Hi there, Don't know about the "yurse" part, but I suspect that by "sliperalum" she meant "slippery elm". I fold this on-line for you: ".... Slippery Elm helps relieve digestive discomfort and provides mucilage to soothe the digestive tract. It grows widely throughout North America and is also known by the names Red Elm, Moose Elm and Indian Elm. . The plant contains mucilage, a long chain of sugars (polysaccharides) that make a slippery substance when combined with water. This mucilage is believed to soothe the digestive system. Slippery elm is also rich in nutrients and is easy to digest, making it an excellent food during times of digestive discomfort. . It can be made into a gruel. In times of famine, early American settlers used it as a survival food; George Washington and his troops survived for several days on slippery elm gruel during the bitter winter at Valley Forge...." . Also: "...Slippery Elm is taken orally for stomach inflammation, ulcers, and sore throat. Applied to the skin, it can be used as a treatment for wounds, burns, and skin conditions. It is the powdered inner bark of the tree that provides relief. It forms a slippery, viscous coating that soothes irritation in the throat and the lining of the stomach. Its water-retaining properties also make it an ideal ingredient for a soothing compress...." . "...Commercial lozenges containing Slippery Elm are best for throat conditions. For stomach problems, you can make a tea by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoonful of Slippery Elm powder. To apply to a wound or a burn, mix the powder with water to form a paste. ..." . "... Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) has been used as an herbal remedy in North America for centuries. Native Americans used slippery elm in healing salves for wounds, boils, ulcers, burns, and skin inflammation. Antiseptic poultices made from the mucilage or gummy secretion from the bark were applied to infected wounds. In particular, the Cherokee used Slippery elm for coughs, skin conditions, and as an eye wash...." Bye for now, Kathleen > [Original Message] > Subject: [MDGARRET] Medicinal > > Doctors and nurses, My great grandmother b. in Somerset County, PA in 1831 > who lived in Garrett County 1860-69 +- wrote her daughter to treat her husband > with "sliperalum and yurse." It is the best I can make out from the writing. > I don't know a better spelling and I never heard of anything like it. Does > anyone recognize it as a treatment of something? This correspondence took place > between Kansas and Oklahoma in 1915. > > Gerald