Of all the books written concerning the Indians of North America, I
don’t know of one which treats of the Indians’ great knowledge of
medicine, the vast store which was theirs of plants and herbs which
possessed curative and healing qualities, many of them far superior,
even today, to the medicine used by the white physician.
There is a reason. In some instances the white man did not get the
correct information from his Indian brother due to the latter’s
inability to make himself understood—this was, of course, also true of
the former. Again, some information given was intentionally wrong due to
the ill-feeling the Indian had for the white man. And again, many of
those healing plants were held in such veneration by the Indians, that
to impart their virtues to a white man was an unpardonable crime, and
the punishment meted out to the offender was of the severest form.
I am an Indian, proud of it and of my forefathers, whose bitterness
toward the white man was only too well justified. But time changes all
things and bitterness and hatred never made for understanding nor
happiness.
In this spirit I wrote this book, in the spirit of doing good. And in
this I have the help and permission of my dear uncle, Chief Pablo, of
the Mahuna tribe of Indians of Southern California, who permitted me to
describe certain plants whose curative properties have been kept a
secret by the Indians for over one hundred years. This is the first time
they are made known.
The Indian, living close to and with nature—the greatest teacher of all
for those who have eyes to see—became nature’s most intelligent pupil.
Gifted with the keenest observation and the ability to reason, he
searched the discovered plants which nature herself had provided for any
ailment, sickness, or mishap which might befall him.
I am sending this book out into the world not for fame, but as a
messenger of goodwill and peace. May it be received in this spirit and
accomplish its mission.