90 USES OF PLANTS BY INDIANS [eth, ann.33 



for a prognostication of the event. If tlie powder on touching the 

 water started to circle to the right and gradually mixed, it was 

 taken as a good omen for the recovery of the patient, but if the 

 powder settled (|uietly to the bottom it was considered an omen of 

 his death. A man whom I knew in the Omaha tribe had a very 

 bad t-a.'* of constipation, which was finally given up by the medicine- 

 men of his own tribe, as they could not relieve him. A medicine-man 

 of the Oto tribe, who was there on a visit, let it be known that he 

 could cure the case, so he was called in and had complete success. 

 One of the Omaha medicine-men. White Horse, wondered at the re- 

 markable efficacy of the Oto remedy, purchased the secret, paying the 

 Oto a horse and $iiO in money for knowledge of this remedy, which 

 he afterward imi)arted to me. 



The pulverized bark of the root, if snuffed, causes uncontrollable 

 sneezing. On account of this property it was used as a stimulant 

 when a person was very sick and seemed near death, as in case of 

 coma. If on application of the powder to the nostrils, the patient 

 did not sneeze it was thought there was no hope of recovery. A 

 Pawnee informed me that the dry pod of the plant, pulverized, was 

 used to cause sneezing for the relief of headache. 



The Pawnee roast the seeds and eat them as chestnuts are eaten. 

 A Winnebago said the seeds after being pounded in a mortar were 

 used for food. 



A Santee Dakota said the root was sometimes used for making 

 a black dye, but that it was not very good for the purpose. It was 

 used as a dyestuff together with some component unknown to my in- 

 formant. He said the root alone was without value. 



The seeds are u.sed by the Winnebago for counters or tally checks 

 in gambling. 



Fabace.ak 



Baitisia bracteata Ell. Black Rattle-pod. 



Tdika shande nuga (Omaha-Ponca). male fdika shande; also 

 called f/matho, rattle. 



P'lra-har'i (Pawnee) ; from pirau^ children, and kari, many. 



The first Omaha-Ponca name refers to the likeness of this plant 

 to Goopninuu/ii crcKsicarpum, which is called tdika shande. Baptisia, 

 being classed as similar to that but larger, more robust, is considered 

 male. The second name refers to its use by small boys as a rattle 

 when they i)lay at having a dance. Pawnee boys used it in the same 

 way. The Pawnee after pulverizing the seeds mixed the powder 

 with buffalo fat as an ointment to be applied for colic by rubbing 

 on the abdomen. 



