 

 Jndica rddice alba alexipharmaca, from its known virtues in e:;petling poison. I knew 

 a gentlewoman ia .Jamaica that was bit or stung with a black spider (which is venomous 

 liere) upon one of the fingers, which immediately inflamed and pained her up to tlie 

 elbow and shoulder, and threw her into a fever, wit.h symptoms of fits; and all this 

 happened in less than an hour. They sent away for this root, which they took and 

 bruised, and having applied it to the par: aiTecte 1, in half an hour's time she found 

 much ease: in two hours afterwards chevtook that away, and applied afresh root, which 

 still brought more ease and quietness of her spirits > her fever abated,, and ira twenty- 

 four hours she was perfectly well. 1 knew another person that was cured in the same 

 manner, that was bit by one of these spiders, at the nccessar^'-house, upon the but- 

 tock ; And about three miles from St. Jago de la Vega, happened an accident of.poison 

 not designed, which was done by an ignorant- rregro slave, by stopping a jar of rum 

 with a weed, which wilt be described hereafter*. The rum stood siojjped all night, and 

 some of the leaves had fallen inio it : In the morning, a negro drank of it, and gave 

 some to two o: three more of his ccantry ; and in less than two hours they were all verv 

 sick v/ith vlole: it vomiting and tremblings. This alarmed the plantation, and the master 

 of it was sent ft>r, letting him know that some of his negroes were poisoned, but how 

 they could not tell, lie took a surgeon with him. ; but before he got there two or three of 

 them were dead, and another just expiring. The surgeon was at a stand what to do ;' but 

 somebody advised Indian' arrow-rtiot, which they got immediately, and bruiscfl it, being 

 a very juicy root, and pressed out the juice, and g:we it to tlie'Tiegro, who was secmingl-v 

 adyirig" : The fiist glass revived him, the second brouglit him to himself, so thai? he said 

 he f^jund his heart honn, and desired more of it; upon which he mended, and in a little 

 time recovered. - T'his is-Lopezcle Gomara's counter-poison, and is one of the ingve- 

 dierits of Hernandez's grand elixir, or great antidote. I have seen this root frequent])? 

 priven in malignant fevers with great sr.ccCss,- when all other tiviu2:s have failed, ^\'he^^ 

 i make up idpis cnntraijerva f<)r vcij own practice, I always put i-n a good quantity of ibl. 

 I have given it decocted, but it is best in powder, w hich causes sweat ; the dose is 

 from a draclmi or two. I have observed, that altliough this is a very flowery root, jet, 

 if vou keep it ';even years, no vermin will meddle uilh it, when all other roots in this 

 countrv are very subje'ct to be destroyed uith vi^:>rros and Weevils. It luith no mani!c: 

 of ill taste or smell ; it works by sweat and uriiie, and yet is a great cordial ; it pwivokcji 

 the terms, and clears lying in women ; it drives out tlie t>mall-pox or measles ; and if 

 it was candied as eringo-root, it woidd make a pleasant preserve, for it possesses thtj 

 iike prolific virtue. Barhani, p. T, 8. 



Prepared as follows, this root makes excellent starch, and i's frcq'.-.entlv used instead 

 of the common sort. The roots, when a year old, are dug up, well washed in uater,^ 



atid- 







See Savanna Flouer, 



