Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-02-15
APOTHECARY'S GARDEN.
Ready Made Medicines About which
You Probably Know Little.


You Probably Know Little.
The money a man especially a fam
lily man-spends on bottles of nasty
medicines in a lifetime would take him
ON holiday trip once or twice around
the world or start one of his children in
life. And all the time be has natures
own simple remedies, better than any
chemist s concoctiOns outside his door.
In the lily of the valley for instance,
he has one of the best cures known for
dropsy. Most often dropsy results from
weak heart, and the medicinal prop
critics Of lily of the valley brace up this
organ to pitch Of the highest efficiency.
In the Odorous coltsfoot we have am
other splendid remedy. Nothing can
beat 1t In curing cough and even con-
sumption sometimes yields TO it. The
decentralization know more of medicine
than any other people on earth-say
that pipeful of coltsfOOt smoked occa-
sionally will inevitably kill the con-
sumption bacillus
Foxglove is one of those old remedies
which have stood the test of compptition
with the most modern remedies 1t has
never been surpassed as a heart tonic
and is the sheet anchor of the physician
IN all cases of fabby and enlarged heart
muscle.
Then, in horse chestnuts, we have
remedy for both rheumatism and
whooping cough. One seldom hears of
their use, no doubt. but that is because
people have become so impressed with
the high sounding titles of new discov-
cries.
Dandelion, however, holds its own In
popular favor as tonic for children,
and most effectual liver medicine for
their parents.
hops are also coming to the fore
again. For dyspeptic and general weak
ness they are splendid cure And if
people who cannot sleep used them in
stead of ohloral hydrate, sulphonal and
other dangerous drugs, there would be
considerably fewer mysteriously sudden
deaths
For reliever Of pain one need look
for nothing better than ordinary poppy
heads, and, in fact, they are extensive
ly used for this purpose
The expensive bark for which we go
all the way TO Peru is said to be not
whit better as a tonic than the wood
bine that grows outside our own Win
dows. And celery is, as most people are
aware, a splendid nerve tonic.
Horse radish is one of those few
things which doctors themselves take
for their health. 1t is a safeguard
against dyspepsia, as we'll as a highly
stlmulant brain drug.
The root of the humble blackberry.
taken when cholera is about. acts like a
charm in keeping off that terrible dis
school pin their faith TO parsley root in
preference 10 the expensive quinine,
and mistletoe helps the tired heart to do
Its work. as well as acting as sure
preventive of bleeding.
The modest violet has its own medi-
cinal properties. 1t cannot be surpassed
as lung healer, and it is also of great
service in many skin diseases.
Wild cherry has many good qualities
If you are greatly excited, it calms You
like magic; if your nerves are shaky, it
tones them up, aud if you are afraid Of
consumption you could not use anything
better as "a prophylactic. Sage is not
much used now, but II is an excellent
thing for pain in the stomach, acting
somewhat like ginger. Red rose leaves,
principally used to make medicines look
and smell nice. are themselves a tonic
OF no mean power, and elder flowers,
berries and bark have great variety of
uses. They are said TO be good for
rheumatism and epilepsy. When fever
ish, they make you perspire, and they
are pleasant substitute for seidlitz
powders and things of that sort.
Belladonna, or the well known dead
~ nightshade, is still recognized by
doctors all over the world as a plant Of
many medicinal effects. 1t is terrible
poison, but in a plaster it cures the
cramps of cholera; it reduces boils when
used in the form of liniment; il
strengthens the heart when taken in
ternally, and the leaves, when smoked
effectually relieve both asthma and con
sumption.-London Tit-Bits.