STETEXSON] MEDICAL PRACTICES AND MEDICINAL PLANTS 63 



but in instances when the medicine is apphed after a ceremony, in 

 the performance of which the entire body has been exposed to the 

 cactus, and no bandaging can be done, the medicine is used more 

 freely. The officiating theurgist expectorates on the body wherever 

 the pain uidicates the presence of cactus needles, and apphes the 

 paste. The Zuni claim that this medicine usually causes the spines 

 or sphnters to come to the surface in a day, and that never more 

 than two days are recjuned for their extraction by this treatment. 

 The medicine is applied morning and evening imtil relief is afforded. 

 To protect the flesh from the spines the seeds are chewed by mem- 

 bers of the Cactus fraternity, who eject the mass into the hands and 

 rub it over the entire body prior to the ceremony with the cactus. 



Ximenesia exauriculata (Rob. & Greenm.) Rydb. Crownbeard. 



Carduacej;. Thistle family. 

 Hu'te^clii, "mephitii- odor.' 

 A specific for (Tamps in the stomach. The blossoms are chewed 

 and .swallowed, after wliich water is drunk. Copious vomiting is the 

 result. When employeil for the above purpose the plant belongs to 

 all the peo])le. The root of this plant is employed with other roots in 

 treatmg the bite of a rattlesnake.' 



From tlio foregoii^g pages it is evident that for a long period the 

 Zuni Indians have extensively employed legitimate medicines for 

 healing the sick. Remedies were discovered by chance and then 

 came the period of exj)erimentation. They learned the value of 

 Datura meteloides as a narcotic perhaps centuries before the birth of 

 Baron Stoerck, of Vienna, who first brought it to the attention of the 

 medical profession, and the use of antiseptics while Lister was still 

 unknowii. How long ergot has been cini)loye(l by the Zuni for the 

 chief purpose to which it is devoted by civilized man, no one can say. 



The Zuni do not understand how the old medicines came into use. 

 They beheve that the anthropic and zooic gods j)ossess these reme- 

 dies, allowing the Zuni to act as their agents in administering tb'^m. 

 They must not be employed, however, prior to the offering of proper 

 supplications and pra^'ers to the gods whose medicines are to be admin- 

 istered; therefore there is much ceremony comiected with heahng the 

 sick. In fact, the fife of the Zuni is a prolonged ceremony from 

 birth to death, of which plant life forms a conspicuous feature; but 

 plants are revered apart from their association with ceremony and 

 the curing of the sick. The Zuni have a passion for the beautiful in 

 nature; they love flowers because they are beautiful to the eye, 

 and their fragrance, too, is pleasing. The youth loves to pluck the 



1 In the knowledge of plant medicines the Zuni are no exception to the other Pueblos. A preliminary 

 study by the writer of the medicines of the Taos, Tewa, and Sia Indians discloses a close relationship among 

 them. 



