Mother's Remedies Part 102

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 p.u.b.escens. Internally, used for.--Hysteria, ch.o.r.ea, 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, hoa.r.s.eness, 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 hoa.r.s.eness, take four to five times daily. For influenza and pleurisy enough to produce perspiration.

MANDRAKE. May Apple. Wild Lemon. Indian Apple. Racc.o.o.n Berry. Podophyllum Peltatum.

Internally, used for.--A cathartic, alterative action in liver troubles in chronic hepat.i.tis; 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.