The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-07-16
The ledres ,rsretor the heaitHg QfHe nations
Valuable Medical Herb,
BY R. Y. PIERCE, VI. D., of the WORLDS
DIsPENsARY, Buffalo, \. Y.

BY R. Y. PIERCE, VI. D., of the WORLDS
DIsPENsARY, Buffalo, \. Y.
Smart Weed, sometimes called Water
PEPPER, but known by Botanists as Po1ygosuna
Punctatum, is a well-known, very common
and modest little plant found growing in
bitches, low grounds, among rubbish and
about brooks and water-eourses, Towering in
August and September In many sections of
this country it is a deseryedly highlv-es-
teemcd family remedy The Indians also
make great use of this plant for the cure Of
various diseases. But neither the Indians
nor the whites learned one-tenth of the value
Of this modest little weed, as they had no
method of extracting its virtues without the
application of heat which DESTROYS most of
its properties, and usually made tea from
the dried herb that had been kept on hand
for long time until it had lost most of its
medical properties. No educated Chemist
had ever tried to make an analysis of the
plant and produce an extract from ii upon
scientific principles by a cold process until I.
having become convinced of the wonderful
medical virtues of this little weed, investi-
gated its properties and made an extract from
the fresh herb by cold process-ulsing no
heat at all, but bringing out It's
juices, oils and volatile properties
complete and unimpaired IF this
remedy had heretofore been valuable when
prepared in the most crude manner, from the
long dried herb and by the application of heat,
that destroyed SO much Of its virtues, | rea-
soned that it must, when properly prepared
by cold process and from the freshly dried
herb, prove wonderfully etlicacious and po-
tent remedy for human suffering. And can
assure the people, upon my honor as pro
fesslona man, that in its use, since thus pre-
pairing it, my most sanguine expectations have
been more than realized. | have found it 10
contain medicinal properties which sleeping
in water could not bring out at all, as they are
resinous principles. With my Extract, con
tanning all these medical properties unim-
paired have been enabled to produce most
astonishing remedial effects. By much study
alarge experience in prescribing this and other
medicines, and very close observation, l have
been enabled to compound and combine with
the simple Extract of Smart Weed extracts of
other medicinal herbs and roots that greatly
improve its power and usefulness both as an
internal and external remedy-besides thew so
flavor and modify it as to remove its pungent,
smarty taste and render it a pleasant ren.eay
for both adults and children. The greatest diff
ticulty that experience in the way of intro
ducing this most valuable remedy to the
public is the fact that Smart Weed is
such n common and unpretending-lo looking
little herb that people are apt to think that it
cannot possess any great or valuable medical
properties. Had l prepared my Extract Of
Smart Weed, put it up and labeled it with
some great name, and told the people that the
herbs Of which it was composed were collected
in Africa by the Arabs carried across the
Saharah Desert on the backs of camels, and
brought across the Atlantic Ocean for my
special use, and that its ingredients were
therefore very expensive, / have no doubt that
some would have been thereby inspired with
greater confidence in it. But prefer to deal
honestly with the people and tell them that
the chief ingredient of my Compound Extract
is the modest little plant seen growing by the
IL. a. al
known as Smart Weed. l believe that God
has caused to grow, in each climate and region
those medicinal plants best calculated for the
cure OF the diseases that prevail in the section
of country where those plants are found-that
I" the leaves were for the healing of the ma
tions," and that the fewer far-fetched remedies
we employ the better, if we would thoroughly
investigate and understand those we have at
home. So far as Smart-We has been en-
ployed by the medical profession it has won
golden opinions, Notwithstanding the fact that
heretofore they have had only very imperfect
preparation Of it to use, owing to heat being
always employed in extracting its prop
critics. A celebrated medical author says:
:" A friend of ours had an only child danger
ously i'll with Summer Complaint. He had
employed great variety Of the usual means
for relief, but all appeared unavailing The
child was finally given Smart-Weed and it
was entirely successful. 1t arrested the
vomiting and purging in a short time and
without the aid Of other medicine entirely re-
stored the little patient" As remedy for
Dysentery Cor Bloody Flux) / have never
seen my Extract of Smart Weed equaled, vet
have used all the most modern and i'm
proved medicines usually employed In that
disease. The Smart Weed is rendered still
more efiicacious in all Bowel Complaints,
Cramps and Pains in the Stomach by reason
of the Jamaica Ginger which, with other
valuable ingredients, is compounded with the
Smart-Weed in making my extract-hence
the name Compound Extract of Smart Weed.
The Ginger and other ingredients not only
add greatly to the value Of the Smart Weed
as remedy for internal administration and
render it more pleasant to take by imparting
an agreeable flavor to it, but also enhance its
value as an external application. In all cases
OF Diarrhea, whether acute or chronic, in
young or old, as well as in Cholera and
Cholera Infantum, the symptoms of which
are severe vomiting and purging, feeble pulse,
with cold or clammy skin, my Extract Of
Smart-Weed will give almost immediate re-
lief and speedily effect cure. All authors
writing upon Smart Weed speak particularly
about dose Of it producing o warmth
and peculiar tingling sensation through
out the system. This is especially
the case when my Extract Is given,
and indicates perfect arousing Of
the whole system, % II from inaction and
sleep, and resembles . shock Of electricity,
only that 1t IL moro lasting n erect TIE
whole system and its various functions ore