Eleanor Sinclair Rohdes (1922) has written very eloquently of the hardships faced by early American settlers in their efforts to cultivate the familiar medicinal plants of England and Europe. In many cases it seems these efforts failed completely and the pioneers were forced to supplement their folk medicine traditions with lore relating to indigenous plants obtained from the native people. To the extent that any special knowledge would have been likely, then as now, to remain a closely kept secret by the native medicine societies, it is probable that the native plant lore passed onto these settlers was a matter of common knowledge amongst the native people. In fact, it may be said that a distinguishing feature of any folk tradition is that the lore contained in that tradition is, or has once been, common knowledge.
Another distinguishing feature of folk medicine, regardless of its historical or ethnic origin, is that the indications for the use of individual remedies are always given in terms which refer to specific symptoms or illnesses. Thus, comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is said to be useful in healing fractures, while white horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is recommended for cough. Typically, such lore has been handed down from generation to generation, often for hundreds if not thousands of years. Each new generation learns at first hand the look and 'feel' of particular symptoms and illnesses. They learn which plants may be used to treat these illnesses, and the best methods for collecting, preserving and administering them. Such a tradition is entirely dependant upon repeated experience and observation; usually only minor changes can be detected in these traditions over relatively long periods of time.
