Mother's Remedies, Thomas Jefferson Ritter [reading well .TXT] 📗

one and one-half ounce of root to a pint of boiling water for infusion.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For female weakness, bleeding, leucorrhea, and bearing down particularly, bloody urine, two to four ounces, of the strong tea, four times daily, and also used as an injection in leucorrhea, once daily. For bleeding from the lungs, one ounce every hour for a few doses. For dysentery and diarrhea boil one ounce in a pint of milk and use two ounces every two to four hours. Powdered root, given in hot water, may be used in doses of one-half to one teaspoonful three times a day, instead of infusion. Taken after confinement, use the infusion four times a day, smell of the red bethroots.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 413]

BLACKBERRY. Dewberry or low blackberry. Red Raspberry.

Internally, used for.—Tonic and astringent, diarrhea, bleeding from the bowels and womb, injection for leucorrhea.

Externally, used for.—Gonorrhea, gleet.

Part used.—Leaves of the raspberry and the bark of the other two.

Flowers (when).—Spring.

Grows (where).—Almost everywhere.

Prepared (how).—Use one ounce of the leaves of raspberry or bark of either of the others, to a pint of water and boil to make a decoction.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For diseases mentioned, such as diarrhea, take one tablespoonful every four hours. For injection use the decoction. This is used once daily for leucorrhea, gleet, gonorrhea, falling of the womb and bowel. Internally it is also used as a diuretic.

BLACK HAW. Viburnum Prunifolium.

Internally, used for.—Tonic, astringent, diuretic and alterative. Tonic for the womb, for threatened abortion and prevention of miscarriage. Good for severe after-pains, and for bleeding from the womb.

Part used.—Bark of the root.

Flowers (when).—From March to July.

Grows (where).—Most abundant in the middle states and southern.

Prepared (how).—As an infusion and tincture (or fluid extract). Prepare infusion by adding one ounce of bark of the root to a pint of boiling water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For threatened abortion or miscarriage use infusion three or four times daily, in two teaspoonfuls doses, a week or two before, it usually has occurred; or the tincture in ten to twenty drop doses five times daily. For bleeding from the womb take ten to twenty drops, four times daily, a few days before the time for the flow.

BLOOD ROOT. Red Puceoon. Red Root. Sanguinaria Canadensis.

Internally, used for.—Tonic, emetic, and for sick headache.

Externally, used for.—Ulcers, ringworms and warts.

Part used.—Root and should be kept dry.

Flowers (when).—Appears early in March and April.

Grows (where).—Most parts of United States in woods, groves, in shaded banks, in rich light soil.

[414 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Prepared (how).—An Infusion and powder. For an infusion one ounce to one pint of vinegar.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of powder as an emetic, ten to twenty grains. Dose of infusion as an emetic one to four teaspoonfuls: For ringworm, tetter and warts, it is applied locally, freely. Applied to ulcers and growths, it often cures, and removes the growths. As a tonic for the stomach, the dose should be small, one to one and one-half teaspoonful of the infusion four times daily, and for sick headache it should be half as much and not repeated oftener than twice, a half hour apart.

BLUE FLAG. Flower de Luce. Flag Lily. Snake Lily. Liver Lily. Iris
Versicolor.

Internally, used for.—Chronic liver troubles, sick or bilious headache, cathartic, catarrh of the upper bowel, jaundice, round worms, indigestion, chronic rheumatism.

Part used.—The root. Make a tincture immediately or dry it quickly before the fire, clean, powder, and bottle tight for use.

Gather.—In the fall. It must be kept fresh.

Flowers (when).—May or June.

Grows (where).—Found in all parts of the United States, growing in wet places, in meadows and borders of swamps. Prepared (how).—In powder, tincture or fluid extract. They can all be bought.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—As a cathartic, five to twenty grains of powder. If it nauseates, mix with it a few grains of capsicum or ginger. Dose of saturated tincture, ten to sixty drops. Fluid extract, twenty to sixty drops. For sick headache one drop doses every hour. For chronic liver troubles, five to ten drops of tincture, four times daily. Same dose for all chronic diseases. For round worms, large doses must be used, enough to move the bowels. Following is good for indigestion and biliousness: Fluid extract of blue flag and golden seal each; one-half ounce, simple elixir, one ounce. Take a dessertspoonful in hot water, before meals.

BONESET.—Thoroughwort. Fever Wort. Sweating Plant. Cross Wort. Indian
Sage. Ague Weed. Vegetable Antimony. Eupatorium Perfoliatum.

Internally, used for.—Ague, malarial fevers, influenza, colds, tonic, cathartic.

Externally, used for.—A fomentation.

Part used.—The top and leaves.

Gather.—When at its best in early autumn.

Flowers (when).—In August and September.

Grows (where).—All over the United States.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 415]

Prepared (how).—Powder. Infusion, one and one-half ounces to a pint of water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For malarial fever, a hot strong infusion taken freely as hot as possible. Teacupful at a time often enough to produce sweating. Same way for colds and influenza. Use the cold infusion as a tonic and laxative. As a tonic it is useful after fevers, etc. Dose of powder ten to twenty grains. Dose of infusion two to four ounces. It can be combined with tansy and hops and makes splendid fomentation.

BROOKLIME. Veronica Beccabunga.

Internally, used for.—Scurvy and for the menses, obstructed menstruation.

Part used.—Leaves and top.

Gather.—Early autumn.

Flowers (when).—From April to August.

Grows (where).—Eastern and northern states, and grows in small streams and near watercourses.

Prepared (how).—As a decoction, and it may be used freely.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For scurvy used to purify the blood. It is used in decoction to regulate menstruation, and should be taken freely and warm and begun a day before the menstrual period.

BUCHU. A South African plant of the genus Barosma.

Internally, used for.—Bladder troubles. In irritable bladder and urethra, due to increased sand in the urine, inflammation.

Part used.—Leaves.

Gather.—Buy in drug store.

Grows (where).—In Africa.

Prepared (how).—Infusion; make it by putting one ounce of the leaves to a pint of boiling water and let it steep.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose is two to four ounces, three or four times a day in chronic cases of bladder trouble, or one ounce every two or three hours in acute cases. It is very good when the urine is not free or is painful to pass. In acute and chronic inflammation, but more especially in the acute form. If it injures the stomach it can be used in alternation with pumpkin seed tea.

BURDOCK. Arctium Lappa.

Internally, used for.—Kidney troubles, rheumatism, syphilis, skin diseases. Must be used a long time.

Externally, used for.—Can be used as an ointment.

Part used.—Roots and seeds.

Gather.—In the spring.

Grows (where).—Almost everywhere.

Prepared (how).—As a decoction, two ounces to a pint of water or fluid extract can be bought.

[416 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of decoction: This should be used freely as it is not strong, one pint can be taken in twenty-four hours. Used as an ointment for skin diseases; the juice, of the leaves, is mixed with lard, cream or vaselin. This remedy is used frequently in combination with other blood remedies, for the above named diseases and is very beneficial.

CARROT. Wild Carrot. Bird's Nest. Bee's Nest. Daucus Carota.

Internally, used for.—Dropsy, chronic kidney troubles and gravel.

Externally, used for.—Ulcers: as a poultice.

Part used.—Roots and seeds. Garden carrot, only the root is used.

Flowers (when).—June to September.

Grows (where).—In neglected fields and by roadsides.

Prepared (how).—In infusion (tea) by using one ounce to a pint of boiling water and allow it to steep, but not to boil.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose, two to four ounces of the infusion, three or four times a day, for diseases mentioned. When the infusion is made from the seeds the dose is only about one-third of a teaspoonful four times daily. For external use for troublesome ulcers, scrape or grate the root and apply to the ulcers.

CATNIP. Catmint. Catwort. Nepeta Cataria.

Internally, used for.—Sweating, nervous troubles, colic and tonic.

Externally, used for.—Poultices and fomentations.

Part used.—Leaves and top.

Gather.—Early autumn.

Flowers (when).—June to September.

Grows (where).—Grows in dry neglected places, about old buildings and fences.

Prepared (how).—The infusion should be prepared by adding one ounce of the plant to a pint of boiling water, Do not let it boil, but only steep; stand only a few minutes; when wanted as a tonic, use it cold. When used for sweating purposes, etc., it must be used hot.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Drink as freely as the stomach will permit. It is frequently used for colic in babies in doses of half to one teaspoonful, warm. To produce sweating it should be used hot and freely taken. A combination of catnip, lady's slipper and skullcap, equal parts, either in the infusion or fluid extract, one dram doses, is good for nervous headache, hysteria, chorea. Leaves are used as a fomentation. The expressed juice of the plant is good for amenorrhea in one to two teaspoonful doses five times daily.

CELANDINE.—Tetter Wort. Chelidonium Majus.

Internally, used for.—Liver and skin troubles.

Externally, used for.—Warts, corns, salt rheum.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 417] Part used.—Herb and root. Latter is the best.

Flowers (when).—Throughout the summer.

Grows (where).—In the United States in waste places.

Prepared (how).—It is best used internally in the tincture, powdered root, or fresh juice.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For liver disease, it is especially good where the pain is under the right shoulder blade. Use the tincture in ten-drop doses three times a day. Externally rub the juice on the corn or wart. Make an ointment from the root and rub this on the skin for salt rheum. It is said to be good for piles also. Dose:—Powdered root ten to twenty to thirty grains. Tincture, ten to twenty drops, and of the juice ten to twenty drops.

CHAMOMILE. Roman Chamomile. Anthemis Nobilis.

Internally, used for.—Tonic in small doses, dyspepsia, colic, cramp, diarrhea, dysmenorrhea.

Externally, used for.—Fomentation, boiled in vinegar and applied to painful swellings.

Part used.—Leaves and herb.

Gather.—When in bloom.

Flowers (when).—Summer.

Grows (where).—Native of Europe. It grows wild in the United States.

Prepared (how).—As an infusion use a half ounce to a pint of boiling water, steep and take freely.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Use cold infusion in dyspepsia; warm infusion for colic and cramps, and for diarrhea in children, especially of the green kind of stools. Dose:—One teaspoonful every two or three hours. Good for nervousness in teething children. An oil also is used, two to five drops on sugar. This is given for colic, cramps, and in painful dysmenorrhea.

CLEAVERS. Goose Grass. Catch Weed. Clivers. Bed Straw. Galium Aparine.

Internally, used for.—Suppression of the urine, gravel, inflammation of the kidneys and bladder, and for scalding urine in gonorrhea.

Externally, used for.—Freckles.

Part used.—The plant.

Gather.—Early autumn.

Flowers (when).—From June to September.

Grows (where).—Common in the United States, growing on cultivated grounds, moist thickets, and along fences and hedges.

Prepared (how).—Infusion. Use one and one-half ounces of the herb in a pint of warm water and allow it to steep for two hours.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Take two to four ounces of the infusion three or four times a day, when it is cold. The dose can be lessened and taken oftener. It may be sweetened with sugar when taken for the diseases named above. Also equal parts of cleavers, maidenhair, and elder blows, steeped in warm water for two or three hours and drank freely when cold forms an excellent drink in erysipelas, scarlet fever and measles. An infusion made with cold water is good to remove freckles; wash the parts several times daily for two or three months.

[418 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

CLOVES. Caryophyllus.

Internally, used for.—Flatulent colic, diarrhea, cholera morbus, toothache, (oil of cloves).

Gather.—Collect flowers in October and November, before they are fully developed and dry quickly.

Grows (where).—In tropical climate.

Prepared (how).—Boil two or three teaspoonfuls of the ground cloves in a half pint of milk.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Two to four teaspoonfuls every twenty to thirty minutes for gas colic, or diarrhea where the bowels need tone. The oil can be used in three to five-drop doses. Also good to place in hollow teeth. Put a little of the oil on cotton and insert into the tooth. It is also good to add to other medicines to stop griping and nausea.

BLUE COHOSH. Squaw Root. Papoose Root. Blue Berry. Caulophyllum
Thalictroides.

Internally, used for.—Nervous affection, rheumatism, womb troubles, such as amenorrhea, leucorrhea; used previous to labor it is beneficial and also good for afterpains.

Externally, used for.—Sore throat.