The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-12-04
II UNISON WEED.


Spread Throughout the Land.
Richmond Times-Democrat: Once upon
a time the name of jamestown must have
been very sharply shortened. Within tho
memory of many people now living James
was pronounced "Jeems:" In fact, we be-
lieve that that was the accepted pronun-
citation Of our Virginia forefathers. But
Jim must have been the d~imtnut!ve Of
"Jeems' as well as of James; at least we
judge SO, because what Is popularity known
as 1.-The Jimson weed" really is the James,
town weed.
Nor Is there any reason to ppo that
this contraction was made jeer!ngly OF
sneeringly. More probably 1t grew into
use LESS So" and we find intelligent
Americans to whom 1t has never occurred
that there Is any connection whatever be-
tween jamestown and Jinson. All tho
same, the authorities say that Unison" Ia
short for the name Of the place where
the English made their first permanent
settlement In what Is now the United
States, and where the old dominion's tlrst
capital was situated.
The Unison weed, however, Is not q ma
tive plant, but probably came to US from
South America or Asia. 1t Is q question
how it got to jamestown, but we believe
1t is conceded that it is not Indigenous to
Virginia If it was deliberately and de-
signedly imported, it must have been be-
cause Of It's medicinal value; certainly not
for It's odor, 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
recognized as having some medicinal
value, it may not have had that reputation
then with Europeans. The Chinese,
| hor-a,-or ,lea ~ 10 Snr1a aYtant maHicin2l.
ly, and may nave done so from time i'm
memorial, that country being little given
to the acceptance of new ideas or now
remedies.
There is a plausible theory that the 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 a resting place in a stabla lot, we
may we'll conceive that in due season they
sprouted and grew, and that In time tho
winds waited them to other localities. It
is fairly imaginable also that what oc-
CURED at jamestown may have occurred
at other colonial ports. AT any rate, the
authorities are Of the opinion that tho
weed came here from q tropical land and
found congenial soil in stable lots and
other rich spots OF ground. and nourished
nightly until now, when 1t Is to be seen
and smelled in most states of the union.
Botanically 1t 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 mo
dicinal value, the seeds and the leaves par
ticularly. Its presence in the United
States, so far as we are informed. is said
to nave been observed first at jamestown.
In India the juices of the plant are used
on occasions as poisons. These Chinese
utilize the rather pretty flower heads as
medicine. They are said to contain hyos-
cure free from other alkaloids.
Baron Storclz 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 practitioners as
valuable In cases OF neuralgia and rheu-
matism; also in mania and epilepsy.
There is hardly any limit to the ingenu-
ity of the pharmacists Of this generation,
and it is possible they may be able to
deodorize Jimson weed tinctures and ex-
tracts and make them ~palatable to pa
tents, but If 30 we must consider that
they nave reached the acme Of professional.
skill. This malodorous plant Is, to all IN
tents and purposes, a weed. but Is not "the
weed of Virginia." though both are ex.
otics and both are associated with the
early history of jamestown. One is fra,
grant; the o~ther-isn't. The former, how
ever, Is not self-perpetuating in Virginia.
It must be cultivated and renewed from
year to year, while the latter thrives not
by the add of the planter, but in spite Of
him, while its presence indicates that there
Is fat land there.