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

Tincture, one teaspoonful. Infusion, one to two ounces. Taken before meals for dyspepsia and loss of appetite. It should not be taken when the stomach is irritable. It is a good bitter tonic.

GINSENG.—Red Berry. Five Fingers. Panax Quinquefolium.

Internally, used for.—Gravel, general weakness, poor appetite.

Part used.—Root.

Flowers (when).—In May.

Grows (where).—In United States, in rich soil and in shady places.

Prepared (how).—Powder. Infusion is made by adding one ounce to a pint of boiling water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—It should be taken three or four times a day for gravel or general weakness. As an appetizer it should be taken before meals. Dose of powder, ten to sixty grains. Dose of infusion, one to three ounces.

GINGER. Zingiber Officinale.

Internally, used for.—To increase gastric juice secretions, stimulating tonic, diarrhea, dysentery, flatulency, cramps and nausea.

Externally, used for.—Ulcers.

Grows (where).—Native of Asia.

Prepared (how).—Powder. Infusion made by adding half ounce of the powdered or bruised root to a pint of boiling water.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 425]

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For diarrhea, dysentery and cholera infantum, mix it with rhubarb, equal parts, or take alone. If with rhubarb it should be stopped if it becomes too laxative. Used alone for want of tone of stomach, flatulency, cramps and colic. It tones up the stomach and bowels temporarily, but should not be used long or frequently. Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains. Dose of infusion, one to two ounces.

GOLDEN SEAL. Orange Root. Yellow Puccoon. Ground Raspberry. Turmeric Root.
Hydrastis Canadensis.

Internally, used for.—Tonic in dyspepsia, chronic stomach and bowel trouble. Torpid liver, sore mouth; gonorrhea (injection), leucorrhea, gleet.

Part used.—The root.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—In May or June.

Grows (where).—United States and Canada.

Prepared (how).—Powder, infusion, tincture, fluid extract. Use half ounce of root to a pint of boiling water for infusion.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Of the powder, five to ten grains; of infusion, one ounce; of tincture, half to one teaspoonful and of fluid extract, five to twenty drops. When it is called for, the tongue is generally coated whitish; it will soon clear that. Diarrhea, etc., due to stomach and bowel troubles are benefited by it. Two parts of the decoction of golden seal and one of cranesbill used as an injection is good for gonorrhea, gleet, and leucorrhea. Same is good for chronic cystitis. If too strong, weaken it. Good in this form, mixed with cranesbill, for diarrhea and dysentery; taken in two teaspoonful doses every three hours.

GRAVEL PLANT. Gravel-Weed. Mountain Pink. Ground Laurel. May Flower.
Trailing Arbutus. Epigea Repens.

Internally, used for.—Gravel and irritable bladder, causes more urine to flow, just as buchu does.

Part used.—The leaves.

Gather.—In summer.

Flowers (when).—Appear in April and May.

Grows (where).—Canada and United States, on sides of hills with northern exposure.

Prepared (how).—Infusion, and fluid extract which can be bought. Use one ounce of the leaves to one pint of boiling water and let it steep to make an infusion.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose: One to two teaspoonfuls. For gravel, take one teaspoonful every three hours. For irritable bladder take half teaspoonful every three hours.

[426 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

HOPS. Humulus Lupulus.

Internally, used for.—Nervousness, sleeplessness, hysteria, in afterpains, to prevent chordee.

Externally, used for.—Used as a fomentation in many inflammatory diseases.

Part used.—Cones.

Gather.—In the fall or when fully ripe.

Grows (where).—Native of North America and Europe.

Prepared (how).—Infusion, tincture and fluid extract lupulin.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of infusion, two to four ounces; tincture one to four drams. Fluid extract, five to twenty drops. For nervous troubles, take one ounce of the infusion, or one dram tincture, every hour or two until quiet; same for sleeplessness. In delirium tremens, infusion drank with some red pepper in it settles the stomach and quiets the craving for drink. Following is good for chordee, etc.:

    Lupulin 1 dram.
    Camphor monobromate 1 dram.
    Cocoa Butter, sufficient.

Make twelve suppositories and insert one in rectum every three or four hours. Take at the same time, the infusion or tincture every two or three hours. Fomentations are good in pleurisy and many other inflammations. Inhale steam in throat and chest troubles.

HORSE CHESTNUT. Aesculus Hippocastanum.

Internally, used for.—Rheumatism. Used especially for piles.

Part used.—Bark and fruit which contains tannin.

Gather.—Late autumn.

Flowers (when).—In May and June, and fruit ripens late in autumn.

Grows (where).—Native of Asia. Naturalized here.

Prepared (how).—Powder of the rind of the root or powdered fruit. Decoction made of the bark by using one and one-half ounces to a pint of water and boiling.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose: For rheumatism two ounces, three times a day. For piles, make an ointment of the powdered nut and apply. This is very good.

HOARHOUND. White Hoarhound. Marrubium Vulgare.

Internally, used for.—Coughs, colds, bronchitis, chronic asthma, sweating, hoarseness.

Part used.—Whole herb.

Gather.—When fresh.

Grows (where).—Naturalized in United. States. Grows in dry sandy fields, waste grounds, roadsides; etc.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 427]

Prepared (how).—Infusion hot and cold by adding one ounce to pint of water; fluid extract.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of infusion, two to four ounces; fluid extract, one to two teaspoonfuls. A syrup is also made; dose, two ounces. Infusion used hot for sweating, freely and often; cold and chest troubles about every two to four hours; or use fluid extract. The hot infusion should be used in asthma, amenorrhea, and hoarseness.

JUNIPER. Juniper Communis.

Internally, used for.—Dropsy, and to increase flow of urine in kidney troubles.

Part used.—Berries.

Gather.—August.

Flowers (when).—In May and June and ripe in August.

Grows (where).—Grows in United States and Canada, in dry woods and hills.

Prepared (how).—In infusion or oil. For infusion, use one ounce of the berries to a pint of boiling water. It can be made more effective by adding half ounce of cream of tartar to the infusion.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—It should be used within the twenty-four hours for above troubles, dropsy, etc. The oil can be bought and used in doses of five to twenty drops, three or four times a day.

LADY'S SLIPPER. American Valerian. Yellow Umbel. Nerve Root. Yellow Moccasin Flower. Noah's Ark. Cypripedium Pubescens. Internally, used for.—Hysteria, chorea, nervous headache, nervousness, delirium, hypochondria.

Part used.—The root.

Gather.—In autumn, cleanse from dirt and dry in the shade. Virtue impaired by boiling.

Flowers (when).—In May and June.

Grows (where).—Most parts of United States in rich woods and meadows.

Prepared (how).—In infusion, powder and tincture.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of powder, thirty to sixty grains in hot water. Tincture, one to two teaspoonfuls. Infusion, one to four ounces. For chronic cases large doses three or four times daily. For acute cases half as much every two or three hours. For nervous headache two doses, half hour apart. Following is a good preparation for nervous or sick headache: catnip, scullcap and lady's slipper, in powder, of each one-half ounce. Pour on a pint of boiling water and steep for fifteen minutes, and take half ounce every half hour, for three or four hours.

[428 MOTHERS' REMIEDIES]

LIFE ROOT. Rag Wort. Squaw Weed. Female Regulator. Senecio Gracilis.

Internally, used for.—Mainly for menstrual disorders, when suppressed or too profuse, dysmenorrhea.

Part used.—Root and herb.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—May or June.

Grows (where).—Northern and western United States on banks of creeks and in low marshy grounds.

Prepared (how).—In infusion, by adding half ounce to a pint of boiling water and let steep and take throughout twenty-four hours. Take four or five days before menstruation is expected.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea it may be combined in equal parts with savin and wild ginger, and take one to two ounces four times a day some days before menstruation. In menorrhagia—too much flow—cinnamon and raspberry leaves can be combined with it. Dose, two to four ounces four times a day.

LOBELIA. Wild or Indian Tobacco. Emetic Herb. Puke Weed. Asthma Weed.
Lobelia Inflata.

Internally, used for.—Asthma, emetic for croup (but very weakening), and lung diseases.

Part used.—Leaves and seeds. Dry carefully in the shade. Keep whole or powdered.

Gather.—August or September.

Flowers (when).—July to September.

Grows (where).—Very common, growing in fields and roadsides.

Prepared (how).—As an infusion, one ounce to pint of water, steeped; also tincture.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of the tincture, five to ten drops. Infusion, one to two teaspoonfuls. It should not be used strong enough to produce vomiting, as it is too weakening. In small doses and given often in infusion it produces sweating and relaxation of the tissues, thus helping in asthma and lung diseases; For asthma, dose:—Ten drops of tincture every ten minutes at the onset until better or until there is a little nausea, and then lengthen the interval.

MAIDENHAIR. Adiantum Pedatum.

Internally, used for.—Expectorant, tonic and cooling uses; in fevers, erysipelas, and pleurisy, coughs, hoarseness, influenza.

Part used.—Part above the ground.

Gather.—In autumn. Grows (where).—In United States in deep woods, on moist rich soil.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 429]

Prepared (how).—As a decoction or syrup. Take an ounce of the herb to a pint of boiling water and boil to make a decoction.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Use freely. For feverish conditions use one to two ounces every two hours. In coughs and hoarseness, take four to five times daily. For influenza and pleurisy enough to produce perspiration.

MANDRAKE. May Apple. Wild Lemon. Indian Apple. Raccoon Berry. Podophyllum
Peltatum.

Internally, used for.—A cathartic, alterative action in liver troubles in chronic hepatitis; in blood diseases as syphilis, rheumatism; clears liver; for constipation.

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—In autumn soon after fruit has ripened.

Flowers (when).—May and June and fruit ripens in September.

Grows (where).—In all parts of the United States, in damp and shady woods and sometimes in dry and exposed places.

Prepared (how).—In powder and tincture. To make tincture: Gather the fresh root before the fruit is ripe, chop and pound to a pulp, and weigh. Then take two parts of alcohol by weight, mix the pulp thoroughly with one-sixth of the alcohol and then add the rest of the alcohol. Stir all, pour into a well stoppered bottle, let stand eight days, in a cool place. Pour off, strain, filter.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—The resin, called podophyllin, can be obtained, and is used in one-fourth to one-eighth grain as a laxative; one-sixteenth of a grain can be taken four times a day for chronic liver trouble. Take ten drops of tincture four times a day for chronic diseases. Some can take more. For blood diseases., rheumatism, etc.

MARSHMALLOW. Mortification Root. Altheae Officinalis.

Internally, used for.—Hoarseness, gonorrhea, irritated bladder, acute dysentery, and diarrhea, blood in urine and gravel.

Externally, used for.—Poultice for painful swellings, bruises, scalds, burns, poisons.

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—Autumn.

Flowers (when).—July to September.

Grows (where).—Europe and this country.

Prepared (how).—Poultice; cut up finely and apply hot. Decoction half ounce to two pints of boiling water and boil down to one pint.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Take one to three ounces four times a day for chronic diseases, and one ounce every two hours for acute troubles mentioned above. It is a mild soothing drink and medicine.

[430 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

MARIGOLD. Calendula Officinalis.

Externally, used.—As a local remedy for cuts and wounds, applied constantly, it is the best remedy I know.

Part used.—Leaves and flowers.

Gather.—When in full bloom.

Grows (where).—Well-known garden plant.

Prepared (how).—Make a tincture of the flowers and leaves, or buy it. To make tincture: Take the fresh leaves at the top of the plant with the blossoms and buds, chop and pound to a pulp, enclose in a piece of new linen and press. Shake the expressed juice, with an equal part of alcohol by weight, allow it to stand eight days in a well stoppered bottle, in a dark cool place and then filter.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Use freely on clean linen or gauze on wounds, cuts, etc.

MILKWEED. Also called Silkweed. Asclepias Syriaca.

Internally, used for.—Dropsy, retention of urine, scrofulous and rheumatic troubles.

Part used.—Root. Plant gives out a milky juice when wounded.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—July and August.

Grows (where).—Common in United States and grows in sandy fields, on the roadsides and on bank of streams.

Prepared (how).—Powder, decoction and tincture. Decoction is made by using three ounces of the root to one quart of water, and boil.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Take as directed four times a day. Dose of tincture, ten to thirty drops four times a day. Can be bought. Dose, of the powder, ten to twenty grains. Decoction, two to four ounces.

MOTHERWORT. Leonurus Cardiaca.

Internally, used for.—Menstrual disorders, nervousness, cramps, amenorrhea from colds, suppressed lochia, hysteria, pains peculiar to women, disturbed sleep.

Externally, used