The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-30
FOUND A BED OF HOAN-NAU.
RARE EAST INDIAN PLANT DISCOV-
Erred ON DAUFUsKIE.


Makes a Valuable Find-The Plant
an East Indian Cure for LeprOsN.
Specimen Sent for Positive Identi-
ficntiOn-The Expose of Husa, an
Alleged Cure for the Morphine
Habit, Aided by Mr.. MeIter.
| Mr.. Theodore a. Meter of Jacksonville
has been spending several days in Savan-
nah, making almost daily excursions into
the surrounding country and careful and
! scientific examinations of the flora of the
state. These examinations are made with
special reference to plants that are useful
in medicine or the arts.
In the coure of one of these excursions
Mr.. Meter made a remarkable discovery,
about which, on account of its strange.
ness, he is not yet absolutely sure, al
though he scarcely thinks it is possible
for him 10 be mistaken. The find was
that of a bed of the plant known as the
hoang-nan, thought hitherto to have grown
only in the East Indies, where It is indi-
genous, and has never been found or sue
cessfuliy cultivated in this or any other
country than the land of its birth. The
plants botanical name is Strychos ma4as-
| sensis. Benth
Mr. Meter had been wandering about
Dautuskie Island when he came across a
bed about ten feet square of this plant.
II was in moist part of the forest, well
shaded and akin probably in nature and
formation to the spots in the islands of the
East where the plant grows in profusion,
that this bed was found How it came TO
this part of the world and took root in this
little island, 5000 mics from it's native hab-
f..I
ly is possible, and even with the aid OF a
vigorous imagination ii is scarcely posi-
bic to form an idea of the trip that il
made and OF its subsequent history.
The only way that l can account for its
presence" said Mr. Meter, lis that the
seed came across the oceans from the East
Indies in the hold of some tramp vessel,
in which cleanliness was not, perhaps, es-
teemed a cardinal virtue. Lying off Bloody
Point al Daufuskie the ship discharged the
ballast that she had long carried in her
hoad or cleaned out The filth that had been
permitted to remain there and that the
seed of the hoang-nan was in this mass
and, still alive and ready to be quickened
into healthy growth by the sun, was wash
ed ashore
The little patch that I found was in
good condition and seemed healthy and
on the increase. II was only by accident
that l discovered it, and ! cannot help
congratulating myself that l have made
a remarkable find. OF course have never
seen specimen of the plant that / was
sure was genuine. and it is possible that
in my zeal [ may be mistaken about this.
1t may NOT be the real hOang-nan. How
ever, | have mounted a specimen and sent
il to a friend of mine in jacksonville who
has spent many years of his life bOtan-
lzinS in the East Indies and is perfectly
familiar with the appearance of the plant
and its properties. He will make a criu-
cal examination and is quite competent
to tell whether or not il is genuine.
THE East Indians consider the plant
an invariable cure for leprosy, scrofula
and all skin diseases, and it is an I'M
doubted fact that it possesses valuable
medicinal qualities. To accomplish the
marvellous cures that they claim may be
accomplished by its use their method is
exceedingly crude and simple, consisting
merely of drying the plant and then chew
ing it up"
Mr.. Meter has spent many years of his
life in wandering through Florida and es-
pecially the Everglades, where vegetation
is luXuriant and many of the plants pos
sess medicinal value, in the search for
rare and costly specimens. In Jackson
Vile he has a herbarium containing ] 800
specimens of the fora of the state and the
collection is stiu on the increase. He has
had many strange experiences and some
narrow escapes from the reptiles and
glades under every bush and shrub. The
Everglades are a trackless wilderness
covered with vegetation that is in many
places mpenetrable, and the difficulty of
travelling through them can scarcely be
oVerestimated and renders passage impos-
sibe to any but the most skilled woods
men.
One of the most interesting experiences
Mr. Meter has had was Il search that he
made for an alleged plant called "husa,"
that a physician in Texas claimed to have
discovered and that he said was an in
falibe remedy for snake bites and cure
for all narcotic poisonlngs He asserted
that with the preparation of the plant
that he manufactured the morphine opium
or cocaine habit could be permanently
cured. and after having been some time
in the business blatantly advertised that
he had effected more tnan 600 perfect
cures The matter was taken up in the
medical and pharmaceutical journals of
the country and discussed with all seri-
BUSINESS and in the greatest good faith
There were some doubters, but many med
ical authorities received the tale with con-
viction and held to its truth with vigorous
tenacity.
The physician who claimed to have made
the discovery said that he had found in
Florida negro who had a secret antIdote
for poisonous reptile bites and would allow
TWO enormous rattle-snakes to bile him
legged discoverer used in one Of his pam
phlets, these snakes he would irritate
any number Of times day and allow 10
bite him on the hand, arm, breast or any
place indicated. This l saw frequently,
and investigated. After each bite he would
take mouthful Of some herbs which he
carried in a little bag, he claiming that
these herbs counteraeted the effect of the
bites, which they evidently did"
The Texan claimed that he finally found
a man who would give him the informa-
ton that he desired and who Id So From |
him the physician sad he learned that the
plant was called husa and had cong been in |
use among the Semnoles of the Everglades |
for the purposes TO which he intended to |
apply IT, He secured the plant and began |
its manufacture, advertising the product |
extensively as a cure for various ailments |
and especially for the opium and morphine |
habits.
The advertising excited comment in med |
ical circles throughout the country ana |
tho news Of the remarlCa ble find croegs1 /