Uses: Burns and rashes. Can help to reduce scarring, and soothe itching.

Preparation: Unfortunately, aloe gel does not keep, extract, or dry very well, and is best used fresh. Any place that can grow it is strongly recommended to do so. To use, remove a leaf from the base of the plant with a sharp knife, and squeeze the fleshy part.

Characteristics: Fellis grows as a small, branchy tree easily recognized by its star-shaped yellow blossoms. The juice made from the leaves and stems is a powerful narcotic painkiller, with addictive tendencies. It is widely used in the Healing profession, but is always used with caution, and never where a lesser remedy will suffice.

Uses: Fellis juice is extremely bitter, is rarely given undiluted, being generally diluted in wine. It is extremely toxic to dragons, and even the smallest draft will cause a fatal reaction. Dragonhealers therefore only need to know how to recognize and know not to use this herb in any form

Characteristics: Needlethorns are the spines of a succulent bush, which grows in the tropical regions of Pern. During the growing season, the plant will shoot the toxic spines at anything that disturbs it, but when the flowers of the Ging trees which grow nearby open in the autumn, the plant is dormant and the spines can be safely gathered.

Uses: The hollow needles are strong enough to be used for drawing ichor.

Preparation: When the Ging trees are flowering, Needlethorns should be gathered from the bushes and either placed in a basket or wrapped in the leaves of the Ging tree. Before use Needlethorns should always be carefully sterilized with redwort and rinsed with boiling water. They can be stored for long periods of time wrapped in thick, sterile cloth, or kept in a sterile box. They should never be re-used; to do so introduces an unacceptable risk of infection.

Characteristics: Numbweed is a succulent plant, which grows in greatest profusion in the semi-tropical and tropical regions of Pern, although it can be found in all areas.

Uses: Numbweed sap deadens all feeling on contact, but in its raw form it can blister the skin, and so is always used as a salve. It takes approximately 3 secs for Numbweed to penetrate the outer layer of dragon hide and slightly longer to go through to the germative layer. Numbweed is always used in its salve form by Dragonhealers. It is non-addictive, and in its salve form presents no danger of overdosing. Oil should be used to protect the hands when working with Numbweed for a long time. Redwort can be used when the contact will be for a short period of time

Preparation: Numbweed leaves are gathered, crushed and placed into a huge vat. They are then boiled until the Numbweed turns a pale yellow color. The leaves are strained and the resulting liquid decanted. This is an extremely malodorous process, and a face scarf is highly recommended.

Characteristics: Redwort is a small, shrublike plant which may be recognized by the reddish veins in its stem and its flat-topped reddish-purple flowers.

Uses: Redwort has two main uses: an antiseptic wash to prevent infection, and as a defense against the effects of Numbweed. All tools should be washed after use in very hot water with plenty of Sweetsand, and then rinsed in Redwort before storage in a sealed container. A tool whose sterility one is not certain of should be rinsed in Redwort before use. A healer should wash his or her hands well and then apply Redwort before touching a wound. Open wounds should be rinsed well with water, bathed with Redwort, and rinsed again to remove the Redwort before Numbweed is applied, as its protective effects are undesirable in that case. Healers should take care to apply Redwort and a light coat of oil to their hands before performing arduous work, such as stitches, on a wound coated with Numbweed, and to re-apply frequently to avoid losing feeling in their hands. The use of Redwort leaves a red stain on the skin which resembles a very localized sunburn.

Preparation: Redwort leaves are gathered, and boiled until the tincture has been removed from the leaves, basically when the leaves turn colorless, or dull, from their normal reddish-purple color. Leaves are strained and the resultant Redwort stored. The Redwort, in this form, is extremely concentrated and will need to be diluted with pre-boiled water before use.

Occasionally there will be times when the Dragonhealer needs to see to the immediate care of a rider. If the rider can be of ANY assistance, ensure that they do not get drunk. Instead use them and talk through them to the dragon. Reassure the dragon and rider in one go! If they really can't be of any help, hand them the nearest wine skin, and let them drink themselves into oblivion. If the rider is injured, and all the healers are busy, you may have to treat both rider and dragon so that they both calm down. Immediate care is all that's necessary here. Ensure that no Thread spores have caught and survived *between*, say for example in a flight jacket. If they have, douse them thoroughly with water. If you have a Threadscore or burn, Numbweed is the answer. Don't do anymore than that, leave it up to the Healers. If the injury is serious enough to cause you concern, send a runner immediately for a Healer's assistance. It is doubtful that when treating a dragon, because of their sheer size, you would have time to care for a rider even if you did have the required skills.

Aloe | Fellis | Needlethorn | Numbweed | Redwort

© 2000 Eliwys
Last updated August 2000

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