ABSTRACT
Millspaugh (1892) recorded that the Americans learned about medical applications of these plants from the indigenous people; his source was Rafinesque’s Medical Flora. Raflnesque said that juice from Monotropa “mixt with water deemed specific lotion for sore eyes” by native people. Porcher (1863) wrote, “This is used by the steam practitioners.” Others consider it good for spasms and fainting spells, which explains some of the common names (Coffey 1993). The Potawatomi used the root for “female troubles” (Smith 1933).
