Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-31
THE UNISON WEED.
First Brought to jamestown, It Has
Spread Throughout the Land.

Spread Throughout the Land.
From the Richmond Times-Democrat.
Once upon time the name of Jamestown
must have been very sharply shortened.
Within the memory of many people now
living James was pronounced "Jeems; IN
fact we believe that that was the accepted
pronunciation of our Virginia forefathers.
But Jim must have been the dminutive
of ''Jeems'' as well of James; at least
we judge so, because what is popularly
known as the Jimson weed really is the
jamestown weed.
Nor is there any reason to suppose that
this contraction was made jeeringly or
sneeringly. More probably it grew into
use less So and we find intelligent Amer
leans TO whom it has never occurred That
there is any connection whatever between
Jamestown and Jimson All the same, the
authorities say that 'JimsOn' is short for
the name of the place where the EnSllSh
made their first permanent settlement in
what is now the United States, and where
the old dominion'S first capital was sit
.uated.
The Jimson weed, however, is not a native
plant, but probably came to us from South
America or Asia. 1t is a question how 1t
got to jamestown. but we believe it is con-
coded that it is not indigenous to Virginia.
If it was deliberately and deSignedly i'm
ported, it must have been because of its
I,
which is vile-certainly not for it's flowers
and leaves, because they do not compare in
beauty with those of scores of native
plants. And while this weed is now recog-
nized as having some medicinal value, 1T
may not have had that reputation then
with Europeans. The Chinese, however,
use it to some extent incidentally, and may
have done so from time immemorial, that
country being little given to the acceptance
of new ideas new remedies.
'Thara . a theory that seeds
of the Unison weed may have been brought
to Jamestown in earth that was shipped as
ballast and dumped ashore there. If so.
and the seed thus cast ashore found rest
ing place in stable lot, we may well con-
ceive that in due season they sprouted and
grew, and that in time the winds waited
them to other localities. 1t is fairly imagin-
able also that what occurred at jamestown
may have occurred at other colonial ports.
At any rate, the authorities are of the opin-
ion that the weed came. here from tropi-
cal land and found congenial soil in stable
lots and other rich spots of ground, and
tiourished nightly until now, when it is to
be seen and smelled in most states of the
Union.
Botanically it is known as "Datura Stra-
monium (thorn APPLE, and two varieties
are described by scientific writer's. All
parts of the plant are said to possess medic
inal value, the seeds and the leaves par
ticularly Its presence in the United States,
so far are informed, Is said to have
been observed first at jamestown. In INDIA
the juices of the plant are used on occa-
sions as posons. The Chinese utilize the
rather pretty flower heads as medicine.
They are said to contain hyoscure free
from other alkaloidS.
Baron Storck of Vienna, of whom we
know no more than this is credited with
having introduced the plant to the notice of
the medical profession in Europe. 1t is now
regarded by some practitio' IS as valuable
in cases of neuralgia and Ia umatism; also
in mania and epilepsy.
There is hardly any limit to the ingenuity
of the pharmacists of this generation, and
it is possible they may be able to deodorize
Unison weed tinctures and extracts and
make them palatable to patients, but if SO
we must consider that they have reached
the acme of professional skill This mall
odorous plant is, to all intents and pur-
poses, a weed, but is not the weed OF
Virginia" though both are exetics and both
are associated with the early history OF
jamestown. One is fragrant; the other
isn't. The former, however, is not self
perpetuating in Virginia. 1t must be cult
waited and renewed from year to year, while
the latter thrives not by the aid of the
planter, but in spite of him, while its pres
ence indicates that there is fat land there