Ipecacuanha

“ Leaves and flowers possess the same virtues. It is very seldom used by females in the United States. This herb should be in every collection; an excellent regulator in all urinary difficulties, where the evacuations are scant, or too profuse; strengthens the kidneys and bladder.
BITTER ROOT, OR AMERICAN IPECACUANHA.
Grows in wood bogs, and on low, sandy land; is emetic, and an excellent hydragogue, causing the water to pass off freely; is diaphoretic, possessing the same virtues as the English Ipecacuanha, but I prefer it as it is rather milder. It is the bitterest root we have it Botany. ”

“ The chief interest in the composition of such medicines, however, centres in the presence or absence of more potent remedies, such as preparations of opium, ipecacuanha, etc.; and here the analyst is on surer ground. The extraction of minute quantities of alkaloids from complex mixtures containing large quantities of saccharine and “extractive” matters is, however, a matter of much difficulty, and their identification is complicated by the great similarity in the behaviour of morphine and the alkaloids of ipecacuanha towards the various reagents used in their recognition. ”

“ Uses.—This plant is not used medicinally in the Philippines, but is very common in India. Dr. G. Bidie, of Madras, states that the expressed juice of the leaves is in great repute, wherever the plant grows, as an emetic for children and is safe, certain and speedy in its action. Like ipecacuanha it seems to have little tendency to act on the bowels or depress the vital powers, and it decidedly increases the secretion of the pulmonary organs. Probably an infusion of the dried leaves or an extract prepared from the green plant would retain all its active properties. ”

“ He was forced to concentrate with all his will in order to remember which of them could stand ipecacuanha, and which of them were constitutionally unable to retain that powerful drug. One who lay dead he ordered to be carried out. He spoke in the sharp, peremptory manner of a man who would take no nonsense, and the well men who obeyed his orders scowled malignantly. One muttered deep in his chest as he took the corpse by the feet. The white man exploded in speech and action. It cost him a painful effort, but his arm shot out, landing a back-hand blow on the black’s mouth. ”

“ Another of the “remedies” described well illustrates the way in which the public is deluded by such “specialists”; camphor, quinine and ipecacuanha are frequently employed as domestic remedies in the early stages of a cold in the head, and persons who believe in their usefulness can no doubt be induced to buy a “cold cure” which professes to contain them in combination with other drugs, presented in a form convenient and agreeable to be taken ”

“ As fragments of the root grow most readily, complete extirpation of the plant in any one locality does not seem probable. The more intelligent poayeros of Matto Grosso are indeed wise enough intentionally to leave small bits of root in the place whence a clump has been dug, and even to close over the opening in the soil.
Cultivation—The importance in India of ipecacuanha as a remedy for dysentery, and the increasing costliness of the drug, [1385] have occasioned active measures to be taken for attempting its cultivation in that country. ”

“ Those agents should be selected which act with most promptness, and the doses should be adapted to the age and condition of the patient. Alum, sulphate of zinc, sulphate of copper, are perhaps the best, but by no means the only ones. Ipecacuanha, by the relaxing effect which it has upon the muscular and nervous system, may be useful not only in overcoming the spasm, but in preventing the recurrence of the attack. Antimony is unsafe, and the other emetics are quite as useful in relaxing the muscles. ”

“ He practised medicine in Tobago and Surinam, and was appointed in 1637 physician to Count Maurice of Nassau, governor-general of the Dutch possessions in South America. Owing to the protection of that prince, he explored, in company with George Marggraff, the countries that are now known as Guiana and Brazil, advancing as far south as Pernambuco, and thence returned to Surinam. He discovered the properties of the ipecacuanha-bark, and imported some seeds of the tree into Europe. The name of Iff has been given to a plant of the family of Rhinantoceæ that grows in Brazil. ”

“ A day among the wonders of Sacsahuaman, the Rodadero, the ancient walls of Pachacutec’s palace, the house once occupied by an Inca “medicine man” (easily recognized by the seven serpents carved in relief on the façade) , the narrow alleys with their curious legends, is sufficient to inspire enthusiasm for a trip to the neighboring town of Pisac, where it is possible to climb the mountain to the observatory of Inti-Huatana and spend interesting hours in speculation as to the uses the Incas made of the edifice that once topped this almost inaccessible eminence. ”

“ The Apaches recognize a supreme power in heaven under the name Yaxtaxitaxitanne, the creator and master of all things; but they render him no open service nor worship. To any taciturn cunning man they are accustomed to credit intercourse with a preternatural power of some kind, and to look to him as a sort of oracle in various emergencies. This is, in fact, their medicine-man, and 171 in cases of illness he pretends to perform cures by the aid of herbs and ceremonies of various kinds. ”

“ Seeing that the Collas resisted so resolutely, and stood so firmly in the battle, he turned his face to his men saying in a loud voice: "O Incas of Cuzco! conquerors of all the land! Are you not ashamed that people so inferior to you, and unequal in weapons, should be equal to you and resist for so long a time?" With this he returned to the fight, and the troops, touched by this rebuke, pressed upon their enemies in such sort that they were broken and defeated. Inca Yupanqui, being an experienced warrior, knew that the completion of the victory consisted in the capture of Chuchi Ccapac. ”

“ Since they have received arms from the traders the Chipewyans are fearful of venturing upon their lands; and all of that nation who frequent the shores of Great Slave Lake hold the name of Akaitcho in great respect. The Chipewyans have no leader of equal authority among themselves.
The number of the Copper Indians may be one hundred and ninety souls namely eighty men and boys and one hundred and ten women and young children. There are forty-five hunters in the tribe. The adherents of Akaitcho amount to about forty men and boys ”

“ One of the most numerous branches of Athabascan stock are the Apaches, a fierce, nomadic nation, roaming over the Territories of New Mexico and Arizona, and Sonora and Chihuahua. Always a scourge and a terror to settlers, they have held in check for many years the civilization of the country covered by their depredations. ”

“ Although the Copper Mine, or Mimbres Apaches, have signalized themselves by many of the boldest and most daring exploits, they are not physically comparable to the Mescalero, Jicarilla and Chiricahui branches of the same tribe. But what they lack in personal strength they make up in wiliness and endurance. No amount of cold, hunger or thirst seems to have any appreciable effect upon an Apache. Whatever his sufferings, no complaint or murmur is ever heard to escape his lips, and he is always ready to engage in any enterprise which promises a commensurate reward. ”

“ A very perceptible pause followed this appeal, and then Huanacocha rose to his feet.
“Before replying to your question, my Lord Tiahuana,” said he, “I should like the young man to tell us what he can remember of his former existence. The history of Manco Capac, our first Inca and the founder of our nation, is well known to all of us, and if your claim be indeed justified there must be many incidents in his career, well known to us but quite unknown to the outer world, which the claimant can recall. ”

“ Among these vast deserts, now slowly yielding to reclamation by the hand of civilised man, scorched by a merciless sun by day and bitterly cold by night, which form this part of Mexico, the savage Apaches formerly roamed—the abominable Apaches: the cruellest and most treacherous race the world has ever known. ”

“ Nevertheless at some remote, pre-Inca period the ideas of the coast and those of the highlands met and interchanged: the art of Tiahuanaco is reflected in motive at Truxillo, while the vases of Nasca repeat the bizarre decoration of the monolith of Chavin de Huantar. The hoary sanctity of the great temple of Pachacamac was such that its Inca [Pg 216] conqueror adopted the god into his own pantheon; and it was just here, at the Yunca shrine of Pachacamac, that Uhle found evidence of a series of culture periods leading to a considerable antiquity. ”

“ The Spaniards early recognized their relation to the Apaches, although they differ totally from them in their industrious habits, being by far the most civilized of any tribe of Athabascan descent. They have evidently been quick to take advantage of their contact with the semi-civilized Pueblos and Moquis, and from them have acquired many useful arts—chiefly in learning to spin and weave. Their blankets, woven in looms, are of great excellence, and frequently bring from $25 to $100. They cultivate the soil extensively, raising large quantities of corn, squashes, melons, &c. ”

“ They say that a woman named Chañan-ccuri-coca here fought like a man, and so valiantly opposed the Chancas that they were obliged to retire. This was the cause that all the Chancas who saw it were dismayed. The Inca Yupanqui meanwhile was so quick and dexterous with his weapon, that those who carried the statue of Uscovilca became alarmed, and their fear was increased when they saw great numbers of men coming down from the hills. They say that these were sent by Viracocha, the creator, as succour for the Inca. ”

“ They descended, their white robes smeared with blood, while Huascar, from another vase, took heavy ear-rings, with which he adorned them. Nothing in the young faces betrayed their suffering. Then all raised their hands and took the oath of bravery and of fealty to the Inca.
“That is well,” said the King. “Let them now put on their sandals.”
This part of the ceremony was performed by the quipucamyas, the most venerable among them strapping on the young men’s feet the sandals of the Order of the Incas. ”

“ The Apaches formerly ranged over south-eastern Arizona and south-western Mexico. The chief divisions of the Apaches were the Arivaipa, Chiricahua, Coyotero, Faraone Gileno, Llanero, Mescalero, Mimbreno, Mogollon, Naisha, Tchikun and Tchishi. They were a powerful and warlike tribe, constantly at enmity with the whites. ”

“ XLII. PACHACUTI INCA YUPANQUI NOMINATES HIS SON TUPAC INCA YUPANQUI AS HIS SUCCESSOR. Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui was now very old; and he determined to nominate a successor to take his place after his death. He called together the Incas his relations, of the ayllus of Hanan-cuzco and Hurin-cuzco and said, "My friends and relations! I am now, as you see, very old, and I desire to leave you, when my days are over, one who will govern and defend you from your enemies. ”

“ Yahuar means blood. Huaccani to weep. Yahuar-huaccac succeeded to Inca Rocca according to Garcilasso de la Vega, Montesinos, Betanzos, Balboa, Yamqui Pachacuti and Sarmiento. Cieza de Leon and Herrera have Inca Yupanqui. Garcilasso makes this Inca banish his son Viracocha, who returns in consequence of a dream, and defeats the Chancas. This all seems to be a mistake. It was Viracocha who fled, and his son Inca Yupanqui, surnamed Pachacuti, who defeated the Chancas and dethroned his father. ”

“ Nothing very serious, I expect; for I am the Inca, and they would never dare to lay violent hands upon the Inca; that amounts to sacrilege of the very worst kind. Yes; no doubt. And yet I am by no means certain that that fact would exercise any very powerful restraining influence upon our friends Huanacocha and Xaxaguana. They are both ambitious men, and I am very much inclined to question whether the religious convictions of either man are powerful enough to hold him back from sacrilege, if his ambition urged him in that direction. Ah, well! time will show, I have no doubt ”

“ Besides the Alcabisas there were other tribes, as we have mentioned before. These Manco Ccapac and Mama Huaco totally destroyed, and more especially one which lived near Ynti-cancha, in the nearest land, called Humanamean, between Ynti-cancha and Cayocachi [55] , where there also lived another native Sinchi named Culunchima. Manco Ccapac entered the houses and lands of all the natives, especially of the Alcabisas, condemned their Sinchi to perpetual imprisonment, sending the others to banishment in Cayocachi, and forcing them to pay tribute. ”

“ The foregoing names are somewhat suggestive of Apache character; so much so, indeed, that it is not unusual for them to refuse giving their Apache names when interrogated; but will endeavor to give some Mexican appellative in its place. Before marriage the girls are much the handsomest and most perfectly formed of any Indian tribe I have ever seen; but after bearing children, and performing for three or four years the onerous duties imposed upon them by their husbands, they soon wither and shrivel up, becoming thin, muscular and wrinkled. ”