Herbal Lore
TRADITIONALLY WITCHES HAVE a great knowledge of herbs and their healing properties. With the present movement back to nature, and the desire for survival in this modern age, that knowledge could today stand us in very good stead. It could be important that Witches once again be the Wise Ones of herbal medicine. Although I do not suggest that you throw away your Blue Cross/Blue Shield/Medicare, or whatever, I do believe that there are many ways in which you can make use of the old cures, both for yourself and for others. It is, however, legally necessary for me to point out that the information in this lesson is simply my opinion, in regard to herbs for health, together with the results of my research into the history of their use. I am not engaged in rendering professional medical advice. Such advice should be sought from a competent professional person.
Herbal medicine goes back thousands of years. It derives from wo/man’s needs for health and strength; cures for ills and the mending of wounds. Many of today’s medicines have come from this primitive botanical compilation. Some have been discarded for stronger, supposedly more certain, synthetic drugs while others are still used, in many parts of the world, in their natural form.
Throughout the ages mysterious healing powers have been attributed to certain wild plants, flowers, and herbs. So-called “nature doctors” (Witches) of the past were familiar with these natural remedies. Unfortunately, until “science” puts its stamp of approval on such ancient herbal remedies, most modern day doctors scoff at the folklore cures reported through the centuries. Sometimes, however, doctors rediscover these ancient remedies and hail them as the outcome of modern research and science! For example, William Withering, an English doctor, isolated an ingredient found in the leaves of the foxglove—digitalis; one of the most important of heart remedies. Yet for centuries, Witches had prescribed a tea brewed from the foxglove leaves for weak hearts. Dr. Cheney, of Stanford University, “discovered,” and proved, that raw cabbage juice helped heal stomach ulcers—knowledge again carried for hundreds of years by the Witches. The gathering and preparing of herbs is a specialized work, but one that anyone of average intelligence may safely undertake with proper training. (There are also special storehouses and laboratories that cater to the herbalist by supplying crude herbs, tinctures, and all kinds of preparations. These will be listed later.)
It has been said that the Witch, as a natural healer, should be a psychologist, to study the character and symptology of the patient. The Witch should also be a student of anatomy and physiology, in order that the workings of the body be known. In addition, she or he should be a dietician, to study the most suitable diets for the patient; and a person of general knowledge about his or her subject and people in general. I would certainly recommend that the student study anatomy and physiology to gain a working knowledge of what is involved in a cure.
Before you go collecting herbs, decide on just one or two species for each trip out. Most important, find the best time of day to collect them. For this refer to one of the better herbals, such as Culpeper’s (see suggested readings at the end of this lesson). Having selected what plants you require, pick only those parts that you will be needing for drying and processing, otherwise you will not only be taking home waste matter, but you will also be stunting the growth of next year’s crop.
Before picking plants, check very carefully for their various attributes to make sure you have the right one. Many different plants have similarities, enough to cause confusion. You cannot spend too much time
Traditionally,Witches cut their herbs with a small, sickle-shaped knife known as a boleen. You can make one yourself. Just follow the general principles for making an athame in lesson 3. Do not forget to consecrate it and use it only for cutting herbs.
studying illustrations, photographs, etc., to learn to recognize the many different species. When collecting herbs, make sure you do not damage the plants as you pick them. Collect them up into small bundles. Do not crush the plants, as this will limit the amount of goodness you will get from them.
When selecting plants, always try to refer to them by their Latin names, for these never change. If you use the common names, you can become greatly confused, since most herbs have many different common names. Depending on where the herb is found, it could have as many as twenty different names by which it is known locally. But each plant has only one Latin name. In the various herbals this is usually printed in italics, and may be pronounced as it is read. To “ease you in gradually,” as it were, throughout this lesson I will actually use the most common name followed by the Latin. Remember, however, that plants should always be referred to by their Latin name for positive identification.
The following is a list of herbs currently known to have negative effects on humans and/or livestock. The rest of the herbal listings in this chapter are historical in context. What may have appeared safe in the past may not necessarily be so now based on current knowledge.
Herbs Currently Known to Have Deleterious Effects
Plants That Can Be Harmful When Ingested
(* may be lethal)
Barberry
Bayberry (wax)
Bearberry (A. uva-ursi)
Bittersweet
Black birch
Black cherries (bark, leaves, seeds)
Black haw (berries may produce nausea)
Blue flag
Bog bean (fresh)
Boneset
Cascara
Castor oil (seeds)*
Celadine
Coltsfoot
Comfrey (root and leaves carcinogenic)
Cramp (berries)
Culver’s (fresh root)
Fringe tree
Hawthorn berries (may affect heart rate, blood pressure)
Horsetail grass (harmful to livestock)
Juniper berries
Lindin flowers
Lobelia
Male fern
May apple or mandrake*
Mullein
Paraguay tea
Passion flowers
Pennyroyal (essential oil)
Peppermint (oil)
Pleurisy root
Poison hemlock*
Poke (all parts)
Quaking aspen (contains aspirin-like salisin)
Ragwort
Sassafras (oil is carcinogenic)
Skunk cabbage*
Spearmint (oil)
Spigelia
Squaw weed
Stone root
Vervain (poisonous for cattle)
White oak
Wild cherries
Wild indigo
Wintergreen (essential oil)
Wood sorrel
Wormseed
Wormwood
Yarrow
Yellow dock (large doses cause diarrhea)
Yellow root
Plants That May Cause Contact Dermatitus or Allergic Reactions (in Sensitive Persons)
Blood staunch
Chamomile (ragweed allergy)
Cleavers (juice)
Fennel
Feverfew
Fleabane
German rue
Golden rod (ragweed allergy)
Hops
Horehound (plant juice)
May apple or mandrake
Mayweed
Mugwort
Peppermint
Pipsssewa (poultice)
Shepherd’s purse (seeds)
Thyme
Wild carrot
Yarrow
Plants to Avoid During Pregnancy and/or Breastfeeding
Black cohosh
Sage (breast-feeding)
Goldenseal
Getting the Most out of Herbs
Many medicinal preparations have been wasted or spoiled simply because the user did not prepare them or use them to best advantage. This naturally discourages many people from trying herbs again. Since most herbs are mild in action, it is important that they be given sufficient trial for results.
Certain herbs must be prepared right and administered correctly in order to derive benefits. For instance, with boneset herb (Eupatorium perfoliatum), a hot infusion should be taken on retiring, to induce perspiration. In the morning, the cold infusion should be taken as a mild laxative. Powdered slippery elm bark (Ulmus fulva) is soothing to the bowels when taken as an enema. It is useless, however, if the bowels are not flushed clean before injection of the botanical solution. A weak infusion of hops (Humulus lupulus) removes the aromatic properties. A stronger infusion of hops removes the bitter tonic properties. A decoction removes the astringent properties. Each operation gives a different result. A plant does not yield the same principles by, for example, decoction as by infusion. By decoction, the extractive resinous and bitter principles are obtained; while by infusion, a large quantity of aromatic and volatile principles, essences, etc., are extracted.
What are these terms: “decoction,” “infusion,” etc.? They are the ways that herbs are treated after collecting them. Comminution; extraction; percolation; filtration; clarification; digestion; expression. I will take each of these in turn and examine it.
Comminution
Comminution is the reduction of herbs to small particles. All substances to be used this way must be free from all moisture. Herbs containing volatile oils should not be subjected to high temperature during the drying process. There are machines available for the cutting and milling of herbs, but the old pestle and mortar are still favorites in the Craft.
The first operation in the drying of herbs is to cut them up into small parts when fresh. Some herbs (e.g., rue [Ruta graveolens], peppermint [Mentha piperita], tansy [Tanacetum vulgare]) need to be dried at the lowest temperature possible. Others (e.g., yarrow [Achillea millefolium], ground ivy [Nepeta hederacea]) should be dried quickly. No special drying equipment is needed. Just follow the method I give below.
1. Select and collect the herb(s) you desire. Collect on a dry day.
2. Tie the herbs in small bundles, in twos, so that the piece of string joins the bundles. Hang the bundles over a clothesline, by this string. Note: It is important that at night and/or whenever the weather gets damp, you hang the bundles indoors. If the herbs get damp during the drying process, they will mildew.
If you are collecting only leaves or flowers from a plant, then put them in a muslin bag to dry. Do not put too many in each bag, otherwise the air will not get through them. Generally, herbs will take from three days to a week to dry. It is important that they are dry. Move the bundles around each day so that they get a lot of sun. If there is no sun and you have to dry them indoors, keep them at a uniform temperature of about 65° to 70°F.
3. When the bundles are dry, pass the herbs through a meat mincer/grinder. Use coarse cutters first, followed by fine ones. If properly dried, the herbs should come out in more or less powder form. Put them in cans or bottles with screw tops and keep in the dark. They may be kept this way for several years without losing their natural color or medicinal properties.
Capacity
One minim (min.)
One fluid dram (fl. dr.) = 60 min.
One fluid ounce (fl. oz.) = 8 fl. dr.
One pint (pt.) = 20 fl. oz.
One gallon (gal.) = 8 pints
Mass
One ounce (oz.) = 437.5 gr. (avoirdupois)
One pound (lb.) = 16 oz. (7000 gr.)
Apothecaries’Weights and Measures of Mass
One grain (gr.)
One scruple (ei.) = 20 gr.
One dram (dr.) = 3 ei. (60 gr.)
One ounce (oz.) = 8 dr. (480 gr.)
One pound (lb.) = 12 oz. (5760 gr.)
Extraction
The chief methods used in the extraction of the active principles of herbs are:
(a) Decoction—applied when the active principles consist of extractive matter readily taken from the plant but not damaged by boiling water, e.g., chamomile (Anthemis nobilis), gentian (Gentiana lutea), broom (Spartium scoparius).
(b) Infusion—applied to obtain the extracts by means of hot water, only in this case boiling water is not used. In fact, in some cases even cold water is utilized.
(c)Maceration—this is a prolonged infusion using alcohol, or diluted alcohol. It consists of steeping the material in a closed vessel for a definite period, and shaking it at intervals. This method is used for the extraction of fluid extracts or tinctures.
Percolation
Percolation is the most perfect method of obtaining the soluble parts of remedies. It consists of allowing menstruum to slowly trickle through a column of material in a similar way to the process of coffee percolation.
Filtration
Filtration is the process by which liquids are separated from substances mechanically suspended in them. The easiest method is by using filter paper.
Clarification
Clarification is the process of clarifying a substance after processing, as in the case of honey, syrup, lards, etc., and is done by melting and skimming or filtering through a suitable material.
Digestion
Digestion is a simple process of prolonged maceration, at a constant temperature of about 100°F.
Expression
Expression is the method whereby the juices of herbs are extracted by pressing them; actually squeezing the remedy out of the herb. Two pressures are normally used: a simple screw press, similar to a printer’s press; or a hydraulic press as used in large laboratories.
Simples, Syrups, Salves,
Poultices, and Powders
To Make Herb Simples
To use herb simples that have been finely ground or chopped, steep a heaped teaspoonful of the herb to each cup of hot (not boiling) water for twenty minutes. Take one cup before each meal and one on going to bed.
Roots and bark. Roots should be simmered for over half an hour, to extract their goodness. Do not boil heavily.
Flowers and leaves should never be boiled. Steep them in hot (not boiling) water for twenty minutes, keeping them covered so as to keep in the oil that might evaporate.
Powdered herbs may be mixed with either hot or cold water. Use half a teaspoonful of powdered herb to a cupful of water, followed by drinking a plain glass of water. Herbs take effect quicker if taken in hot water.
Never use an aluminum utensil to boil herbs or water to be used in them as this metal damages the fine oils contained in the herbs.
To Make Syrups
A simple syrup can be made by dissolving three pounds of brown sugar in a pint of boiling water. Boil until thick. You may then add this to any substance. Malt honey and bees’ honey can also be used as a syrup, if desired. To make an herb syrup, simply add the cut herbs, boil to a syrupy consistency, strain through a double cheesecloth, and bottle. If corked, this will keep indefinitely.
To Make Herb Salves (Ointments)
Use fresh herbs whenever possible. Dried herbs, however, can be used if fresh are not available. Be sure the herb is cut up very finely and use one to one-and-a-half pounds of cocoa fat, lard, or any pure vegetable fat, and four ounces of beeswax. Mix together, cover, and place in the hot sun (or the oven with a very low heat) for about four hours. Strain with a fine sieve or cloth. When set, it will be firm and ready for use. If you want to put it into containers, do so while it is still hot and let it set in the containers. Do not remelt.
To Make Poultices
It is best to have the herbs in a crushed form. Mix with water and cornmeal to make a thick paste. If fresh leaves are used, place them directly on the affected part(s). Poultices are very good for swellings, enlarged glands, etc. Never reuse a poultice once used. Always replace with a fresh one.
The following poultices can be used safely:
Slippery elm—useful to combine with other herbs to make a good poultice.
Lobelia and slippery elm—one-third part lobelia and two-thirds slippery elm. Excellent for blood poisoning, boils, etc., also very good for rheumatism.
Charcoal and hops—will quickly remove gallstone pain.
Charcoal and smartweed—good for inflammation of the bowels. When using for healing old sores and ulcers, add powdered echinacea, golden seal, or myrrh, or a small amount of all three.
Poke root and cornmeal—excellent for inflamed breast.
Burdock leaf—this poultice is cooling and drying. A poultice of the powdered root with salt eases the pain of a wound from an animal, such as a dog bite.
Plantain—excellent poultice to prevent blood poisoning.
Nettle and wintergreen—for dissolving tumors.
Carrots and golden seal—applied to cold sores, they will heal rapidly.
Sage—for inflammation of any type.
Hyssop—will remove discoloration from bruises. Poultices should be applied as hot as possible and be changed as soon as the heat has dissipated. It is useless to reuse the same poultice.
To Make Composition Powder
A composition powder is a good medicine for colds, flu, cramps, rheumatism, beginning of fevers, etc. Every home should have these on hand; they are safe and effective for everyone. In fevers and colds, give a cup of tea made from the powder every hour until perspiration takes place. This will clear the body of toxins and bring the fever down. Here are a few selected formulae that are very effective:
4 oz. bayberry
2 oz. ginger
1 oz. white pine
1 dr. cloves
1 dr. cayenne
Use all powdered herbs. Steep 1 teaspoonful in water for 15 minutes, keeping covered. Drink the clear liquid after the sediment has been strained.
2 oz. pulverized bayberry bark
1 oz. pulverized ginger
½ oz. pulverized pinus canadensis
1 dr. cloves
1 dr. cayenne
Dose (adult): one teaspoonful in hot or cold water, sweetened if required.
Less Pungent Composition Powder
1 oz. finely powdered wild thyme
1 oz. powdered marjoram
1 oz. finely powdered pimpernella saxifrage
1 oz. finely powdered pleurisy root
1 oz. powdered cinnamon.
Dose (adult): one teaspoonful in the early stages of colds, disordered stomach, scarlet fever, or similar troubles.
Herb Simples
The following list of herb simples is for general guidance. Herb simples include flowers, barks, and the whole plant, depending on the part(s) generally used as a medicine. There are about five hundred herb simples available and these are generally supplied in weight (per ounce or pound). For list of terms such as “pectoral,” “astringent,” see later in this lesson.
Agrimony—a tonic, mildly astringent. Used for coughs, relaxed bowels, and looseness of the bowels.
Angelica—a stimulant and aromatic. Used for kidneys and to induce perspiration.
Ash leaves—used in gouty conditions, arthritis, etc.
Avens herb—tonic and styptic. Used in looseness of bowels, etc.
Balm—cooling in fevers and inducing mild perspiration.
Balmony—antibilious, tonic, and detergent. Used in cases of chronic constipation, indigestion, jaundice, and worms in children.
Blackberry leaves—a tonic, useful in cases of bowel looseness.
Black currant leaves—a refrigerant, used in cases of sore throat, coughs, catarrh.
Bladderwrack—used in a bath for arthritis and rheumatic conditions.
Blue mallow—pectoral. For coughs and colds generally.
Boneset—mild laxative, tonic; relieves fever and pains in the bones.
Borage—useful in chest complaints.
Broom—used in some bladder complaints, especially in gall stones.
Buchu—a stimulant used in urinary affections and inflammation of the bladder.
Buckbean—a good tonic, used for liver troubles and skin diseases. Also for arthritis, etc.
Bugloss—expectorant and tonic, used in cases of inflammation.
Burdock—used for purifying the blood.
Burr marigold—for gouty conditions.
Greater celandine—for eye infections, also cases of jaundice.
Chamomile—used in cases of nervous hysteria and all nervous complaints in women.
Cleavers (sometimes called “clivers”)—a tonic and refrigerant. Is cooling in fevers. Used in gravel and gallstones.
Cloves—the oil of cloves is a remedy for sluggish digestion. Two drops on a teaspoonful of sugar is the best dose. As a cure for toothache it is a specific remedy. The area should be painted with the oil.
Coltsfoot—for all asthmatic complaints. A smoking mixture made with it, mixed with other herbs, is useful for asthma.
Damiana—a tonic for nervous and debilitated persons; also used as a sexual stimulant.
Dandelion root—generally dried. The leaves can be eaten in salads. The white juice from the stem cures warts and warty growths in a short time. The root, baked and ground, makes good coffee.
Elder leaves—used in urinary troubles and as treatment for colds. The berries are used with other herbs for colds and coughs (dried berries are often used instead of currants).
Eyebright—for weak eyes and as a general tonic for the eyes. Frequently used in a compound.
Golden seal—a wonderful catarrh remedy and tonic. The tincture should be used with care and should be taken in one-drop doses, with water only.
Ground ivy—whilst not really an ivy (the common name of which is alehoof), this is a good remedy for rheumatism, indigestion, and kidney complaints.
Lung wort—for coughs and all chest affections.
Marigold—this is another remedy that should be in every home, as an ointment it will cure many skin troubles; as a tincture it is far better than iodine to hasten the healing process. The flowers and leaves can be used in salads.
Mouse ear—a good remedy for whooping cough.
Nettles (the well-known stinging nettles)—used for purifying the blood.
Pilewort—as its name suggests, for the treatment of piles. Often used with witch hazel. Its common name is lesser celandine, though it has no relation to the greater celandine.
Plantain—a cooling herb. Fresh leaves can be used as a relief from insect bites, if applied at once. Used a lot with other herbs for blood medicines.
Raspberry leaves—a very well-known method of bringing about easy childbirth. Blackberry and strawberry leaves have similar properties but raspberry leaves are considered the best.
Senna leaves—these act in a similar fashion to senna pods. The leaves are usually taken with ginger to cure constipation.
Slippery elm—used as a skin cleanser and tonic. A special invalid food is made from the bark, which can be digested by the weakest digestive organs and cannot be vomited. In soap, it is an excellent skin soother.
Tansy—the fresh leaves can be used in a salad; the dried herb is used for hysteria, morning sickness, and for the expulsion of worms in children.
Valerian—the root is used to cure insomnia without a drugging effect. Also used for curing pains in many parts of the body.
Violet—can also be used in salads. Thought to be a cure for cancerous growths of tumors when used with red clover heads.
Witch hazel—used for checking bleeding piles and bleeding from wounds. The prepared liquid is used for most things and can certainly be used on all cuts, sprains, bruises, etc.
The above list is a short one but should be of use. Again, I strongly recommend that the student study one of the better herbals for greater understanding.
Definition of Medical Actions
It is obviously impossible to give an all-encompassing coverage here to the thousands of herbs that exist. You will find the following most useful when referring to textbooks on the subject:
Alterative—producing a healthful change without perception.
Anodyne—relieves pain.
Anthelmintic—a medicine that expels worms.
Aperient—gentle laxative without purging.
Aromatic—a stimulant; spicy.
Astringent—causes contraction and stops discharges.
Antibilious—acts on the bile, relieving biliousness.
Antimetic—stops vomiting.
Antileptic—relieves fits.
Antiperiodic—arrests morbid periodic movements.
Anthilic—prevents the formation of stones in the urinary organs.
Antirheumatic—relieves and cures rheumatism.
Antiscorbutic—cures and prevents scurvy.
Antiseptic—a medicine that aims at stopping putrification.
Antispasmodic—relieves and prevents spasms.
Antisyphilitic—having effect or curing venereal diseases.
Carminative—expels wind from the bowels.
Cathartic—evacuating from the bowels.
Cephalic—remedies used in diseases of the head.
Cholagogue—increases the flow of bile.
Condiment—improves the flavor of food.
Demulcent—soothing; relieves inflammation.
Deobstruent—removes obstruction.
Depurative—purifies the blood.
Detergent—cleansing to boils, ulcers, wounds, etc.
Diaphoretic—produces perspiration.
Discutient—dissolves and heals tumors.
Diuretic—increases the secretion and flow of urine.
Emetic—produces vomiting.
Emmenagogue—promotes menstruation.
Emollient—softens and soothes inflamed parts.
Esculent—eatable as a food.
Exanthematous—remedy for skin eruptions and diseases.
Expectorant—facilitates expectoration (coughing).
Febrifuge—abates and reduces fevers.
Hepatic—a remedy for diseases of the liver.
Herpatic—a remedy for skin diseases of all types.
Laxative—promotes bowel action.
Lithontryptic—dissolves calculi in the urinary organs.
Naturating—ripens and brings boils to a head.
Mucilaginous—soothing to all inflammation.
Nauseant—produces vomiting.
Nervine—acts specifically on the nervous system; stops nervous excitement.
Opthalmicum—a remedy for eye diseases.
Parturient—induces and promotes labor at childbirth.
Pectoral—a remedy for chest affections.
Refrigerant—cooling.
Resolvent—dissolves boils and tumors.
Rubifacient—increases circulation and produces red skin.
Sedative—a nerve tonic; promotes sleep.
Sialogogue—increases the secretion of saliva.
Stomatic—strengthens the stomach. Relieves indigestion.
Styptic—arrests bleeding.
Sudorific—produces profuse perspiration.
Tonic—a remedy that is invigorating and strengthening.
Vermifuge—expels worms from the system.
Herbs in Materia Medica
Here is a short list of herbs in Materia Medica so that you can have at least a few for easy reference until obtaining a full herbal. The list, obviously, is far from complete and the full medical properties of each herb are not given. For a complete picture, use one of the herbals listed at the end of this lesson. In most cases the herbs given can be taken as a tea, or can be obtained in pill or tablet form. These are the most common herbs, which will prove of value to the beginner.
| Herb | Action | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) | Alterative, tonic, diuretic | Chest diseases, coughs. |
| All heal (Stachys sylvatica) | Antispasmodic, hepatic, nervine | Colic, gout, liver. |
| Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea) | Aromatic, tonic, stimulant | Heart, spleen, kidneys. |
| Ash tree leaves (Fraxinus excelsior) | Antifat, diuretic, stringent | Dissolves fatty tumors, ringworm. |
| Avens (Geum urbanum) | Astringent, tonic, stomachic | Heart tonic, promotes healing. |
| Balm (Melissa officinalis) | Antispasmodic, nervine, diuretic | Acts on liver, restores the skin, general healer. |
| Balmony (Chelone glabra) | Laxative, tonic, vermifuge | Constipation, jaundice, indigestion. |
| Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) | Removes jaundice | Stops canker; general tonic. |
| Bayberry bark (Myrica cerifera) | Astringent, stimulant, vulinary | Gout, arthritis, rheumatism. |
| Blessed thistle (Carduus benedictus) | Antiscorbutic, hepatic, stomatic | Purifier of blood, skin diseases, giddiness. |
| Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) | Antiscorbutic, stomatic | Creates appetite, excites the bile, good for gout. |
| Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) | Cathartic, emetic, vermifuge, laxative | For asthma, colds, dyspepsia, debility. |
| Broom (Spartium scoparius) | Diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic | As a poultice for broken bones. Purifies the whole system, cures tumors if persevered with over a period. |
| Burdock (Arctium lappa) | Antiscorbutic, stomatic, antispasmodic, tonic | All kidney troubles, antidote to mercury poisoning, useful in all skin complaints. |
| Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana) | Aperient, tonic | Constipation, but should not be used all the time. Safe for young or old. |
| Catmint (Nepeta cataria) | Antispasmodic, nervine, sudorific, carminative | Removes female obstructions; for hysteria, giddiness. |
| Cleavers (Galium aparine) | Antiscorbutic, diuretic, refrigerant | One of the best herbs for skin diseases. Improves the complexion, opens the pores to remove toxins. |
| Dandelion (Taraxacum leontodon) | Antispamodic, nervine, pectoral, vermifuge | Safe remedy for all internal disorders. The root, when baked and ground, is made into a drink. |
| Dead nettle (Lamium album) | Antiseptic, astringent, tonic | Bruises, sciatica, gout. |
| Garlic (Allium sativum) | Antispasmodic, nervine, vermifuge | Many virtues. To clear the blood, for whooping cough. Will clear constipation and cleanse the bowels. |
| Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) | Acrid, alterative, cathartic | Externally it is good for sluggish tumors. As an ointment, good excellent tonic for children and weak persons. |
| Rue (Ruta graveolens) | Diuretic, vermifuge, tonic | Very good for female disorders. Best when mixed with other herbs. |
| Scullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) | Diuretic, nervine, tonic | Nervous complaints, excitability. Will quiet hysterical persons. |
| Solomon’s seal (Convollaria multiflora) | Balsamic, demulcent | Bruises. Helps circulation. |
| Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) | Emmenagogue, vermifuge | Disagreeable to the taste but very useful in female complaints, kidneys. |
| Vervain (Verbena officinalis) | Diuretic, tonic | General tonic for upset stomachs. Given in large doses. |
| Wood sage (Teucrium canadensis) | Diuretic, tonic | Removal of obstructions in liver and bladder areas. |
| Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) | Astringent, sudorific, tonic | Cleansing of the skin, opening of the pores, and removing obstructions. |
Herbalism is a long study and it will pay the serious student to study all the books listed at the end of this lesson, so as to find the physiological actions of the various herbs. In true herbalism we do not use herbs of a poisonous nature if at all possible. One herb, however, that can be used to good effect is Rhus toxicodendron (poison oak; poison ivy). This herb tincture should not be used internally, but in external applications it is excellent for all fibrositis, rheumatism, and allied pains. A footbath with a few drops of the tincture in it will relieve tired feet at once.
It should be remembered at all times that although the previous symptoms of a disease may disappear, you must take steps to prevent a recurrence of it. Most diseases come on from a longstanding trouble in the system and the symptoms of the disease are the body’s way of expelling waste matter in some form or another. Remember that diseases will not grow in healthy tissues, therefore take steps to see that correct feeding is undertaken in order that the body remains cleansed.
Key
bk. = bark
hb. = herb
fls. = flowers
lvs. = leaves
rt. = root
Alteratives
Agents that tend gradually to alter a condition. Alteratives are often combined with botanicals listed under “aromatics,” “bitter tonics,” and “demulcents.”Among botanicals that may be classed as alteratives are:
American spikenard rt. or berries
Bittersweet twigs
Black cohosh rt.
Blue flag rt.
Blue nettle rt.
Burdock rt.
Condurango rt.
Echinacea rt.
Guaiac raspings
Oregon grape rt.
Pipsissewa lvs.
Poke rt.
Prickly ash bk.
Red clover fls.
Sarsaparilla rt.
Sassafras rt.
Stillingia rt.
Wild sarsaparilla rt.
Yellow dock rt.
Yellow parilla rt.
Anthelmintics or Vermifuges
Medicines capable of destroying or expelling worms that inhabit the intestinal canal. Anthelmintics should only be administered by a physician.
Areca nuts
Balmony hb.
Kousso fls.
Male fern
Melia azedarach bk.
Pomegranate rind bk. or rt.
Pumpkin seed
Spigelia rt.
Wormseed hb.
Wormwood hb.
Astringents
Temporarily tighten, contract, or increase the firmness of the skin or mucous membrane. They are often of value to check excessive secretions. They are used as external washes, gargles, lotions, mouthwashes, etc. Astringents may be made very strong, using more of the herb and boiling longer. They may be “watered down” to the strength desired. Strong astringents:
Agrimony hb.
Alum rt.
Barberry bk.
Bayberry bk.
Beech drops hb.
Bearberry lvs.
Beth rt.
Black alder bk.
Black cherries
Black oak bk.
Black willow bk.
Butternut bk.
Buttonsnake rt.
Catechu gum
Chocolate rt.
Cinquefoil
Congo rt.
Cranesbill rt.
Fleabane hb.
Goldenrod hb.
Hardhack hb.
Hawthorne berries
Heal-all hb.
Hemlock bk.
Hickory bk.
Jambul seed
Kola nuts
Logwood
Lycopus virginicus
Maiden hair fern
Mountain ash bk.
Pilewort hb.
Potentilla hb.
Purple loosestrife hb.
Queen of the meadow hb.
Rattlesnake rt.
Red rt.
Rhatany rt.
Sage hb.
Sanicle rt.
Sampson snake rt.
Shepherd’s purse hb.
Sumbul rt.
Sumach bk. or rt.
Tormentil rt.
Wafer ash bk.
Water avens rt.
Water lily rt.
White ash bk.
White oak bk.
Wild indigo bk.
Witch hazel twigs
Mild Astringents
Blackberry rt.
Black birch lvs.
Celandine
German rue
Rosa gallica petals
St. John’s wort
Sweet fern hb.
Bitter Tonics
Used for temporary loss of appetite. They stimulate the flow of saliva and gastric juices, assisting in the process of digestion.
Augosura bk.
Balmony hb.
Barberry rt. and bk.
Bayberry lvs.
Blackberry lvs.
Black haw bk.
Blessed thistle
Bogbeab hb.
Boldo lvs.
Cascarilla bk.
Chamomile fls.
Chiretta hb.
Columbo rt.
Condurango rt.
Dandelion rt.
Fringe tree bk.
Gentian rt.
Goldenseal rt.
Goldthread rt.
Hop fls.
Mugwort hb.
Quassis chips
Sabattia-Amer. century rt.
Serpentaria rt.
Turkey corn rt.
Wild cherry bk.
Wormwood hb.
Yellow root rt. (Xanthorrhiza)
Calmatives
Agents used for their mild calming effect. Generally taken as a warm tea, upon retiring.
Catnip hb.
Chamomile fls.
Fennel seed
Hops
Lindin fls.
Carminatives and Aromatics
Substances of a fragrant smell that produce a peculiar sensation of warmth and pungency on the taste buds.
When swallowed, there is a corresponding impulse in the stomach that is communicated to other parts of the body. Aromatics are useful to expel gas from the stomach and intestines. They are chiefly used to make other medicinal formulae more palatable.
Allspice—unripe fruit
Anise seed
Angelica seed
Capsicum fruit
Caraway seed
Cardamon seed
Catnip hb.
Celery seed
Cinnamon bk.
Cloves buds
Coriander seed
Cumin seed
Eucalyptus lvs.
Fennel seed
Ginger rt.
Lovage rt.
Mace
Melilot fls.
Mustard seed
Nutmeg
Peppermint hb.
Spearmint hb.
Valerian rt.
Wild ginger rt.
Cathartics
Agents that promote evacuation from the bowels by their action on the alimentary canal. Cathartics can be divided into two groups: (1) laxatives, or aperients, are agents that are mild or feeble in their action; (2) purgatives are agents that induce copious evacuation. They are generally used for more stubborn conditions in adults, or used with other ingredients to modify or increase their action. Neither laxatives nor purgatives should be used when appendicitis is suspected or during pregnancy. Cathartics should only be used for occasional constipation.
Agar-agar
Aloes
Barberry bk.
Blue flag rt.
Buckthorn bk.
Butternut inner bk.
Cascara bk.
Cassia fistula
Castor oil
Culver’s rt.
Jalap rt.
Karaya gum
Manna
May apple or mandrake rt.
Pysllium seed
Rhubarb rt.
Senna (Egyptian) lvs.
Senna (American)
Senna pods
Tamarind pulp
Demulcents
Substances usually of a mucilaginous and bland nature, taken internally for their soothing and protective- coating properties (for external use, see emollients). May be used to allay irritation of membranes. They have been used for coughs due to common colds and to relieve minor irritation of the throat. The mildest and most soothing demulcents are marked with**
Agar-agar
Arrow rt.
Cheese plant hb.
Coltsfoot hb.
Comfrey rt.**
Couch grass rt.
Flaxseed**
Gum arabic**
Iceland moss
Irish moss
Karaka gum
Licorice rt.
Marsh mallow rt. and lvs.**
Okra pods**
Oatmeal**
Psyllium seed
Quince seed
Sago rt.
Salep rt.
Sassafras pith
Sesame lvs.
Slippery elm bk.**
Solomon’s seal rt.
Tragacanth gum
Diaphoretics
Agents that tend to increase perspiration. They are commonly used as an aid in the relief of common colds. Diaphoretics act most favorably when administered hot, before bed. Botanicals marked with ** are often referred to as sudorifics—agents that cause copious perspiration.
Ague weed hb.**
Angelica rt.
Balm hb.
Blessed thistle hb.
Canada snake rt.
Catnip hb.
Chamomile hb.
Elder fls.
Ginger rt.**
Guaiac raspings
Hyssop hb.**
Linden fls.
Lobelia
Mtn. mint (Koellia) hb.
Pennyroyal**
Pleurisy rt.
Prickly ash bk.
Ragwort hb.
Sassafras bk. or rt.
Senega rt.
Serpentaria rt.**
Spice bush or fever bush twigs
Thyme hb.
Water eryngo rt.
Wood sage hb.
Yarrow hb.
Diuretics
A term used for medicines or beverages that tend to increase the secretion of urine. The fastest action is generally obtained by liquid diuretics taken on an empty stomach, during the day. Physical exertion retards the effects of diuretics. They are often used with demulcents, such as marsh mallow root, couch grass, etc., for their soothing qualities when irritation is present.
Bearberry or uva-ursi lvs.
Bilberry lvs.
Broom tops
Buchu lvs.
Burdock seeds
Button snake rt.
Canada fleabane hb.
Cleavers hb.
Copaiba balsam
Corn silk
Cubeb berries
Dog grass rt.
Dwarf elder bk.
Elecampane rt.
Gravel plant lvs.
Hair cap moss
Horse tail grass
Juniper berries
Kava-kava rt.
Matico lvs.
Pareira brava rt.
Parsley rt.
Princess pine lvs.
Seven barks
Stone rt.
Water eryngo rt.
White birch lvs.
Wild carrot hb.
Emollients
Agents generally of oily or mucilaginous nature, used externally for their softening, supple, or soothing qualities.
Comfrey rt.
Flaxseed meal
Marsh mallow lvs. or rt.
Oatmeal
Quince seed
Slippery elm bk.
Expectorants
Agents used to induce expulsion or loosen phlegm of the mucous membranes of the bronchial and nasal passages. Expectorants often are combined with demulcents as ingredients in cough (due to cold) medicines. Strong acting expectorants are marked with **.
Asafetida gum
Balm gilead buds
Balsam or tolu
Beth rt.
Benzoin tincture or gum
Blood rt.**
Cocillana bk.
Coltsfoot hb.
Comfrey hb.
Elecampane rt.
Grindelia hb.
Gum galbanum
Horehound hb.
Ipecac rt.**
Licorice rt.
Maidenhair fern hb.
Marsh mallow rt.
Mullein hb.
Myrrh gum
Pleurisy rt.
Senega rt.**
Skunk cabbage rt.
Slippery elm bk.
Wild cherry bk.
Yerba santa hb.
Nervines
Agents that tend to abate, or temporarily relax, nonserious nervous irritation, due to excitement, strain, or fatigue.
Asafetida gum
Betony hb.
Catnip hb.
Chamomile fls.
Hop fls.
Nerve root
Passion fls.
Scullcap hb.
Skunk cabbage rt.
Valerian rt.
Yarrow hb.
Nerve Stimulants
Nerve stimulants are useful for a temporary “lift” when health conditions do not prohibit caffeine.
Cocoa beans
Coffee beans
Guarana
Yerba mate
Tea lvs.
Coffee and guarana are useful for simple headaches caused by aggravation. Cocoa is one of the most nutritive of all beverages.
Refrigerants
Generally a cooling beverage.
Borage hb.
Burnet hb.
Licorice rt.
Melissa hb.
Pimpernel hb.
Rasberry fruit
Tamarind pulp
Wood sorrel rt.
Sedatives
Often used by women for the usual minor discomforts incidental to impending enstruation (not for delayed menstruation).
Black cohosh rt.
Black haw bk.
Catnip hb.
Chamomile fls.
Cramp bk.
Motherwort hb.
Squaw weed
Yarrow hb.
Stimulants
To quicken or increase various functional actions of the system. Stimulants refuse to act in the presence of an excess of animal foods and never act as quickly on persons who consume a lot of alcohol.
Angostura bk.
Bayberry lvs.
Black pepper
Blood root
Boneset hb.
Camphor gum
Canada snake root
Capsicum fruit
Cascarilla bk.
Cassena lvs.
Cayenne pepper
Cinnamon bk.
Cloves—fruit
Cocash rt.
Damiana hb.
Fever few hb.
Fleabane hb.
Ginger rt.
Golden rod hb.
Horseradish rt.
Hyssop hb.
Jaborandi rt.
Matico lvs.
Mayweed hb.
Motherwort hb.
Muirapuama
Mustard
Nutmeg
Paraguay tea
Pleurisy rt.
Pennyroyal hb.
Peppermint hb.
Prickly ash bk.
Quaking aspen bk.
Sarsaparilla rt.
Serpentaria rt.
Spearmint hb.
Summer savory hb.
Sweet gum
Sweet shrub bk.
Vervain hb.
White pepper
Wintergreen
Yarrow hb.
Yerba mate lvs.
Yellow root
Vulneraries
An application for minor external wounds. Almost any green plant that does not have irritating constituents is useful for minor wounds, because of its chlorophyll content. Applications are generally most effective when the fresh herb is applied.
All heal hb.
Blood staunch or fleabane hb.
Calendula hb.
Centauria hb.
Clown’s woundwort hb.
Heal-all hb. (Srophularia marilandica)
Healing herb or comfrey hb. and rt.
Horse tail grass
Live forever lvs.
Marsh mallow hb. or rt.
Plantain lvs.
Self heal or heal-all hb. (Prunella vulgaris)
Vitamins in Herbs
Vitamins are manufactured within plants and depend to some extent on the health and vigor of the plant. The controlling factors are the varieties and the conditions under which the plants are grown. CultiCultivated plants depend almost entirely on chemical fertilizers. Seaweeds are supplied with almost unlimited elements to feed on. Botanicals growing in the wild state generally thrive only in virgin soils, or in soils that can supply their necessities. When a soil becomes depleted, these botanicals move on (via suckers, creepers, seeds, etc.), or are eventually crowded out by neighboring plants.
Plant vitamins are far easier to digest than vitamins and minerals of fish or animal origin.
Vitamin A: needed for night vision and functioning of cells of skin and mucous membranes. Vitamin A is stored in the body, but under stress and strain, a surplus is rapidly dissipated. Botanical sources—alfalfa herb; annato seed; dandelion; lamb’s quarters; okra pods; paprika; parsley herb; watercress.
Vitamin B1: (thiamine): needed for growth and maintaining normal appetite. Botanical sources—bladderwrack; dulse; fenugreek; kelp; okra; wheat germ.
Vitamin B2: needed for normal growth of children. Good nutrition for adults. Botanical sources—bladderwrack; dulse; fenugreek; kelp; saffron.
Vitamin B12: essential for normal development of red blood cells. B12 also acts as a growth factor for children and helps put weight on underweight children. Botanical sources— alfalfa; bladderwrack; dulse; kelp.
Vitamin C: needed for healthy teeth and gums; prevents scurvy. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat, cooking, low temperatures, and oxidation. This vitamin is not stored in the body; a fresh supply must be provided daily. Botanical sources—buffalo berry; burdock seed; capsicum; colts-foot; elder berries; marigold; oregano; paprika; parsley herb; rose hips; watercress.
Vitamin D: needed for building and keeping good bones and teeth. Prevents rickets. A limited amount is stored in the body. Botanical sources—annato seed; watercress; wheat germ.
Vitamin E: abundant in many plants’ seeds. The need for vitamin E has not been fully established, but it is essential for full and proper nutrition. Botanical sources—alfalfa; avena sativa; bladderwrack; dandelion leaves; dulse; kelp; linseed; sesame; watercress; wheat germ.
Vitamin G (B2): essential in preventing a deficiency disease. Botanical sources—Hydrocotyle asiatica.
Vitamin K: necessary in the physiological process of blood clotting. Botanical sources— alfalfa herb; chestnut leaves; shepherd’s purse.
Vitamin P (rutin): believed to be of benefit in strengthening tiny blood vessels. Botanical sources—buckwheat; German rue; paprika.
Vitamin B (another B-complex vitamin): prevents pellagra. Botanical sources—alfalfa leaves; blueberry leaves; burdock seed; fenugreek; parsley herb; watercress; wheat germ.
The Art of Prescribing Medicine
In prescribing medicine, the following circumstances should always be kept in mind: age, sex, temperament, habit, climate, state of stomach, idiosyncrasy.
Age. For an adult, suppose the dose to be 1 dram.
Then:
Up to 1 year will require 
(or 5 grains)
Up to 2 years will require ⅛ (or 8 grains)
Up to 3 years will require 
(or 10 grains)
Up to 4 years will require ¼ (or 15 grains)
Up to 7 years will require ⅓ (or 1 scruple)
Up to 14 years will require ½ (or ½ dram)
Up to 20 years will require ⅔ (or 2 scruples)
Above 20 the full dose—1 dram
Above 65—the inverse gradation of the above
Sex. Women require smaller doses than men and the state of the uterine system must never be overlooked.
Temperament. Stimulants and purgatives more readily affect sanguine persons than phlegmatic ones; consequently the former require smaller doses.
Habits. Knowledge of habits is essential. Those who habitually use stimulants—such as smokers and drinkers—require larger doses to affect them, while those who habitually use saline purgatives are more easily affected.
Climate. Medicines act differently on the same individuals in summer and winter, and in different countries and regions of different climates. Generally, the warmer the climate, the smaller the required dose.
Stomach. The least active remedies operate very violently on some individuals due to a peculiarity of the stomach or disposition of the body, unconnected with temperament. This state can be discovered only by accident or time.
In prescribing, you should always so regulate the intervals between doses that the next dose may be taken before the effect of the first has altogether worn off. If this is not done then the cure is “always commencing but never proceeding.” It should always be kept in mind, however, that medicines such as digitalis, opium, etc., are apt to accumulate in the system and there will be danger if the doses are too close together.
Doses must always be measured—never guessed. The following list of explanations should give you some help when reading many textbooks and/or writing formulae and prescriptions.
Meanings of Writing Formulae and Prescriptions
| Abbreviation | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| R | Recipe | Take |
| F. S. A. | Fiat secondum artem | Let it be made or prepared |
| M. | Misce | Mix |
| MSD | Miscae signa da | Mix the medicine, deliver it with instructions in writing to patient |
| M. F. Mixt. | Misce fiat mixtura | To form a liquid mixture |
| Div | Divide | Divide |
| Sol | Solve | Dissolve |
| Fasc | Fasciculus | An armful |
| Man. j. | Manipulus | A handful |
| Pugil j. | Pubillus or pugillum | A pinch |
| Cyat j. | Cyathus | A glassful |
| Coch j. | Cochlear | A spoonful |
| Gutt. | Gutta | A drop |
| No. 1, 2, 3, etc. | The no. of pieces, written “j., jl., jll., jill.,” etc. | |
| Ana | or aa | Of each |
| P.Ae | Partes oequales | Equal parts |
| Q. S. | Quantum sufficit | As much as suffices |
| Q. L. | Quantum libet | As much as you like |
| Q. V. | Quantum volueris | As much as you like |
| lb. | Libra | A pound |
| oz. | Uncia | An ounce |
| Dr. | Drachma or dram | A drachma or dram |
| Scr. | Scrupulus | A scruple |
| Gr. | Granum | A grain |
| Pil | Pilulae | A pill or pills |
| Pot | Piot or potassa | Potion |
| Pulv | Pulvis | Powder |
| Pulv | Pulvis factus | Powdered |
| Tinc | Tinctura | Tincture |
| Ext | Extractum | An extract (usually fluid) |
| Chartul | Chartula | Small paper |
| Collyr. | Collyrium | Eyewash |
| Collut. | Collutorium | Mouthwash |
| Decoct. | Decoction | Decoction |
| Garg. | Gargarisma | Gargle |
| Haust. | Haustus | A draught |
| Iams. | Infusum | An infusion |
| Mist. | Mistura | Mixture |
| Ss. | Semisses | Half |
| ZZ | Zingiber | Ginger |
| OI or Oi | One pint | |
| E. A. | Ex aqua | In water |
| A. c. | Anta cibum | Before meals |
| P. c. | Post cibum | After meals |
| Tus urg | Tussal urg. | When the cough is troublesome |
| H. s. | Hora somni | At bedtime |
| SOS | As required | |
| Pro oc | Pro. occula | For the eyes |
| = part | oe p | Equal parts |
| M. D. | To be used as directed | |
| Addendua | To be added | |
| Agit. vas | Agitato vase | Shake the vessel |
| Ante | Before | |
| Applic | Appliceteur | Let there be applied |
| Aqua Fervens | Boiling water | |
| Cat | Cataplasm | Poultice |
| Dies | Date or day | |
| Dictus | Spoken of | |
| Dur dolor | Durante dolore | While the pain lasts |
| Grad | Gradation | By degrees |
| Ad lib | Ad libitum | At pleasure; as you please |
| Sine mora | Without delay; urgent | |
| — | Annual herb | |
| — | Biennial herb | |
| — | Perennial herb | |
| — | Flowers perfect |
Some Simple Treatments
Remember, preparations should not be boiled in aluminum vessels. Use copper or earthenware or, better still, Pyrex, so as not to contaminate the medicines. Now here are some simple recipes you can use for practice (or for real!). If you are unable to gather the herbs yourself, see the source list at the end of this lesson.
Medicinal Drinks
For Loss of Appetite and Debility
1 oz. wood betony
1 oz. barberry bark
1 oz. bogbean
Boil in half a gallon of water for 15 minutes. Sweeten with honey and leave to cool. Then stir in 2 teaspoonfuls of good brewers yeast. Let the whole stand for 12 hours. Skim off the top and bottle the remainder. Do not use for 24 hours.
Dose: ad. lib.
For Diarrhea
Equal parts
cranesbill herb
Bayberry bark
Shepherd’s purse
Mix with 4 pints of water. Simmer for 15–20 minutes. Sweeten with honey (not sugar).
Dose: ½ wineglass ad. lib.
Medicinal Syrups
For a Cough
3 oz. blood root, crushed?
Steep in good vinegar or acetic acid for 2 weeks. Strain and add 1½ lbs. of good honey and gently simmer down to two-thirds the volume.
Dose: ½ teaspoonful.
For Hacking Cough
1 oz. ipecacuana syrup
1 oz. sassafras (bruised)
2 oz. aniseed
4 oz. honey
2 oz. American valerian
2 oz. black oats
2 quarts water
Boil the whole for 30 minutes and then add 1 pint of spirits of wine.
Dose: ½ wineglassful when the cough is at its worst.
Medicinal Decoctions
For Clearing the Blood
Sasaparilla Bruised Decoction
2 oz. bruised Honduras sasaparilla
1 quart boiling water
Simmer for 30 minutes then sweeten with honey. Dose: 1 gill, 3 times a day.
For Coughs and Pulmonary Complaints
Balm of Gilead Decoction
1 teaspoonful balm of Gilead buds
1 pint rain water
Mix and infuse for 30 minutes.
Note: In all decoctions and remedies where no preserving agent (such as brandy or honey) is used, the remedy must not be kept longer than a few days, otherwise it may turn cloudy, indicating that it is useless as medicine.
Stimulating Gargle
Equal parts sumach berries
Goldenseal
Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 1 dram of boracic acid to every pint.
Medicinal Teas
For removing griping pains and irritation. Excellent for children (½ tablespoonful).
Catnip Tea
1 oz. catnip leaves and flowers
½ oz. brown sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 pint boiling water
Infuse for 25 minutes then strain. The tea made with the catnip leaves and flowers and water only can be used as a very effective enema to cleanse the bowels.
To Increase Menstruation
Also to destroy all types of worms:
1 oz. tansy leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pint boiling water
Infuse for 30 minutes and strain.
Dose: ½ wineglassful, occasionally.
Eyewash
Good for granulated eyelids and inflamed eyes:
1 oz. tinc. hydrastis can
1 dr. tinc. sanguinaria
½ dr. boracic acid
Shake well until mixed.
Dose: 10 drops of the compound in ½ tumbler of water, as an eyewash.
Medicinal Mixtures
Nervous Mixture For Cases of Faintness, Hysteria, and Debility
½ oz. tinc. of pimpernel
1½ oz. mint water (Menths virdis) 1 dr. tinc. valerian
½ oz. comp. tinc. cardamon
Mix well.
Dose: 2 tablespoonsful, 3 times a day.
Cough Mixture
2 dr. syrup of ipecacuana
2 dr. syrup of squills
2 dr. tinc. of bloodroot
Mix well.
Dose: 1 to 1½ teaspoonsful a day, or when cough is bad.
Sexual Invigorator
½ oz. false unicorn
½ oz. tinc. St. John’s wort
½ oz. tinc. damiana
Mix well.
Dose: 30 to 60 drops, every 6 hours.
Ointments
Goldenseal Ointment: For Growths of a Malignant Nature, Piles, Ringworm, etc.
2 oz. goldenseal root
1 oz. methylated spirits
1 oz. glycerine
1 oz. water
Bruise well the goldenseal root, then add to the other ingredients and mix well. Let the whole stand in a warm place, closely corked, for a week. Then press out all the liquid and thoroughly incorporate this residue with 4 oz. lard, in a liquid state. Pour into screw-top jars.
Witches’ Pharmacopoeia
One of the usual misconceptions that cowans (non-Witches) have of the Craft is that we boil up all sorts of evil ingredients in our cauldrons! How did this warped belief come about? Well, it was because of the many local common names given to ordinary herbs. An herb, perhaps because of its suggestive appearance, would acquire a picturesque name. The name would stick and, before long, be taken at its face value. Dragon’s blood is an excellent example. This gum resin was given the name because of its reddish-brown color, similar to dried blood, and because it comes from such plants as Calamus draco, Dracoena draco, Pterocarpus draco, etc., named after the constellation Draco the Dragon, of the Northern Hemisphere. It is not the actual dried blood of a dragon, though many people believe it is!
Here are some other herbs, together with their local names, so that the next time you come across an old recipe calling for, say, the tongue of a horse and the eye of a cat, you’ll know what was really meant.
| Wiccan Name | Common Name | Latin Name |
|---|---|---|
| Adder’s mouth | Stitch wort | Stellaria media |
| Adder’s meat | Microstylis ophioglossiodes | |
| Adder’s tongue | Dogstooth violet | Erythronium Americanum |
| Ass’s ear | Comfrey | Symphytum officinale |
| Bear’s ear | Auricula | Auricula |
| Bear’s foot | Stinking hellbore | Helleborus foetious |
| Beehive | Snail plant | Medicago scuttellata |
| Beggar’s tick | Cockhold | Bidens frondosa |
| Bird’s eye | False hellebore | Adonis vernalis |
| Bird’s tongue | European ash | Fraxinus excelsior |
| Black boy resin | Xanthorrhoea arborea | |
| Bloody fingers | Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea |
| Bull’s eyes | Marsh marigold | Caltha palustris |
| Bull’s foot | Coltsfoot | Tussilago farfara |
| Calf’s snout | Toadflax | Linaria vulgaris |
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
Coltsfoot (Tussilaga Farfara)
| Wiccan Name | Common Name | Latin Name |
|---|---|---|
| Catgut | Hoary pea | Tephrosia virginiana |
| Cat’s eye | Star scabious | Scabiosa stellata |
| Cat’s foot | Canada snake root | Asarum canadense |
| Cat’s foot/paw | Ground ivy | Nepeta glechoma |
| Cat’s milk | Wartwort | Euphorbia helioscopia |
| Chicken toe | Crawley root | Corallorhiza ordontorhiza |
| Cock’s comb | Yellow rattle | Rhinanthus christa-galli |
| Cow’s tail | Canada fleabane | Erigeron canadense |
| Crow foot | Cranesbill | Geranium maculatum |
| Devil’s milk | Wartwort | Euphorbia helioscopia |
| Dog’s tongue | Conoglossum officinale | |
| Donkey’s eyes | Cowage plant | Mucuna pruriens (seeds) |
| Dove’s foot | Cranesbill | Geranium sylvaticum |
| Dragon’s claw | Crawley root | Corallorrhiza odontorrhiza |
| Dragon’s eye | Nephalium loganum | |
| Duck’s foot | American mandrake | Podophyllum peltatum |
| Fairy fingers/gloves | Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea |
| Flesh and blood | Tormentil | Potentilla tormentilla |
| Fox tail | Club moss | Lycopodium clavatum |
| Foal’s foot | Coltsfoot | Tussilago farfara |
| Frog’s foot | Bulbous buttercup | Ranunculus bulbosus |
| Goat’s beard | Vegetable oyster | Tragopogon porrofolius |
| Goat’s foot | Ash weed | Aegopodium podograria |
| Hare’s foot | Clover | Trifolium arvense |
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
Shepard’s purse (Cabella bursa pastoris)
| Wiccan Name | Common Name | Latin Name |
|---|---|---|
| Horse tail | Scouring rush | Equisetum hyemale |
| Horse tongue | Hart’s tongue | Scolopendrium vulgare |
| Hound’s tongue | Vanilla leaf | Liatris odoratissima |
| Jew’s ear | Fungus on elder or elm | Peziza auricula |
| Lamb’s tongue | Ribwort plantain | Plantago lancelolata |
| Lizard’s tail | Breast weed | Saururus cernuus |
| Lizard’s tongue | Sauroglossum | |
| Mother’s heart | Shepherd’s purse | Capsella bursa-pastoris |
| Mouse ear | Mouse blood wort | Hieracium pilosella |
| Mouse tail | Common stonecrop | Sedum acre |
| Negro head | Vegetable ivory | Phytelephas macrocarpa |
| Old man’s beard | Fringe tree | Chionanthus virginica |
| Ox tongue | Bugloss | Anchusa officinallis |
| Rabbit’s foot | Field clover | Trifolium arvense |
| Shepherd’s heart | Shepherd’s purse | Cabella bursa pastoris |
| Snake head/Turtlehead | Balmony | Chelone glabra |
| Snake milk | Blooming spurge | Euphorbia corollata |
| Snake’s tongue | Adder’s tongue fern | Ophioglossum vulgatum |
| Squirrel ear | White plantain | Goodyeraw repens |
| Stag horn | Club moss | Lycopodium clavatum |
| Stinking goose foot | Chenopodium foetidum | |
| Swine snout | Dandelion | Taraxacum dens leonis |
| Toad | Toadflax | Linaria vulgaris |
| Unicorn’s horn | False unicorn | Helgonias dioica |
| Wolf’s claw | Lycopodium | Lycopodium clavatum |
| Wolf’s foot | Bugle weed | Lycopus virginicus |
Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)
Balmony/Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Sources
Aphrodisia Products, Inc.
62 Kent Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Glenbrook Farms Herbs & Such
15922 76th Street
Live Oak, FL 32060
The Herb Society of America
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Horizon Herbs
P.O. Box 69
Williams, OR 97544
Indiana Botanic Gardens
3401 West 37th Avenue
Hobart, IN 46342
Kiehl Pharmacy
109 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Lingle's Herbs
2055 N. Lomina Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90815
Mountain Rose Herbs
85472 Dilley Lane
Eugene, OR 97405
Richters
Goodwood
Ontario PQ L0C 1A0, CANADA
The Society of Herbalists
Culpeper House, 21 Bruton Street
Berkeley Square, London W1X 7DA, ENGLAND
1001 Herbs
c/o Global Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 142
Elizabeth, CO 80107
In Thomas Middleton’s play The Witch (1612) the character Hecate is made to stuff the mouth and nostrils of an unbaptised child before boiling him for his fat(!) She recounts the materials as she uses them:
Hecate: The magickal herbs are down his throat;
His mouth cramm’d full,
His ears and nostrils stuff’d;
I thrust in eleoselinum lately,
Aconitum, frondes populeas and soot.
Then sium, acorum vulgare too,
Pentaphyllon, the blood of the flitter-mouse,
Solanum somnificum et oleum.
A fearsome concoction it seems—until examined. The eleoselinum is nothing more than common parsley; aconitum is a hardy herbaceous plant used internally as well as externally in the treatment of rheumatism and neuralgia. Frondes populeas are the leaf-buds of the poplar; sium is the water parsnip and acorum vulgare is calamus, used for disorders of the stomach. Pentaphyllon is the Greek name for the cinquefoil; a flitter-mouse is, of course, a bat. The Solanum family includes such as the potato, bitter-sweet, egg-plant and others; somnificum probably indicates one of the nightshade species of solanum. The oleum was in all probability the oil used to bind these various innocuous ingredients.
Witchcraft From the Inside
Raymond Buckland,
Llewellyn Publications, Mn. 1971
Lesson Ten Questions
1. Tell what some of your personal uses and successes with herbs have been. List what you have tried and what results were observed.
2. List your personal supply of herbs that you have on hand. What use does each herb have (what medicinal value is it reported to contain/ exhibit)?
3. List your favorite recipes, decoctions, infusions, etc., on this page.
4. Tell how you gathered your supply of herbs (where and when). List any good suppliers you have found.
5. What books, herbals, or other sources have you used in your herbal work? Are there local experts you have talked with? What have you learned?
Examination Questions for Lesson 10
1. What are the requirements of a good healer?
2. Why should you always refer to plants by their Latin name?
3. What is: (a) an infusion (b) clarification?
4. Name three different methods of preparing herbs for medicinal use.
5. What would you use slippery elm (Ulmus fulva) for?
6. What do the following terms mean: (a) carminative (b) expectorant (c) rubifacient (d) sudorific?
7. If the adult dose of a particular medicine is two drams, what dose would you give a seven-year-old child?
8. What are the abbreviations for the following: (a) equal parts (b) a spoonful (c) shake the vessel (d) after meals?
Please Read
Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons
The Herb Book by John Lust
The Tree (section on “Herbal Lore”) by Raymond Buckland
Recommended Supplementary Reading
Common and Uncommon Uses of Herbs for Healthful Living by Richard Lucas
The Herbalist by J. E. Meyer
Potter’s New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations by R. C. Potter
Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper
Complete Herbal by John Gerard
Herbal Manual by H. Ward