The Herbal Remedies of Culpeper and Simmonite - Nature's Medicine

By Nicholas Culpeper and W. J. Simmonite

This invaluable volume combines the knowledge of two herbal doctors, Nicholas Culpeper and W. J. Simmonite, to form an alternative medicine reference book.

Nicholas Culpeper was a famous physician in the seventeenth century and W. J. Simmonite was well-known for his innovative herbal remedies in the 1900s. Combining the studies of these two doctors provides a valuable reference book for those looking for alternative remedies for their ailments.

This volume features three parts:

- Selected Herbs—Their Description and Medicinal Properties

- Ailments and Diseases in General—Their Symptoms and Cure

- Useful Prescriptions Which Can Be Made Up At Home

• Language: English
• Publisher: Home Farm Books
• Release date: Jul 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528761406

Book preview

Part I

SELECTED HERBS—THEIR DESCRIPTION AND MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Arranged in Alphabetical Order

ALEHOOF, OR GROUND-IVY—(Glechoma Hederacea)

SEVERAL counties give it several names, so that there is scarce a herb growing of that bigness, that has got so many. It is called Cat’s-Foot, Ground-Ivy, Gill-go-by-ground, Gill-creep-by-ground, Turn-hoof, Hay-Maids, and Alehoof.

Descrip.—This well known herb lieth, spreadeth and creepeth upon the ground, shooteth forth roots at the corners of tender jointed stalks, set with two round leaves at every joint, somewhat hairy, crumbled, and unevenly dented about the hedges with round dents; at the joints, likewise, with the leaves towards the end of the branches, come forth hollow long flowers, of a blueish purple colour, with small white spots upon the lips that hang down. The root is small, with strings.

Place.—It is commonly found under hedges and on the sides of ditches, under houses, or in shadowed lanes and other waste lands in almost every part of the land.

Time.—They flower somewhat early, and abide a great while; the leaves continue green until winter, and sometimes abide, except the winter be very sharp and cold.

Government and Virtues.—It is a herb of Venus, and therefore cures the diseases she causes by sympathy, and those of Mars by antipathy; you may easily find it all the year, except the year be extremely frosty. The whole plant has a peculiar and strong smell. It should be gathered when in flower.

The juice when snuffed up will cure the headache when other remedies will fail. Dropped in the ear it doth wonderfully relieve the noise and singing of them, and helpeth the hearing which is impaired. When made into tea it is an excellent herb for disorders of the breast, lungs, spleen, belly, and the jaundice. The juice boiled with a little honey and verdigris cleanses fistula, sores, ulcers, itch, scabs, and other breakings out. Gather it and dry, and keep it by you. It clears thick ale.

ALEXANDER—(Smyrn ium Olusatrum)

IT is also called Alisander, Horse Parsley, Wild Parsley, and the Black Pot-herb; the seed of it is that which is usually sold in apothecaries’ shops for Macedonian parsley-seed.

Descrip.—It is sown in nearly all the gardens in Europe, and is so well known that it needs no further description.

Time.—It flowereth in June and July: the seed is ripe in August.

Government and Virtue.—It is an herb of Jupiter, and therefore friendly to nature, for it warmeth a cold stomach, and openeth a stoppage to the liver and spleen; it is good to move women’s courses, to expel the after-birth, to break wind, to provoke urine, and helpeth the strangury; and these things the seeds will do likewise. Either of them boiled in wine, or bruised and taken in wine, is also effectual in the biting of serpents.

ANEMONE—(Anemone Nemorosa)

CALLED also Wind-flower, because they say the flowers never open but when the wind bloweth. The seed also, if it bears any at all, flies away with the wind.

Place and Time.—They are grown in gardens, and flower at various times throughout the year according to the time of sowing. As for description, I shall pass it, being well known to all.

Government and Virtues.—It is under the dominion of Mars, being supposed to be a kind of crow-foot. The leaves provoke the terms mightily, being boiled, and the decoction drank. The body being bathed with the decoction of them, cures the leprosy: the leaves being stamped, and the juice snuffed up the nose, purgeth the head mightily; so doth the root, being chewed in the mouth, for it procureth much spitting, and bringeth away many watery and phlegmatic humors, and is therefore excellent for the legarthy. Being made into an ointment, and the eye-lids anointed with it, it helps inflammations of the eyes. The same ointment is excellent to cleanse malignant and corroding ulcers.

ANISEED—(Anisi Semina)

ANISEED may be purchased from the herbalist. Odour aromatic; taste sweetish, warm, and grateful. Its effects carminative. Used in dyspepsia and the tormina of infants (dose is from 15 grains to 1 scruple, bruised). It is governed by Jupiter.

Take 10 drops of the essential oil, and drop it on 2 drachms of loaf-sugar; powder this in a mortar, gradually adding while the rubbing to powder is going on 2 drachms of calcined magnesia. This powder should be well corked up, and as much as can lay on a sixpence given to the child when it cries or complains of pain the the bowels. Twice this quantity may be given when the child is costive.

Here you have a most valuable powder, which you may call Sugar of Anise.

ARUM—(Arum)

ARUM, or Cuckoo Pint, called also Ladysmock, and by children Lord and Lady. The root is the size and shape of a walnut, brown on the outside and white within; it lies deep, and the plant grows under hedges, and is of a sharp acid taste—but remember it is a poisonous plant. Under the Moon, the same as watercresses. The root is the part used, and may be dug up in autumn and buried in sand in the cellar or other dark place to preserve.

Preparation of Arum.—Take of the root of Arum, crushed, 1/2 pound; well refined Sugar, 1/2 pound; beat them together in a mortar till all are well mixed.

Dose.—1 drachm for gout, rheumatism, bad digestion, scurvy, loss of appetite, palsy, stone, obstruction in urinal vessels. To be taken every morning.

BALM—(Melissa officinalis)

BALM is under Jupiter and Cancer, and flowers in July, at which time it should be gathered for use. It is an excellent stomachic; it braces the nerves, helps faintings, swoonings, and digestion, causes perspiration, and is therefore good in colds and headache, and when made into tea is used as a diluent in febrile diseases. Dose of the powder is 10 grains to 2 scruples.

Compound Spirit of Balm.—Take of the fresh leaves of Balm, 8 ounces; Lemon-Peel, bruised, 4 ounces; Nutmegs and Carraway-Seeds of each, 2 ounces; Cloves, Cinnamon, Angelica Root, of each 1 ounce. Distill all together with a quart of brandy. It must then be well preserved in bottles with glass stoppers. The herb bruised and boiled in a little linseed oil and laid warm on a boil, will ripen and break it.

BARLEY—(Hordei Semina)

THIS is Pearl Barley, and is a plant under Saturn; consequently has cooling qualities as all Saturnine plants have. It is given as a diluent in fever affections, recent gonorrhœa, hot urine, and strangury.

Barley Water or Decoction of Barley.—Pearl Barley, 2 ounces; Water, 4 1/2 pints. First wash with cold water. Pour upon the barley 1/2 pint of water, boil for a few minutes. Let this water be thrown away, and add the remainder of the water; boil down to one half and strain. The dose as much as you like. When converted into malt, the infusion or decoction is an excellent antiscorbutic, and for scrofulous ulcers and sores.

BETONY (WOOD)—(Betonia Officinalis)

THIS is a native plant common in woods and moors; flowers in July, at which time or in June the herb should be gathered. It is under Jupiter in Aries, which rules diseases in the head, and this herb is made into snuff after the following manner: Take a handful of Betony, a handful of Marjoram, small portion of the root of Florentine, and a small portion of Eyebright. Made in a very fine powder and snuffed, it will remove the most inveterate headache. A strong decoction of this herb kills worms, opens obstructions in the liver, removes pains in the back and stitches in the side. Its juice heals cuts, old sores, and ulcers.

BIRCH TREE—(Betula Alba)

THE Birch is well known. It is under the dominion of Venus, and of course is a diuretic. The juice of the young leaves, or the distilled water of them, or the sap procured by boring a hole, is good against scurvy, dropsy, and in all cutaneous disorders, outwardly applied. A strong decoction of the leaves is good to wash sore mouths, and to break the stone and remove gravel in the kidneys.

BUCKBEAN—(Menyanthes)

BUCKBEAN, or Marsh Trefoil is an indigenous perennial plant, governed by the Moon, grows in boggy grounds, and flowers in May and June. Its stalks grow 3 or 4 inches long and resemble the leaves of beans. The flowers are on the top of a whitish purple; the seed is small and brown, and the root is long and jointed.

Virtues.—It is inodorous; taste intensely bitter, which water extracts. Along with the medical properties which it possesses, it is diuretic, purgative, and tonic, but in large doses emetic. It is a great antiscorbutic, and is good for intermittent fevers when taken in decoction, a spoonful every three hours. The dried leaves powdered, 1 scruple for chronic rheumatic affections, dropsy, itch, and other cutaneous diseases. An excellent gargle for the rottenness of the gums and to fasten the teeth; infusion must not be made too strong.

BURDOCK—(Arctium Lappa)

BURDOCK, or Lappa Minor, is well-known. It grows a yard high, and has vast leaves. The flowers are red, which grows among the hooked prickles of those heads which we call burs, and which stick to our clothes. It is under Venus.

The root is chiefly used, and is of very great medical virtue. It is to be boiled or infused in water, and is diuretic, diaphoretic, aperient, and sudorific. It is good in fevers. It alone has cured dropsies, for it works powerfully by urine. It is used in rheumatism, gout, aphthæ, in decoction made with 2 ounces of the root in 3 gills of water, the whole to be taken during twenty-four hours.

CAMOMILE—(Anthemis Nobilis)

CAMOMILE is under the dominion of the Sun, and of course is good for the stomach, and grateful. The taste is bitter and warm: these properties lie in the flower. Being a tonic, it strengthens the stomach when drunk in the morning. It is externally discutient; emollient when used for callouses, shrunken sinews, gout, enlarged joints, and white swellings. The warm tea promotes the operation of emetics; intermittents, dyspepsia, hysteria, flatulent colic; as fomentations in gripings; and to ripen suppurating tumours. Dose in powder, 1 drachm twice a day. When applied in any case the bowels should be regulated and got into a proper state.

There is an extract which may be purchased at the best chemists, called Extractum anthemidis, but you must be careful they do not impose upon you by selling extract of gentian for extract of camomiles. It is almost inodorous; taste, a pure grateful bitter; colour, dark brown. For bad appetite, bad digestion, and general debility, take pills containing 15 grs. twice or three times a day.

Oil of Camomiles, called Oleum anthemidis, 6 drops in sugar, is good for spasms, colic, and cramps of the stomach.

CARRAWAY—(Carum Carui)

CARRAWAY ought to be grown in every garden. The seed is the principal part used, although the root is better food than parsnip. Flowers in June and July, and is ripe soon after. It is governed by Mercury, and is good for all diseases when located in Gemini and Virgo, as flatulency, flatulent colic, gouty pains in the head. It is carminative, and gives warmth to purgatives. The seed powdered and mixed in poultice takes the blackness from bruises.

CELANDINE, GREAT—(Chelidonium Majus)

THIS herb grows by old walls, hedges, and untilled places. It has large leaves and yellow flowers. Flowers all summer. It is a herb of the Sun in Leo, and should be gathered when the Sun is in Leo and the Moon in Aries, applying to a trine of Sol. The juice takes off warts, and being dropped in the eye heals sore eyes, helps ringworms, scorbutic eruptions, mercurial sores, and bad legs.

CELANDINE, LITTLE—(Chelidonium Minus)

LITTLE Celandine, more generally known as Pilewort or Fogwort, is a low plant, and has broad deep green leaves and glossy yellow flowers. Grows in moist grassy places under hedges. Flowers in March and April, and is over in May. It is under the planet Mars, and is good against his diseases. The root resembles a pile. The juice taken inwardly, and the whole plant root and all made into ointment, cures the piles or hæmorrhoids.

CENTAURY—(Erythrœa Centaurium)

CENTAURY is under the Sun. It is a pretty wild plant, found in dry places. Flowers in autumn, about 9 inches high. Leaves oblong, blunt at the point; stalks stiff, firm, erect; flowers long, slender, and stand in clusters, and of a fine pale red.

An excellent stomachic; taste bitter. A strong decoction emetic; strong tea diaphoretic; light infusion