60 On the Jestis-xveed, as a Cure 



nutes glows of heat ran over his whole body. His pains 

 were great, and his sickness at stomach extreme. His wife 

 held a chunk of very vivid fire near the wound (which, 

 she says, extracted the poison by drops); but he con- 

 tinued to grow worse, till the Jestis-weed medicine was 

 prepared. He then drank as much as he could, a cup- 

 ful two or three times in 15 minutes, and more after- 

 wards, as he found necessary. The first dose relieved 

 him in some measure, and he rapidly recovered. The 

 foot continued swelled, throbbing, and somewhat pain- 

 ful, for a week or more, but was cured by a poultice of 

 the weed boiled with corn-flour. 



Case 8. One of Mr. M. S.'s children was bitten by 

 a large Rattle- Snake. None of the family knew Jestis- 

 weed, and it could not be procured till next day. The 

 child was screaming with pain all night, and, by the time 

 the medicine was ready, she was so prodigiously swell- 

 ed, that her eyes were completely closed. In two hours 

 after taking the medicine, she could open her eyes, and 

 the pain was gone. In a day or two she perfectly re- 

 covered. 



Case 9. Mr. W. D., in the spring of 1797, was bitten 

 by a large Rattle- Snake, just above his ancle. He first 

 applied Peach-leaves, boiled in salt and water, to the part, 

 which did no good. He next scarified all round the 

 wound, but, this not affording any relief, he made trial of 

 the Jestis-weed. By the time he had drank a tea-cupful 

 of the medicine, he was easier, and the pain and swelling 

 began to decrease. In his foot some swelling remained 

 for near a fortnight, when he perfectly recovered. 



