Hi all,
Herbs for medicine isn't new. Below are some tidbits about five different herbs and there uses. These come from "The Medical Companion: or family physician; treating of the diseases of the United States" by James Ewell ©1827
ARROWROOT
It's cultivated in the Southern States
1 Tablespoon makes a pint of jelly
Great for children
For persons labouring under bowel complaints, as diarrhoea and dysentery, it is of itself a remedy.
TOUCHWOOD
Also called Spunk
Grows on white oak, pine, and hickory trees
Used to start a fire with flint and steel
Reduce to a powder and apply to violent hemorrhages from wounds is said to be an excellent application to stop the bleeding.
Modern information says it's good for sinusitis.
RED PEPPER OR CAYENNE PEPPER
Is a powerful stimulant, and has been found beneficial in chronic rheumatism
In cases of violent pain or cramp in the stomach, no medicine is superior to a strong infusion of red pepper
It is also useful, both as a medicine and gargle, in putrid sore throat, when infused in water.
PEPPERMINT
Is an excellent stomachic in flatulent colics, languors, hysteric cases and vomiting.
In nausea, cholera morbus, obstinate vomiting, and griping, peppermint, infused in spirits, and applied as hot as can be endured to the stomach and bowels, will be found a most valuable remedy.
PLANTAIN, Plantago (not the banana like fruit)
Has long been employed as an antidote against the bites of snakes, spiders, and other venomous insects.
The juice, extracted from tho whole of the plant, is generally given in doses of two table- spoonfuls every hour, or oftener, until the patient is relieved.
The leaves bruised are considered by some a good application to fresh wounds.
Lynn A. Coleman is an award winning & best-selling author who makes her home in Keystone Heights, Florida, with her husband of 42 years. Lynn's latest novel "The Shepherd's Betrothal" is the third book in her Historical St. Augustine, FL. series.
Cool. Thanks for sharing. Are those hot red peppers? Seems like hot ones would make stomach pain worse.
ReplyDeleteThey are Cayenne and yes they are hot. It wouldn't work for me, either.
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