People have known for thousands of years that plants from the forest can be used to treat injuries and cure diseases. Knowledge of the healing properties of herbs, bark, twigs and flowers has been handed down through the generations.
There are many ways to prepare plants for use as medicine. Some used in early America are as follows:
Infusion: Prepared by pouring boiling water over fresh or dried herbs and allowed to steep, then drunk as tea or used as a wash. For example, an infusion of wild cherry bark was used by the Cherokees for the treatment of “yellow”.
Poultice: A mixture of bread, milk and herbs was applied to cuts, bites and wounds.
Plaster: Herbs were ground and mixed into a paste, then aapplied to the chest or back to relieve pain or a cold.
Decoction: Fresh or dried herbs, bark or twigs were boiled in water to extract medicine. For example, the Cherokees treated a child’s stomach ailment by bathing the child in water in which the barks of sassafras, flowering dogwood, service and black gum trees had been steeped.
Storing these medicines in early America was done with oil, tinctures or salves. Oil was usually olive oil and the preparation was done like sun tea. Tincture was done with alcohol, like rum, or pure alcohol in which the herbs were allowed to steep for weeks. Salves were made by frying herbs in lard or butter, then removing the herbs and storing the greasy substance in crocks.
There are many ways to prepare plants for use as medicine. Some used in early America are as follows:
Infusion: Prepared by pouring boiling water over fresh or dried herbs and allowed to steep, then drunk as tea or used as a wash. For example, an infusion of wild cherry bark was used by the Cherokees for the treatment of “yellow”.
Poultice: A mixture of bread, milk and herbs was applied to cuts, bites and wounds.
Plaster: Herbs were ground and mixed into a paste, then aapplied to the chest or back to relieve pain or a cold.
Decoction: Fresh or dried herbs, bark or twigs were boiled in water to extract medicine. For example, the Cherokees treated a child’s stomach ailment by bathing the child in water in which the barks of sassafras, flowering dogwood, service and black gum trees had been steeped.
Storing these medicines in early America was done with oil, tinctures or salves. Oil was usually olive oil and the preparation was done like sun tea. Tincture was done with alcohol, like rum, or pure alcohol in which the herbs were allowed to steep for weeks. Salves were made by frying herbs in lard or butter, then removing the herbs and storing the greasy substance in crocks.
The trick is to know which herbs for which purpose; we don't know. We have excellent doctors.
The photo in this posting is what we see every day from our motor home. We never tire of it.
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