=Bush Honeysuckle= (_Diervilla lonicera_ Mill.), “osawaˈ skanet”
[yellow fluid]. The Flambeau Ojibwe use the root together with other
plants such as the Ground Pine, for their most valued urinary remedy.
It is also known among white men as a diuretic and a remedy to relieve
itching.
=Red Elderberry= (_Sambucus racemosa_ L.), “papaskatcîksiˈganaˈtîg”
[popgun wood]. According to the Pillager Ojibwe, this bark is an emetic
or a purgative, depending upon how it is prepared for use. It is a last
resort purgative to be used when other remedies for the same complaint
are of no avail. It may be said that the Ojibwe have more plants for
physic than for any other purpose, thus the Red Elder will be seen to
be their most important one.
Four internodes of the stalk are taken, because four is their magic
number. These sections are measured carefully from the point of the
ulna to the point of the humerus. The inner bark is secured by peeling
downward. This is steeped and boiled, and the resulting liquid is
drunk for constipation. It is supposed to thus save the life of one
threatened with serious constipation. It is reserved for extreme cases,
because of the many other physics they employ, and they consider it
drastic and dangerous otherwise. If these same four sticks had been
peeled upwards and the resulting tea drunk, then it would have acted as
a powerful emetic. The writer can testify to its strength, but notes
that it works both ways at once, no matter how prepared, so that the
method of preparation is doubtless superstitious.
Among the whites only the elder flowers are recognized in the New
Formulary, but the inner bark has been known to produce death in
children, a short time after being eaten, with symptoms similar to
Poison Hemlock (_Cicuta_). In moderate doses, it is also known to
produce vomiting and purging. The active alkaloid evidently works only
in the fresh state, as it loses its potency in a dried state.
=Snowberry= (_Symphoricarpos racemosus_ Michx.) “anîgomijiˈ
mînagaˈwûnj” [little crow bush]. Among the Pillager Ojibwe, the root
of the Snowberry is used to make a tea to clear up the afterbirth, and
enable quicker convalescence. Among the Meskwaki Indians the same use
is ascribed to the Wolfberry (_Symphoricarpos occidentalis_). There is
no record of its use by white men.
=Nannyberry= (_Viburnum lentago_ L.), “atîteˈ tamînûn” or “atîteˈ
tamînagaˈwûnj.”[100] The Pillager Ojibwe collect the inner bark of the
trunk, down low next to the ground, to yield a tea which is used as a
diuretic.
Among the white men, Nannyberry is often sold as _Viburnum prunifolium_
which is official in our pharmacopoeia. The virtues assigned to this
class of medicine are as feeble as they are numerous. It has been used
as a nervine, astringent, tonic, diuretic and has been said to have
value as an uterine sedative and preventive of abortion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account