22 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxxiv 



221. Indian Corn, Zea Mays, the meal used as a poultice 

 covered with young hyson tea laid on burns will generally 

 perform a cure by one application. 



FiLiCES. — 125. Winter Brake, Pteris aquilina, a powerful 

 astringent, "good to bind blood vessels and to prevent the 

 leaking of sinews." 



There is not much, if any, doubt as to the foregoing 

 identifications ; I am not sure of the following. 



222. Sciatica Cresses, Nasturtium palustre of the Cruci- 

 FERAE made into a salve with lard and applied to the hip 

 will cure sciatica and gout, equally effective in rheumati.sm. 



223. Tory Weed, Canada Burr, Desmodium of various 

 species of the Leguminosae, the leaves allay inflammation 

 and exti-act " the soreness and virulence from irritated, 

 galled or bruised parts." 



(This may be Bidens frondosa of the Compositae.) 



I cannot even guess at Rupturewort, Camwood, High 

 Wickup, Septfoil, Vine Maple, Castor. 



No more than the writers formerly quoted does this 

 writer confine himself to native plants, although the whole 

 system is based upon the theory that the Almighty has 

 provided in the plants of a country a complete remedy for 

 any disease which can appear in the country. Nor indeed 

 are remedies from the animal or even the mineral kingdom 

 excluded. 



Of exotic plants we find young hyson tea, copaiva (the 

 balsam), coffee, cinnamon, ginger, camphor, assafoetida, 

 myrrh, black pepper, nutmegs, guiacum, galbanum, ber- 

 gamot, cardamon, aloes, allspice, mace, cloves, jalap, cork 

 (the ashes), olive (the oil). Certain vegetable products are 

 also used, gin, rum, brandy, " spirits," turpentine, charcoal, 

 rosin, white rosin, molasses, sugar, tar, black pitch, port 

 wine, vinegar, castile soap, pearl ash. 



The animal kingdom is drawn upon for honey, lard, 

 eggs, yellow wax, suet (beef and mutton) spermaceti, 

 beef's gall, black snake's skin ("procure a black snake's 

 skin and tie it round the patient's waist, the flesh side 

 next to the skin, and wear it continually," a perfect pre- 

 ventative against epileptic fits, cramps, and convulsions). 

 Rattlesnake oil ("rattlesnake's oil, four or five drops given 

 on sugar has saved life when the breath was almost totally 



