North American natives used birch bark for numerous purposes. The bark
was used as a form of paper, to make musical instruments, children’s
toys, hunting and fishing gear, and as an element in decorative
beadwork. The bark was also used to construct vessels for holding and
storing foods and even entire canoes.
The main constituent in birch bark, betulinic acid, is named after the
trees botanical name. Although 18th century Native Americans couldn’t
have been aware of presence of this anti-inflammatory compound, they
showed European settlers how to make salves and other topical
formulations to counter various skin conditions.
