"Natural Healing with Herbs for a Healthier You"
One author writes of a man he knew from Idaho in his 70s that drank tea made from the creosote bush every day. This elderly gentleman claimed he had never been sick since the day he started drinking the tea (Pima). The Creosote Bush Gall Midge (Asphondylia) lays eggs on the creosote bush twigs, the larvae hatch, and chew into the twigs. Chewing by the larvae, cause the bush to grow a ball of deformed leaves (a gall). The Seri Indians smoked these balls like tobacco (Dimmitt).
To briefly illustrate individual tribal uses, let us look at the Coahuillas who made infusion of the leaves for bowel complaints and consumption, and they administered it to their horses to remedy colds, distemper and runny noses (Barrows). According to Lowell Bean and Katherine Siva Saubel in the “Cahuilla Indian Knowledge and Usage of Plants,” the Cahuilla also prepared liniment from the plant to be used by the elderly for swollen limbs due to poor circulation. They made infusions of stems and leaves for sores, open wounds, to draw out poisons and for infections, as a decongestant for colds, for stomach cramps due to delayed menstruation, and cancer; the leaves were boiled or heated to produce steam which was inhaled to relieve congestion.
The Isleta tribe made decoctions of leaves for a body bath for rheumatism, and inserted the leaves in shoes to absorb moisture; was also used as a disinfectant (Jones).
The Kawaiisus made excellent use of the Creosote as an analgesic, preparing decoction of leaves to be used as a wash for sore and aching parts of the body, disinfectant, antiseptic, and also used on their animals for collar abrasions. They’re the only tribe cited as making tools out of the plant, although I venture other tribes did also. The Kawaiisus would make a “…gumlike substance gathered into a ball, softened in fire and shaped into awl and knife handles” (Zigmond).
An infusion of plant was used for dandruff, as a disinfectant, deodorizer, and for stomach cramps from delayed menstruation by the Mahuna tribe (Romero).
The Paiute made extensive use as an Analgesic, making a decoction of the leaves to be taken for bowel cramps, rheumatism, burns, colds; they sprinkled the dried powder of the leaves onto sores, washed chickenpox with the infusions, and used compound decoctions of leaves to cure for gonorrhea. To them it was considered a cure-all (Train).
To cure poisonous stings and bites of scorpions and spiders the Papago applied the poultices directly to the wounds, rubbed the dried, powdered leaf onto an infant’s navel to promote healing, and rubbed the infusion of leaves on the breasts to start milk flow (Castetter).
The Pima tribe showed a good working knowledge of the herb by using it as an analgesic in decoctions, infusions, and poultices of twigs, leaves and branches for gas pains or headaches caused by upset stomachs, and various other pains. And as an antidiarrheal, the plant gum was chewed and swallowed as an antidysenteric and intestinal antipasmodic. The also used it extensively for colds, and had excellent results in healing impetigo and dandruff (Curtin).
As one can see, the Native Americans have made excellent use of the Chaparral, and the above testimonies are but only a few of the 212 cited (Larrea-Information.Com).
In Dr. Christopher’s book, The School of Natural Healing, a formula is given for a Chaparral infusion, and another formula for Chaparral ointment. The infusion includes Elder flowers and Peppermint, the ointment simply olive oil and beeswax.
