ative American Healing and Medicinal Practices Most, if not all of the physical treatments used by Native Americans came either directly from the Earth, or were crafted out of materials that came from the Earth. Herbs, poultices, salves, teas, and powders were all forms of remedies for various illnesses. Perhaps the most common of these was a concoction of the root of the perennial herb Anomone, a highly prized wound medicine of the Omaha and the Ponca tribes. A wash was prepared by pounding, and boiling the root into a poultice (Weiner 143). Many modern people of todays society have, unbeknown to them, used incredibly similar, if not the exact same treatments for lesser wounds such as bee stings, or ant/insect bites. The Navajo would chew the stems of the salt bush and apply the pulpy mash to the areas of swelling caused by ants or bees (Weiner 77). Tobacco, along with the salt bush, was widely used for treatment of bites and stings (Weiner 77). The Cheyennes would mix the stem of Giant Birds Nest with water and sniffed the solution to stop nosebleeds. This came to be known as nosebleed medicine. The same preparation was drank as treatment for bleeding in the lungs (Weiner 106). Arguably one of the most common calamities the Native Americans would suffer from was the common cold, or cough, and they were countered by the dried bark of the wild cherry tree, and has been listed in the U.S Pharmacopia continually since 1820 (Weiner 44). Both species of Button Snakeroot were widely used by the Native Americans all across the New World. The Natchez of Mississippi inserted the chewed stem into their nostrils in order to stop nosebleed. More commonly though, tribes used it as a method to reduce fevers. Perhaps the most commonly associated aspect of Native American healing is the spiritual factor. Native American healing goes hand in hand with with spirituality by incorporating spiritual practices (North Carolina 14).
