"  OSHA"  AND  "  YERBA  MANSA  "  OF  NEW  MEXICO.  203 
of  the  root,  with  one  pint  of  water  and  half  a  pound  of  sugar, 
boiled  down  to  twelve  fluid-ounces  and  strained.  Dose,  a  tea- 
spoonful  whenever  the  cough  is  troublesome. 
"  Also  in  females,  of  the  ages  of  17  and  43  respectively,  in 
serious  lung  affections  it  proved  effective,  in  the  form  of  syrup, 
with  a  grain  of  morphia  added  to  half  a  pint  of  the  syrup. 
"  An  ethereal  oil  is  gained  by  pressing  the  root. 
"Another  plant,  similar  to  this  in  size  and  shape,  bloom  and 
odor,  is  found  along  the  banks  of  rivers  ;  but  this  plant  is  a  strong 
poison.  I  tried  its  effects  on  a  dog,  and  it  proved  as  powerful 
as  strychnia.  I  should  have  sent  some,  but  have  been  unable  to 
procure  it,  the  Indians  having  a  strong  dislike  and  wholesome 
fear  of  it.  I  will,  however,  in  a  short  time  get  some  and  send 
it. 
"  The  second  root  is  that  of '  Yerba  mansa,'  (mild  herb).  This 
plant  grows  in  marshy  bottoms,  low  and  close  to  the  ground,  has 
hardly  any  stem,  oblong  leaf,  and  small  yellow-spotted  flowers, 
entirely  odorless.  The  root  is  gathered  in  autumn,  when  the 
flower  has  disappeared  and  the  leaf  is  yellow.  This  root  when 
dry  has,  as  you  will  find,  the  odor  of  allspice. 
"  The  natives,  both  Indians  and  Mexicans,  use  it  in  cases  of 
chronic  diarrhoea  by  making  a  strong  tea  of  it,  which  is  taken 
hot. 
"  I  have  used  it  with  success  on  adults  in  cases  of  that  disease, 
making  a  tea  with  an  ounce  of  the  root  and  a  pint  of  boiling 
water,  giving  a  teacupful,  hot,  every  three  hours,  and  at  the 
same  time,  to  give  relief  to  dryness  of  the  throat,  I  gave  an  in- 
fusion of  one  ounce  in  two  pints  of  water,  with  an  ounce  of  sugar, 
cold. 
"  The  same  course  pursued  with  children  in  severe  cases  of 
dysentery,  where  injections  and  other  medicines  failed,  proved 
effective  in  arresting  the  disease  at  once. 
"  I  shall  continue  to  forward  similar  specimens  of  herbs  and 
plants  to  you,  if  agreeable. 
"Very  respectfully,  your  obd't.  servant, 
"Jacob  Krummeck. 
"P.  S. — I  am  sorry  to  be  unable  to  send  you  the  whole  plant 
-*-leaf,  flower,  and  stem, — the  season  being  too  far  advanced  ;  I 
will  send  it  next  season.  J.  K." 
