308  Utilisation  of  Our  Own  Resources.    {  Am  ji™  ^J1™1, 
steeped  in  water  and  drunk  will  settle  it,  or,  what  is  perhaps  better, 
the  kernels  of  two  or  three  seeds  cracked  and  cold  water  drunk  off 
them.  If  stronger  astringent  is  needed,  the  inner  bark  of  red  oak, 
blackberry  or  dewberry  root  tea,  or  red  shank  root,  are  sure  remedies. 
"  Agrimony  tea,  and,  as  a  last  resort,  the  nut  gall  or  inkball  made 
into  what,  from  its  color,  I  called  black  wash  (made  by  squeezing 
the  juice  out  and  adding  a  little  copperas).  This  black  wash  is  not 
only  a  splendid  ink,  but  is  a  destroyer  of  venereal  sores,  warts,  corns, 
ringworm  and  old  ulcers,  and  excrescences  of  nearly  every  kind, 
much  superior  to  lime  water  and  calomel.  Weakened  properly,  it  is 
good  in  obstinate  bowel  diseases  and  can  be  used  as  an  injection  in 
gonorrhoea,  gleet,  etc.  Silk  weed  root,  put  in  whiskey  and  drunk, 
giving  at  the  same  time  pills  of  rosin  from  the  pine  tree,  with  very 
small  pieces  of  blue  vitriol,  will  cure  obstinate  cases  of  bladder 
troubles,  and  is  a  substitute  for  copaiba,  cubebs,  etc. 
"  I  raised  lobelia  from  the  seed,  and  found  it  to  be  a  reliable 
emetic,  useful  in  cough  medicines,  croup,  and  asthma.  I  have 
relieved  asthma  with  lobelia  and  by  smoking  stramonium  leaves.  We, 
of  course,  used  turpentine  as  an  adjunct  in  all  cases  where  indicated, 
which  is  the  case  in  very  many  diseases,  and  in  many  a  positive 
curative  agent. 
"  Onions  and  garlic  were  useful  as  poultices  in  nearly  all  glandular 
enlargement,  as  are  also  poke-root,  celery,  pepper,  parsley,  sage, 
thyme,  rue  and  other  garden  products.  Many  of  the  latter  were 
used  for  diseases  of  women  and  children. 
"  White  sumac,  red  elm,  prickly  ash  and  poke  will,  in  connection 
with  my  black  wash,  cure  recent  cases  of  syphilis.  It  will  also  cure 
many  cases  of  chronic  rheumatism.  Peach-tree  leaves  and  Sampson's 
snake  root  will  cure  most  cases  of  incipient  dyspepsia.  Gargle  made 
of  sage  and  honey  will  cure  most  cases  of  sore  throat,  tonsillitis. 
"  For  infants,  calamus,  catnip  and  soot  teas  are  better  than 
soothing  syrup  with  opiates." 
Nearly  every  old  practitioner  in  the  South  to-day  is  full  of  such 
reminiscences  as  the  foregoing. 
Our  American  people  have  every  resource  of  material  and  intelli- 
gence to  supply  their  own  needs  in  drugs  and  every  other  kind  of 
manufacture,  and  need  only  to  "  look  around  "  them  with  the  spirit 
and  pride  of  their  own  independence  to  sustain  every  requirement 
of  good  health,  and  plenty,  in  peace — or  war. 
