Connecticut western news., 1874-07-24
The leaves acere tor the healing of the nations.
 A Valuable Medicinal Herb.

By B V. Pierce, M. D., of the Worlds Dis pensary, Buffalo. N. Y.
 Smart-Weed. sometimes called Water Pepper, but known by Botanists as Polygonatnl Ptt11c- totune, is wel-known, very common and modest little plant found growing in ditches, low grounds, among rubbish and about brooks and water-courses, towering in August and September. In many sections of this country it is a deservedly highly esteemed family reme- dv 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 it's virtues without the application of heat, which made a tea from the dried herb, that had been kept on hand for 8 long time until 1t had lost most of it's medical properties. No educated chemist has ever tried to make an analysis of the plant and produce an extract from 1t upon scientific principles by a cold process, until I, having become convinced of the wonderful medical virtues of that little weed, investigated it's properties and made an extract from the fresh herb, by 8 cold process-using no heat at all, but bringing out it's juices, oils and volatile properties complete and unimpaired. If this remedy has heretofore been valuable, when prepared in the most crude manner, from the long dried herb and by the applca- tion of heat, that destroyed so much Of it's virtues, I reasoned that it must, when properly prepared, by cold process and from the freshly dried herb, prove wonderfully efhca- cious and potent remedy for human suffering. And can assure the people, upon my honor, as professional man, that ln it's use, since thus preparing it, my most sangulne expecta- tions have been more than realized. have found it to contain medicinal properties which steepipg in water could not bring out at all, as they are resinous principles. With my Ex- tract containing all these medical propertles unimpaired have been enabled to produce most astonishing remedial effects By much study, a large experience in prescribing this and other medicines, and very close observa- tion, have been enabled to compound and combine with the simple Extract Of smart Weed extracts of other medicinal herbs and roots, that greatly improve it's power and use- fitness. both as an internal and external reme- dy-besides they 50 flavor and modify it as to remove it's pungent, smarty taste, and render it O pteasdnt remedy for both adults and ch1L- dren. The greatest difficulty that experlence in the way of introducing this most valuable remedy to the public is the fact that Smart Weed is such a common and unpretending looking little herb that people are apt to think that it cannot possess any great or valuable medical properties. Had I prepared my Ex- traat 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 Sahara Desert on the backs of camels, and brought across the Atlantic ocean for my special use, and that it's 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 roadside, in all parts of North America, and known as Smart-Weed. I believe that God has caused to grow, in each climate and re- gion those medicinal plants best calculated for the cure of the diseases that prevail in the section of country where those plants are | found-that the leaves were for the healing of the nations" and that the fewer far-fetched remedies we employ the better, if we would thoroughly investigate and understand these we have at homo. So far as Smart Weed has been employed 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 it's properties. celebrated medical author says IA friend of ours had child dangerously ill with Summer Complaint. He had employed a | great variety of the usual means for relief but all appeared unavailing. The child was finally given Smart Weed and it was entirely success full. It arrested the vomiting and purging, ill a short time, and without the aid of other medi- cine entirely restored the little patient" As g remedy for Dysentery Cor Blood Flux) have never seen my Extract of smart-Weed equaled
 get have used ell the most modern end ap'