ARBOR VIT^E. 57 



receipts. The poor uncolleged negro, look- 

 ing to Nature for a salve for every wound, 

 made many discoveries that would have 

 escaped the notice of the best lettered and 

 most laborious son of JEsculapius, whose 

 humane profession has taught him to be 

 emulous in collecting foreign remedies to 

 ease our native maladies, of the botanist 

 who collects foreign trees to embellish our 

 native groves. 



The arbor vitge affords the Indian a remedy 

 for the cough and the intermitting fever, and 

 a medicine for rheumatic pains, which the 

 commandant of Fort St. Frederic, M. de 

 Lusignan, said he could never sufficiently 

 praise, and which is simply the fresh leaves 

 pounded in a mortar, and mixed with lard or 

 other grease. This is boiled together till it 

 becomes a salve, which is spread on linen, 

 and applied to the part where the pain is, to 

 which it is said to give certain relief in a short 

 time. 



The oil is recommended against the gout* 

 being rubbed on the part ; for it acts like fire, 

 by stimulating and opening. The leaves 

 bruised with honey dissolve tumors. * 



The balsam and oil of arbor vitae were 



* Bocrh. Hist. Dale. 



