Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-06-03
OId.FashiOned Herbs for the
Toilet.

l often wonder why, amongst the
many specifics ADVOCATED by skin special
lists for the complexion, the old fashioned
herbal decoctions, used so lavishly by
our grandmothers and great-grand-
mothers, appear to be forgotten. 1t
seems that just as there are fashions"
in medicines. there are fashions in cos
metics, yet how much more satisfactory,
and certainly more harmless, were these
herbal preparations than the more re-
cent metallic compositions which are so
frequently recommended for various skin
affections in these latter days.
Those of my readers who live in the
country must be well acquainted with
that little, despised herb growing along
the hard edges of walks and waste
places, called shepherds purse" 1t is
also called shepherds scrip, shepherds
pouch, toywort, pickpurse, and case
wort. 1t often. overruns garden beds
The leaves spread upon the ground, are
long, broad and little indented at the
edges. The stalks are round, erect, nine
or ten inches high. and have few leaves.
The flowers stand at the tops in little
clusters-they are smalland white. The
seeds are small and yellowish, and the
roots are white. This little herb is one
OF the most potent remedies for disor-
ders of the blood and irritable skin erup-
tons. About half teaspoonful of the
tiny seeds eaten two or three times a
day has not only tonic and corrective
effect, but is most efficacious in rheumatic
and scorbutic disorders.
Another very common herb called
snake weed, or bistort, makes an excel
lent astriugent mouth wash for the teeth
and gums, and is most valuable as
gargle tor sore threats when made into
decoction. The powdered root of this
plant, from which the decoction is made,
can he obtained from any herbalist. The
herb is described in Robinson's Herbal
as beautiful wild plant, growing in
shadowy, moist woods, at the foot OF
hills, and in some meadows. 1t flowers
about the end OF Nav, and the seed is
ripe in July. 1t grows about foot and
a halt high. The leaves are broad and
long, like dock leaf, little pointed at
the ends, of bluish-green color on the
upper side, OF an ash-colored gray and
rather purpiish underneath. The flow
grow in a thick spike or ear at the top OF
the stalks, and are of a bright red color.
The stalks on which the flowers stand
have a rim of the leaf running down
them. The stalks are round, firm and
erect, OF a pale green, almost without
leaves, or with very few, and narrow,
placed at distances. The spike of the
flowers is as long and as thick as mans
thumb. 1t has thick, short, knobbeo
root, crooked, aud has an astringent
taste.
A wild plant called catnip has great
number of virtues, one of them being its
useful properties as a wash for cleansing
the head. The leaves are bruised, and
infused in boiling water for this purpose.
Quite a well.known plant. 1t grows a
yard high, and has broad, whitish leaves
and white flowers, like mint. The stalks
are square, whitish, hairy, and erect
The leaves stand two at joint; they
are broadest at the base, and terminate
in an obtuse end They are little in
dented at the edges, and of whtish
green on the upper side; and very white
underneath. The flowers are small and
white, and they grow in spiked clusters,
surrounding the stalks at certain dis
tances.