Table 3 Consultant Consensus, Most Frequently Mentioned Gitksan Medicinal Plants
Plant Species/Uses | Number of Consultants |
|---|---|
Oplopanax horridus | 29 |
   tonic | 7 |
   respiratory illness or colds | 4 |
   TB | 4 |
   arthritis | 4 |
   blood/heart | 4 |
   purification, enhance luck | 4 |
   stomach, stomach ulcer | 3 |
   wounds, skin ulcer | 3 |
   cancer | 3 |
   headache | 2 |
   flu, stomach flu | 2 |
   cleanser, purgative | 1 |
   cure-all | 1 |
   smudge | 1 |
Nuphar polysepalum | 17 |
   TB | 6 |
   fractures (poultice) | 4 |
   arthritis (poultice) | 3 |
   birth control (male) | 2* |
   "sickness" | 2 |
   sores, wounds (poultice) | 3 |
   appetite stimulant (especially for TB) | 1 |
   aches & pains | 1 |
   liver | 1 |
   intestines | 1 |
   tonic | 1 |
Veratrum viride | 13 |
   purification/smudge | 9 |
   protection (amulet) | 5 |
   hunting luck | 5 |
   bath (add to bathwater) | 3 |
   skin & hair | 2 |
   snuff for sinuses | 2 |
   "germ killer" (removes contamination) | 2 |
   nightmare remedy | 1 |
   sleepwalk treatment | 1 |
Abies lasiocarpa | 9 |
   TB (mixtures or pitch) | 4 |
   tonic (mixtures) | 3 |
   purgative (pitch) | 2 |
   cuts or boils (pitch) | 2 |
   internal, intestine, liver | 2 |
   lung disease | 1 |
   arthritis (as cleanser) | 1 |
Picea × lutzii and Pinus contorta | 9 |
   burns, boils, infected cuts, salve | 9 |
   tonic, 'wood medicine' (mixtures) | 4** |
   TB | 1 |
Juniperus communis | 8 |
   tonic (mixture) | 2 |
   'wood medicine' mixture | 5 |
   smudge (can be mixt.) | 2 |
Sambucus racemosa | 5 |
   emetic (for treatment of inability to eat, flu) | 5 |
   smudge, mixt. for spiritual medicine | 1 |