Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
THE UNISON WEED.
First Brought to Jamestown, It Has
Spread Throughout the Land.

From the Richmond Tir:es-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 diminutive
of "Jeems'' as well as of James; at least We
judge so, because what is popularity known
as "the Jimson weed" really is the James
town weed.
Nor is there any reason to suppose that
this contraction was made jeeringly or
sneeringly. More probably it grew into use
Jess So" and we find intelligent Americans
to whom 1t has never occurred that there
is any connection whatever between
jamestown and Unison. All the same, the
authorities say that "Jmson'' is 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 dominions first capital was Sit
uated.
The Unison weed, however, Is not ma
tive plant, but probably came to us from
South America or Asia. 1t is a question
how it got to jamestown, but we believe 1T
is conceded that it is not Indigenous to Vir-
ginia. If it was deliberately and designediy
imported, 1t must have been because of its
medicinal value; certainly not for its 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 recog-
nized as having some medicinal value, II
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 immemoral, that
country being little given to the acceptance
of new ideas or new remedies.
her ic Ylla ci hat no
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 rest
ing place in stable lot, we may Well con-
cefve that in due season they sprouted and
grew, and that In time the winds waited
them to other localities. 1t Is fairly mag
Unable also that what occurred at James
/ town may have occurred at other colonial
ports. At any rate, the authorities are of
the opinion that the weed came here from a
tropical land and found congenial soil in
sta BILE lots and other rich spots of ground,
and fourished nightly until now, when 1t
is to be seen and snelled in most states OF
the Union.
Botanically 1t is known as "Datura
Stramonium' (thorn applet and two varie-
ties are described by scientific writer's. All
parts of the plant are said to possess medic
inal value. the seeds and the leaves partic-
ularly. Its presence in the United States,
so far as we are informed, is said to have
the juices of the plant are used on occasions
as poisOns 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 practitioners as valuable
in cases of neuralgia and rheumatism; also
in mania and epilepsy
There is hardly any limit to the ingenuity
of the pharmacists of this generation and
1t is possible they may be able to deodorize
Jimson weed tinctures and extracts and
make them palatable to patients, but if 50
we must consider that they have reached
the acme of professional skill. This malo-
dorous plant is, to all intents and purposes,
a weed but is not 1.-The weed of Virginia. -
though both are eXotics and both are asso-
ciated with the early history of Jamestown
One is fragrant; the other-isn't. The
former, however, is not self-perpetuatfng in
Virginia. 1t must be cultivated and renew
ed from year to year, while the latter
thrives not by the aid of the planter but in
spite of him, while its presence indicates
that there is fat land there.