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

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—Latter part of summer or in autumn.

Grows (where).—All over the United States in low moist rich grounds, near running streams, in swamps, etc.

Prepared (how).—As an infusion or decoction. It can be bought in the fluid extract form. Make a tea by adding one ounce of the root to a pint of boiling water. Decoction is made by allowing it to boil some length of time.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of fluid extract fifteen to thirty drops. Dose of tea, two to four ounces, three or four times daily. Dose of decoction, one-half the amount. When used in acute disease, the dose should not be more than one-fourth as much and given every one or two hours. For rheumatism it is especially valuable, when small joints like the fingers and toes are involved. It is very good in the chronic womb diseases named above. It should be used in small doses several weeks prior to labor. It is said to assist in making labor easier.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 419]

BLACK COHOSH. Rattle Root. Black Snake Root. Squaw Root. Rich Weed.
Cimicifuga Racemosa.

Internally, used for.—Chorea, dependent upon rheumatism; rheumatism, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, afterpains.

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—Early in the autumn and dry in the shade.

Flowers (when).—In June and July.

Grows (where).—Native of United States. Grows in shady and rocky woods, rich grounds and on sides of hills.

Prepared (how).—Powder; decoction, one ounce to a pint of water; and tincture.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of decoction half to one ounce; of powder ten to twenty grains. For chorea, use powder, twenty grains, three times a day. Use tincture or fluid extract or the decoction for womb affections. Dose of tincture, thirty to sixty drops three times daily. Fluid extract, ten to thirty drops three times daily; for afterpains give half as much about every three hours. In making the decoction you can make it stronger by boiling longer. The dose must then be less, according to the strength. This is a very useful remedy. For rheumatism, especially the chronic kind, it is often beneficial.

COMFREY. Healing Herb. Gum Plant.

Internally, used for.—An astringent and soothing agent in diarrhea, dysentery, coughs, lung affections, female weakness, leucorrhea, and urinary diseases.

Externally, used for.—Bruises, ruptures, fresh wounds, sore breasts, ulcers and swellings.

Part used.—Root.

Flowers (when).—May or June.

Prepared (how).—It is boiled in water or wine or it can be made into syrup. For external use bruise the root and apply it to the diseased part.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of the syrup one to four ounces, two or three times a day. For the diseases named it is best to take it in smaller doses and oftener, say four teaspoonfuls every hour or two; children in proportion.

CORN SILK. Zea Mays.

Internally, used for.—Diuretic, quieting to the urinary passages. Congested kidney, dropsy from heart disease, chronic nephritis, suppression of the urine, renal colic, haematuria, cystitis.

Prepared (how).—Make a tea and drink freely. Fluid extract can be bought.

Diseases., Dose, etc.—Dose: One to two teaspoonfuls of fluid extract three or four times a day, or drink freely of tea for above diseases.

[420 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

CRANBERRY (High). Cramp Bark. Viburnum Opulus.

Internally, used for.—Cramps and spasms of all kinds, asthma, hysteria; cramps in the legs, especially during pregnancy, or at labor.

Part used.—Bark.

Gather.—Early autumn.

Flowers (when).—In June.

Grows (where).—In Canada and northern United States, in low rich lands, woods, borders of fields.

Prepared (how).—Use an ounce of the bark, powdered, to a quart of wine.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Take half a wineglassful four times a day for continued use. For hysteria attacks, asthma spasms, less should be used and taken oftener for a few doses. The following combination is effective for the spasmodic attacks, above named: Cramp bark two ounces, scull cap and skunk cabbage one ounce each, cloves one-half ounce, capsicum two even teaspoonfuls. Powder all, and bruise and add to them two quarts of good native wine. Dose: one or two ounces two or three times a day; oftener and smaller doses for hysteria, etc. It should be taken for two or three months during pregnancy.

CRAWLEY. Dragon's Claw. Coral Teeth. Fever Root. Chicken Toes. Albany
Beechdrops. Corallorhiza Odontorhiza.

Internally, used for.—Sweating purposes in fevers and inflammatory diseases, acute erysipelas, pleurisy, low stages of fevers, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, in afterpains, and suppressed lochia.

Part used.—The root.

Gather.—In the fall.

Flowers (When).—In July. No leaves.

Grows (where).—Found on barren hills and shady uplands in northern states and Canada.

Prepared (how) .—Powder and keep it in well closed bottles.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of powder, from ten to twenty grains in hot water and repeated every hour or two as needed. Combined with blue cohosh, it is very beneficial in amenorrhea, etc., as above stated. In fevers, Culver's root can be added to it, if the bowels need regulating. It is also good for flatulent colic in twenty-grain doses. Some combine pleurisy root with it in pleurisy. It should be given in acute diseases every one to two hours as needed.

CRANESBILL (spotted). Crowfoot. Tormentil. Storkbill. Alum Root. Geranium
Maculalum.

Internally, used for.—Second stage of dysentery, diarrhea in an infusion of milk; in bleedings, sore mouth, leucorrhea, gleet, menorrhagia and excessive mucous discharges, nose-bleed, bleeding from extracted teeth, piles, bleeding after labor, sore throat.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 421] Part used.—The root.

Gather.—Collected in late autumn.

Flowers (when).—From April to June.

Grows (where).—In United States in open woods, thickets and hedges.

Prepared (how).—Powder. Use one and one-half ounces of the root and boil it in a pint of water or milk.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose: one to two tablespoonfuls. Use the watery decoction as a gargle for sore mouth and throat. For piles:—Inject a strong decoction and retain as long as possible; or apply an ointment of two ounces of the root to tobacco ointment seven ounces, and apply three or four times a day. Nose-bleed and bleeding from teeth extraction:—Apply the powder or strong decoction to the part. Bleeding from the womb:— Inject strong decoction or apply on gauze or cotton to inner womb. Decoction, two parts to one part blood root, forms a good injection for leucorrhea and gonorrhea. Good in latter stages of diarrhea and dysentery of children, boiled in milk, given in teaspoonful doses, every one to three hours.

CULVER'S ROOT. Veronica. Black Root. Culver's Physic. Tall Speedwell.
Leptandra Virginica.

Internally, used for.—A laxative, bilious fever, dyspepsia due to inactive liver and bowels.

Part used.—Root. Age impairs its virtues. The dried root is safest to use, if not too old.

Gather.—In the autumn.

Flowers (when).—In July and August.

Grows (where).—In limestone lands and in rich moist places, woods, thickets, and barrens.

Prepared (how).—As a powder, extract and infusion. Fluid extract can be bought. To make decoction, use one ounce of the powdered root to one pint of water and let boil. If you use the green root put one ounce in cold water, and let it remain there for one hour.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of the powder of dry root, one small teaspoonful as a cathartic. This will bring away a black tarry discharge. Then it is better to use the decoction; one to two teaspoonfuls every two hours. Dose of extract is one-fourth of a grain. This is a good form to give, when the liver is acting badly. Good also for indigestion, in this form when due to inactive liver and costive bowels.

DANDELION. Leontodon Taraxacum.

Internally, used for.—Liver when it is torpid and engorged. It is also laxative and tonic.

Part used.—Root. The green plant is good to use in the form of greens. Milky juice is also good when fresh. [422 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Gather.—July, August and September.

Flowers (when).—During spring and summer.

Grows (where).—Everywhere, it seems.

Prepared (how).—Juice is used, also infusion, extract and fluid extract.
Infusion, two ounces of root to the pint of water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of infusion one to two ounces. Juice, ten drops to one-half teaspoonful. Extract, ten grains. Fluid extract, one to two teaspoonfuls. It should be taken often enough, when the liver is torpid, to move the bowels once or twice a day. If the infusion is used, begin with a half ounce and take every three hours; increase or decrease as necessary. The extract is pleasanter and less bulky and best to use in winter. Take two or three grains every three hours more or less.

DEVIL'S BIT. False Unicorn Root. Drooping Starwort. Blazing Star. Helonias
Divica. Somewhat similar to true unicorn root.

Internally, used for.—Used mainly in womb troubles, strengthens the womb and prevents miscarriages. Good also for leucorrhea, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.

Part used.—Root. Root is two to two and a half inches in length.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—June and July.

Grows (where).—In low grounds in United States and Canada.

Prepared (how).—Powdered root and decoction.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—It is a tonic to the womb and should be used for two months before the time the miscarriage usually occurs. For the other womb troubles, it should be taken four times a day. The fluid extract can be bought at any drug store, and can be used. Dose: Fifteen drops, four times daily. Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains. Decoction, one to two ounces.

ELDER (Sweet). Black-berried Elder. Sambucus Canadensis.

Internally, used for.—Erysipelas, kidneys, for sweating purposes, blood diseases and scarlet fever.

Externally, used for.—Burns, scalds, ulcers, skin diseases and weak eyes.

Part used.—Flowers and berries. Bark of the root also is used.

Gather.—Gather when in flower and when berries are ripe.

Flowers (when).—In summer.

Grows (where).—Grows in all parts of United States and Canada.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 423]

Prepared (how).—Infusion, one ounce of the flowers or root to a pint of boiling water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Use warm infusion for sweating and for erysipelas, half teaspoonful every three hours. Too much taken will move the bowels and also cause vomiting. Same for scarlet fever in adults. Infusion of the bark of the root may be taken in doses of half ounce twice daily, to act as a cathartic. Local, use inner bark of the limbs and steep with cream and apply freely and often for burns, sores, etc. For weak eyes make a tea from the flowers and use as an eye wash for children.

ELECAMPANE. Inula Helenium.

Internally, used for.—For sweating, expectorant, bronchitis, dyspepsia and dysmenorrhea.

Part used.—Root of the second year.

Gather.—Autumn.

Flowers (when).—In July and August.

Grows (where).—In Europe and Japan. Cultivated in United States and grows in moist places and about houses. Prepared (how).—Use half ounce of the powdered root to a pint of boiling water and boil to make a decoction.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For bronchitis, dyspepsia and dysmenorrhea, take half ounce doses four times daily. For sweating and painful menses take two teaspoonfuls of the hot decoction every two hours until relieved.

FLEABANE. Pridewood. Blood Staunch. Mare's Tail. Colt's Tail. Fireweeds.
Erigeron Canadensis.

Internally, used for.—Diarrhea, dysentery, gravel, painful urination, piles, bleeding from the womb and bowels.

Part used.—The whole plant.

Gather.—Collect while in flower.

Flowers (when).—July and August.

Grows (where).—In United States and Canada. In fields and meadows, by roadsides, etc.

Prepared (how).—Powder, oil and infusion. To make infusion, use one ounce to pint of boiling water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—The infusion, one to two ounces, should be used three or four times daily; powder, ten to twenty grains, the same. The oil is more effective in bleeding and dysentery and bleeding piles. Oil is very good, in doses of one to five drops every three hours for acute diseases, or three times a day for chronic cases. Put on sugar.

GARLIC. Allium Sativum.

Internally, used for.—Nervous children, coughs, colds, hoarseness, worms, croup, nervous vomiting.

[424 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

Externally, used for.—Poultice.

Part used.—The bulb.

Gather.—When ripe.

Grows (where).—Native of Asia and Egypt; now cultivated.

Prepared (how).—Juice, syrup, powder, or may be taken whole. Juice or syrup is the best form.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For coughs, bronchitis and worms, should be taken five times daily; croup, every half hour for a few doses. Nervous cough and vomiting only a few doses. Local.—Bruise bulbs and apply warm as a poultice in bronchitis, croup and tumors. For retention of urine, place a poultice in the perineum or over bladder on the abdomen. Dose of juice, twenty to thirty drops. Dose of syrup, ten drops to one teaspoon; this is very destructive to round worm.

GENTIAN. Gentiana Lutea.

Internally, used for.—Tonic appetizer, dyspepsia, ammenorrhea.

Part used.—Root used and imported. Grows (where).—In the Alps.

Prepared (how).—Powder, tincture and infusion. To make infusion, use one ounce of the root to a pint of boiling water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains.