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HERBS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES
Presented by Mary Orr
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Using herbs for medicinal purposes has been recorded as far back as
3000 BC, in China. The Romans and Greeks brought plant lore to Europe.
It was common to travel with plants and seeds.
During the Dark Ages, monks copied plant medicine information in Latin
and kept medicinal herb plants under cultivation. Herb plants were considered
to be connected with the planets and stars and also connected to some body
part. For example, calendula was related to Leo the Lion and was
used as a heart remedy.
In the 18th century, the kitchen garden was cared for by the woman of the house and the children. The typical American farm kitchen garden was 1/3-1/2 acre and separated into quarters. Plants were commonly used for cooking, dyes and medicine.
Examples of medicinal uses of herbs
catnip - sedative
peach blossom - purgative
blackberry- tea
calendula - salve
comfrey - for wounds
garlic - worms, infections
lavender - fragrance
artemisia - worms, flea repellent
feverfew - leaves for migraine or to put down fever.
sage - mouthwash, multipurpose
rosemary - headaches, calming nerves, bride's herb (for bouquets)
tansy - female complaints, flea repellent
basil - headaches
rue - worms, to stop bleeding (Kay Sigrist points out that rue can
cause dermatitis, sometimes quite severe, so use gloves and extra care
when cutting it.)
horehound - coughs, candied to disguise bitter taste.
lovage - stomach complaints, children used hollow stems for straws.
hops - for sleeplessness (hops pillows) - perennial
dill - colic, digestive problems ("colic" describes a general stomach
upset
common in adults as well as children)
yarrow - stop bleeding (scientific name "achillea" because herb reportedly
used to stop bleeding in Achilles' heel) , the "military herb"
elecampane (helenium) - after Helen of Troy.
pennyroyal - potentially toxic, flea repellent.
foxglove - known to Indians and Europeans
lambs ear - used in 19th century to pack wounds.
The Europeans brought all these to America. Native Americans provided such herbs as tobacco, echinacea (root), beabalm, lobelia (venereal disease cure) and snakeroot.
If you are reading "primary sources" about herbs, keep in mind that
in the 1700s, "herb" could refer to any plant, not just what we now call
herbs. The Perry Room at the Charles Town library has some old books
describing the uses of herbs that are available for those who want more
information.
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