ALOE
Wherever aloe grows, it is well-known as everybody's favorite remedy for burns and rashes. Characterized by its rosette of long, tapering, fleshy leaves that exude a thick sap when broken, aloe rarely grows more than 60 cm tall. There is no true stem or branches; the main body of the plant is merely the place from which all the leaves grow. Although it only grows in warm, dry regions, it also exists in pots throughout Pern. On the rare occasions that if flowers, it will grow a long flower stalk anywhere from one to six meters long, with yellow to red flowers that are quite pretty. 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, since the gel can help reduce scarring, soothe itching more pleasantly than numbweed, and can also be used (for animals) as a laxative.

FELLIS
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.

Using Fellis - Fellis juice is extremely bitter, and as such is rarely given undiluted, although this can be done in an emergency. It is most often given in wine, as this best disguises the taste, although it may be diluted in juice, klah, or any other liquid. It has sedative properties, and is occasionally used in cases of severe emotional trauma; it is also used in cases where it is desirable for the patient to be unconscious or extremely unaware of his surroundings, such as surgery or the re-opening and cleansing of an infected wound. Fellis is an extremely strong drug, and as such should always be used with caution. It is _not_ used for minor injuries and aches, or in any situation where a lesser remedy is sufficient. A Healer who is uncertain whether a case calls for fellis should consult with his superior; however, as a rule of thumb, if one is not certain that a case requires the use of fellis, it probably doesn't.

Two cautionary statements should be kept in mind with respect to the use of fellis juice:

1) Fellis juice should not be given to pregnant females except in cases of extreme emergency, as the effects on the unborn child are unknown. 'Extreme emergency' would include cases where some sort of surgical procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother, or where the Healer feels the risk of losing the child from emotional stress is greater than the risk of harm to the child from fellis.

2) Fellis juice is _extremely_ addictive, and its chronic use should be limited to terminally-ill patients. All Healers should keep a careful eye on their supply of distilled fellis, and report any unexplained shortages to their Holder or Weyrwoman, as appropriate. In the case of addiction, an herb which is found growing near fellis provides an effective cure.

There are several alternatives to fellis for minor to moderate aches and pains; the most commonly used of these is willow salic. This medication is derived from willow bark, and is most often administered as a tea, although it may also be given as a powder. The tea is bitter, though effective, and may be improved by the addition of mint or wintergreen. Large batches of this tea may be brewed and distilled to produce concentrated doses, which may be conveniently stored in small vials. A Healer who keeps a supply of such doses on hand for occasions such as Gathers or Flights will save herself a lot of trouble when patients begin straggling in the next morning complaining of headaches from over- indulgence. This remedy may also be given to pregnant women and children without the dangers posed by fellis.

NUMBWEED
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. It produces a sap which deadens all feeling on contact; this can blister the skin in its raw form, and so is always used as a salve, formed by boiling down and straining the crushed leaves. This is an extremely malodorous process, and the fact that it is undertaken regularly at all human habitations on Pern attests to the great effectiveness and necessity of the result.

Using Numbweed - Numbweed is always used in its salve form. All Healers carry it with them, and therefore no occasion should arise where a Healer would need to use the raw form of the plant. It is an external medicine _only_, and is _never_ given internally. There is only one excuse for the existence of this malodorous plant, and that is the deadening of pain; therefore, its liberal use for this reason is encouraged. It is non-addictive, and in its salve form presents no danger of overdosing.

RP Extract ...

Peter absentmindedly continues rubbing the back of his hand, causing the feeling in the fingers of his other hand to go as well, he blinks at his hands, "Now thats a pickle .... an hour you say?" he grins at his predicament. "Do you normally use gloves with this stuff?"

Rhythana shakes her head slightly. "Oil. It protects your hands. Redwort, oil, then numbweed, for yourself."

REDWORT
Redwort is a small, shrublike plant which may be recognized by the reddish veins in its stem and its flat-topped reddish-purple flowers. An infusion of this herb is widely used as an antiseptic wash and a defense for Healers against the deadening effects of numbweed salve. The use of redwort leaves a red stain on the skin which resembles a very localized sunburn.

Using Redwort - 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 work such as stitches on a wound coated with numbweed, and to re-apply frequently to avoid losing feeling in their hands