Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-28
HERBS OF THE OLD GARRETT.
Grandmamma' Specifics for All SORTS u
Human Ailments.

Human Ailments.
Along with the memory OF coui'.r -,
garnet used as a playground hiSci9 tnc
recollection of bundles of herbs, IlculG .
al savory. and sweet scented. hanging
to the beams And then what erewsoi ii
memories come to mind OF nauSeous, ~.
| ter draughtS administered Tor wet Icet,
colds indigestion. headaches and other
ailments. From these old-fasnioiieu Ieiii-
| edies some Of the most valuable uruss III
modern materia medica, III the loril Oh
essential oils tinctures, powders, etc,
have been obtained.
Until a comparatively recent lime tne
medicinal value Of plants gave theh theif
| chief interest. Even supernatural power
| ser sings "'rhe Faery Queenc:
Oh, who can tell
The hidden power of herbes and might OF
magick spell?
The names of plants to this day, both
common and botanical come largely from
| their supposed healing properties. There
| was firm belief, also, in the doctrine
loba or liver leaf, owing both titles to the
| shape of the leaf, which seemed to sug-
gest the organ for whose ills this plant
was considered a sovereign remedy.
An old lady who has been famous Tor
her skill in nursing and in herb lore gives
these directions: Gather your herbs When
in flower in dry weather. after the dew Is
off in the morning and before Ii lallS u
night, rejecting any imperfect or dead
leaves, and dry in the shade Ihen tie
each sort in bundles, label and hang in
a dry place.
in the entire domestic pharmacopoeia Is
boneset or thoroughwOrt, common plant
belonging to the composite order. II
grows in wet places and is easily recoS-
nized by its stout. hairy stem, from two
to five. feet high. Its opposite lance snap
ed leaves unite at the base around the
stem, MAKING it appear to pass through
the center. The flowers are dull "h1tc
in large, fiat topped clusters. II is said
to cure disease known in the south as
"breakbone fever" which has probably
given ii the name boneset. An old med
ical work says: "Boneset tea Is SudorlnS.
tonic, antiseptic, cathartic, emetic. diure-
tic, stimulant. etc. 1t cures obstinate dis
eases of the skin. is an antidote for snake
bites and an excellent remedy for bilious
collie. 1t is likewise good for coughs ana
used in hyStcrical complaints
Another familiar plant OF the composite
family is clecampane, a tall growth, three
to five feet high, with stout stem, com
mon along roads and in pastures. The
flowers are large and yellow, daisy hk"
but with many narrow rays Its leaves
are large, woody beneath. the upper ones
partially clasping the stem The muci-
laginous root is the part used in medicine.
long celebrated for curing lung diseases.
coughs and colds.
grows the little plant of most repute II
former times-the Indian tobacco. a spe-
cies of lobelia. The leaves are small, pale
blue growing in the axis OF leaves. IL Is
a powerful emctic and an antidote for
poison. but Gray says 1t IS Itself highly
poisonous.
The great mint family holds an honored
place in medicine. 1t is easy to recOE-
nize its members by their square stem,
opposite leaves and a two-lipped corollit.
Ii you hold the leaves up to the ligNt
you can generally see that they are dot
ted with pellucid glands yielding vola-
tile oil. which gives the warmth and arc
matte odor to the minis.
In wet lands we find the strongest nt
all the minis. and the one most com
monty used. not only incidentally. but Is
"A fiavOring eXtract-peppermint. Here.
too, is its sister. the spearmint. which
it CLOSELY resembles in appearance. ana
guished. however, by the flowers, which
are purplish. in loose spikes in the pepper
mint, while in me spearmint they are
densely crowded. Some one has SAT-:
when the Lord made the small boy ana
the green apple, He must also have made
the peppermint, for its virtue in allayinE
stomach pains Is known the world over.
The most familiar mint OF all. perhaps,
is catnip. with clusters of whitish flowers
dotted with purple. 1t grows near dwell
ing houses, is a useful remedy for collie.
and headache. creates in pussy an
ccstatic state of intoXication and cures
most of her maladieS.
Mention must be made OF at least three
other members of this great family
SkullCdD, Will iItllE bLht btNtA'' NV th-
wet places. one species said to cure ny
drophobia: horehound also moisture
lover. with tiny white flowers in densc
axilary whorls intensely bitter, valued
for coughs and colds. and dittany. whose
bright purple clusters brighten the dry
rOadSides in autumn.
Other plants of a social turn and choos-
ing the vicinity Of dwelling houses are
the small. daisy-likc chamomie the bit
ter tea" famous for producing perspira-
ton; tall tansy, with its deep yellow, ftt
topped flower clusters, used in medicine
since the Middle Ages, and the common
dandeion, growing everywhere most
highly priced as tonic, its milky juice
said to remove frcckies.
On dry pasture lands the tan yelio"
lowered spires Of the mullen. American
velvet plant are a familiar feature. It's
wooIly leaves dipped in hot water used
as Concentrations are said To be excellent
for tonsilitis and sore throat. The list OF
plants justly priced in domestic medicine
is almost endless. a few others can only
be mentioned by name here-pennyroyal
witch hazel. winterSreen, wormwood. az
rimony, mustard, goldthread. hops. etc;
Among herbs of sweet fragrance the
prime favoritc. has always been the i'm
ported lavender, holding Il distinguished
place in old-fashioncd gardens, and max
ing fragrant stores of linen. For this
also may be used sweet Vcrnal grass,
naturalized from Europe, and our native
yellow and white sweet clover. Both these
clovers are tall. from TWO to four feet.
Their papilionaceOuS flowers in slender
spikes are fragrant when dried
In the old time kitchen garden the saw
DRY herbs always held an honored place.
Beds were there Of sage, summer savory
thyme. dill ana marjoram. their spicy
odors conjuring up visions of Thanksgiy-
ing turkey and Il host of good things.
Thyme an emigrant from Europe. is TAX
ing up its abode with us, and many 1
bank where the wild thyme blows" may
be seen purpling the roadsides.
HAPPENED TO ROOSEVELT IN
THE WEST