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 chapter six Common Treatments and Traditional Concepts of Disease and Its Cause This chapter begins by considering the plants listed in table  (starting on p. ) that I believe to be among the most commonly utilized species inYucatan today. Only those plants that were used in the same way by more than one curer are included. The table lists those species that I collected more than once with different curers, plants that were collected once and then later orally verified or augmented by a second curer, and two common citrus species not supported by voucher specimens. I collected plants with three of the curers: Don Tomás, Don Pedro, and Don Cósimo. The three did not consistently examine or comment on each other’s uses as recorded in my field notes, but conversations took place about what I had learned from each curer. Plants and what they cure were discussed during walks, at meals, and so forth. Thus, the number of plants presented probably represents only a portion of the most commonly utilized species. The curers of the peninsula, with their specialized knowledge of local plants, haveemployedaverysimilarsetofplantsformedicinalandotherusesformany years. The curers almost always know the plants by the same common name. The uses are more variable, but basically the same set of plants is utilized. The finalsectionofthischapterfocusesondiagnosisandtreatmentof“culture-bound” diseases such as evil eye, evil winds, bilis, and pasmo. Itisclearfromtablethatedibleplantsareamongthemostversatilespecies, often being used in several ways. They are common species and therefore accessible. Medicinal and edible resources are often no farther away than one’s own solar.Thesaporresinoftheramón(Brosimumalicastrum)isawell-known treatmentforcoughs,thefruitmakesadelicious fillingforpastry,andtheleaves of the plant have been used for animal fodder for a long time. Guava (Psidium guajava) leaves and fruit are used to treat diarrhea and skin complaints. Papaya (Carica papaya) sap or resin is used for a range of skin complaints, including snakebite.The fruit aids digestion and is a laxative (along with the seeds) when eaten in quantity. Avocado (Persea americana) fruit is used for skin beautification , the bark is a treatment for rheumatism, and its leaves are used to treat diarrhea.The seed may be grated and used as a condiment in cooking sauces.   The sap from chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa, figure ) leaves is taken as a purgative, and the edible leaves may also be used to make a tea, which is taken as a general tonic. Lime (Citrus aurantifolia) fruit is baked in hearth ashes and applied as a skin treatment, and its juice is used as a tonic for the libido and as an antidote to poison. Sour orange (Citrus aurantium) juice is a treatment for bilis, scrapings of the peel are a remedy for bruises, and a tea made from the leaves is taken for vomiting and to increase appetite. Many nonedible species have multiple uses as well. The roots of several Zanthoxylum species are scraped and soaked in alcohol to make a rubbing compound used to alleviate the pain of rheumatism. Pieces of its wood are carried in sabucam (bags traditionally made from henequen fiber, now also increasingly made of plastic) or placed beneath hammocks to provide protection against evil winds.The leaves of the habin tree (Piscidia piscipula, figure ) are used as a remedy for coughs, and its branches are widely utilizedintheconstructionofmesasintraditionalMayaceremonies.Thewood is also used in house construction. The bark of the chacah, or gumbo limbo tree (Bursera simaruba, figure ), is used in treating fevers and snakebite, and the leaves are used for other skin complaints, including allergic reactions to Metopium brownei.The aromatic oils of cedar (Cedrela mexicana) are inhaled to stop nosebleeds and are applied to earaches. The wood is prized for house and furniture construction. Bauhinia divaricata (figure ) leaves are used in a tea taken for control of diabetes and are a remedy for sore throat “when blood comes up.” The root is made into a laxative tea for children. The seeds ofthewildbasil,Ocimummicranthum,areusedasaremedyforeyecomplaints, and its leaves are utilized in treatments for pimples and dysentery.The leaves of Cecropia peltata are smokeable and are also made into a tea used to treat diabetes. The hollow stems may be used as irrigation pipes. Many of the most valuable species of plants are common rather than exotic or rare and as such are readily available resources. Many of them lend themselves to cultivation and so may be suitable subjects for projects dealing with renewable resources. Appendix A contains a complete listing of uses recorded for all plants in my collection. The Hot/Cold Dichotomy...

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