A new guide to health; or, botanic family physician. Containing a complete system of practice, upon a plan enitrely new; with a description of the vegetables made use of ... to cure disease. To which is added a description of several cases ... attended by the author ... / [Samuel Thomson].

  • Thomson, Samuel, 1769-1843
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new guide to health; or, botanic family physician. Containing a complete system of practice, upon a plan enitrely new; with a description of the vegetables made use of ... to cure disease. To which is added a description of several cases ... attended by the author ... / [Samuel Thomson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    account of its resembling that article in taste, and is made use of by some as a common drink instead of tea or coffee. It is good for canker, and may be used in No. 3, as a substitute for other articles. It grows common in this country and is too well known to need describing. Slippery elm bark.—The inner bark of this tree is an article of much value, and may be used to advantage in many different ways. There are several species of elm that grow common in this country; and there are two kinds of the slippery elm; one, the bark is rather hard and tough, and the other is very brittle; the latter is the best for medical use. The bark should be peel¬ ed, the ross shaved off, then ground, or pounded to a fine pow¬ der. If used internally, put a tea-spoonful of this powder into a tea cup with as much sugar, mix them well together, then add a little cold water to it and stir it till it forms a jelly thick enough to be eaten with a spoon. A tea-spoonful may be taken at a time, and is an excellent medicine to heal soreness in the throat, stomach, and bowels, caused by canker; or more hot water may be put to it and made into a drink, and freely taken for the same purpose. I have made much use of this bark for poultices, and have, in all cases, found it a most excellent article for that pur¬ pose. Mixed with pounded cracker and ginger, it makes the best poultice I have ever found; for burns, scalds, felons, old sores, &c., it is the best thing I have met with to allay the in¬ flammation, ease the pain, and heal them in a short time. Balsam fir.—This balsam is obtained from a tree well known in many parts of this country; it is taken from small blisters which form in the bark. It is of a very healing nature, and is good to remove internal soreness. It forms an important article in my healing salve. When taken it may be dropped on loaf sugar. Ginseng.—This root grows wild in this country, and is found plentifully in Vermont. It was formerly collected for exporta¬ tion, and large quantities of it were sent to China, where it brought a great price. It is said the people of that country con¬ sidered it of great value; but for what purpose they use it, is, I believe, known only to themselves. It is a nervine, and may be used to advantage in all cases of nervous affection, either alone or mixed with other articles. The root should be dug in the fall, dried, and reduced to a fine powder; from half to a tea¬ spoonful may be given for a dose, in hot water, sweetened. Snake root.—This is a well known article, grows wild, and may be found in most parts of this country. It is of a hot na¬ ture, and is made much use of in measles, and other eruptions, to keep the disorder out, for which it is considered very good; this is owing to its warming qualities, which keep the determi¬ ning powers to the surface. The same effect may be produced by almost any strong stimulant; but No. 2, or the composition powders, is much the best for that purpose. A tea made of this root may be given to advantage in many cases of disease ; it has a tendency to promote perspiration, and is good to remove pain in the stomach and bowels and expel wind. The roots, reduced to a powder, may be mixed with ginseng or umbil, for all ner¬ vous complaints.