Frontier Chemistry Project
This online medical resource will contain various plants which will treat many ailments. It will identify each plant's active chemical ingredient treating that specific malady. These plants will come from either an eastern deciduous forest or tall-grass prairie habitat. Many plants are able to treat multiple illnesses.
- It is incredibly crucial to identify plants/roots correctly. Using the incorrect plant for a certain malady can make it even worse. In order to make sure the plant one is consuming or applying is not poisonous, it is important to observe all aspects of the plant including color, leaves, size, etc. Many plants have extremely similar qualities, so it is crucial not to overlook even the tiniest details that could separate life from death. The consequences can be extremely serious if the wrong plant is used and can cause severe injury or even death.
- It is prudent to know a variety of species from various regions because injuries can happen anywhere and by being well-informed of different species in different areas, one is able to use the proper plant for treatment in any region. Additionally, food or medical treatment will be easier to find if one is able to identify what is poisonous vs. what is safe to eat in a given area.
- Seasons do indeed make a difference on plant identification and use. If one was traveling to an area in the summer, he or she would find a different variety of plants than one who is traveling to that area in the winter because different plants grow and bloom in different seasons. The palette of plants available for medical/edible use will differ as the seasons change. Additionally, at various points throughout a plant's life cycle, its chemical composition is also likely to change. This is crucial to understand because if a plant increases in toxins at a certain time, that plant may prove very dangerous to consume or use for medicinal properties.
- It is important for scientists to develop relationships with local people about their plant habitat because they are the people who know their land and its natural resources the most. They will be able to assist in identifying safe plants from the poisonous ones and can provide information on how to use plants for medical use. This information can be used by scientists to innovate new medical technology.
- If I did not have traditional medicine with me, I would trust my or a reference text's knowledge of local flora to treat an illness. It is better than sitting around and doing nothing as the illness gets worse. However, I do not believe I would take any herbal remedy for a non-life threatening malady, such as a minor cut or a cold, because there is no point in taking the chance on a possibly poisonous plant when the affliction is likely to go away by itself. On the other hand, in an immediate life or death situation, such as a gunshot wound in a critical area, I would take my chances on a plant based on my knowledge in order to have the best possible chance of survival without taking traditional medicine.
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