Physic Garden

Common Name: germander
Botanical Name: Teucrium pyrenaicum
Native Range: Pyrenees

A description of the use of germander in Enquiry into Plants by Theophrastus, c. 350-287 BC:

Of germander the leaves pounded up in olive-oil are useful for fractures and wounds and for spreading sores; the fruit purges bile, and is good also for the eyes; for ulcers in the eye they pound up the leaf in olive-oil before applying it. It has leaves like the oak, but its entire growth is only about a palm high; and it is sweet both to smell and taste.

Common Name: horehound
Botanical Name: Marribium vulgare
Native Range: Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern and central Asia

A description of the use of horehound in Natural History by Pliny the Elder, c. 77-79 AD:

Most medical writers have spoken in high terms of marrubium, or horehound, as a plant of the very greatest utility. The leaves and seed beaten up, together, are good for the stings of serpents, pains of the chest and side, and inveterate coughs. The branches, too, boiled in water with panic, so as to modify its acridity, are remarkably useful for persons troubled with spitting of blood. Horehound is applied also, with grease, to scrofulous swellings. Some persons recommend for a cough, a pinch of the fresh seed with two fingers, boiled with a handful of spelt and a little oil and salt, the mixture to be taken fasting. Others, again, regard as quite incomparable for a similar purpose an extract of the juices of horehound and fennel. Taking three sextarii of the extract, they boil it down to two, and then add one sextarius of honey; after which they again boil it down to two, and administer one spoonful of the preparation daily, in one cyathus of water.

Beaten up with honey, horehound is particularly beneficial for affections of the male organs; employed with vinegar, it cleanses lichens, and is very salutary for ruptures, convulsions, spasms, and contractions of the sinews. Taken in drink with salt and vinegar, it relaxes the bowels, promotes the menstrual discharge, and accelerates the after-birth. Dried, powdered, and taken with honey, it is extremely efficacious for a dry cough, as also for gangrenes and hang-nails. The juice, too, taken with honey, is good for the ears and nostrils: it is a remedy also for jaundice, and diminishes the bilious secretions. Among the few antidotes for poisons, it is one of the very best known.

The plant itself, taken with iris and honey, purges the stomach and promotes expectorations: it acts, also, as a strong diuretic, though, at the same time, care must be taken not to use it when the bladder is ulcerated and the kidneys are affected. It is said, too, that the juice of horehound improves the eyesight. Castor speaks of two varieties of it, the black horehound and the white, which last he considers to be the best. He puts the juice of it into an empty eggshell, and then mixes the egg with it, together with honey, in equal pro- portions: this preparation used warm, he says, will bring abscesses to a head, and cleanse and heal them. Beaten up, too, with stale axle-grease and applied topically, he says, horehound is a cure for the bite of a dog.

Common Name: pennyroyal
Botanical Name: Mentha pulegium
Native Range: Europe, North Africa and the Middle East

A description of the use of pennyroyal in Natural History by Pliny the Elder, c. 77-79 AD:

Pennyroyal partakes with mint, in a very considerable degree, the property of restoring consciousness in fainting fits; slips of both plants being kept for the purpose in glass bottles filled with vinegar. It is for this reason that Varro has declared that a wreath of pennyroyal is more worthy to grace our chambers than a chaplet of roses: indeed, it is said that, placed upon the head, it materially alleviates head-ache. It is generally stated, too, that the smell of it alone will protect the head against the injurious effects of cold or heat, and that it acts as a preventive of thirst; also, that persons exposed to the sun, if they carry a couple of sprigs of pennyroyal behind the ears, will never be incommoded by the heat. For various pains, too, it is employed topically, mixed with polenta and vinegar.

The female plant is the more efficacious of the two; it has a purple flower, that of the male being white. Taken in cold water with salt and polenta it arrests nausea, as well as pains of the chest and abdomen. Taken, too, in water, it prevents gnawing pains of the stomach, and, with vinegar and polenta, it arrests vomiting. In combination with salt and vinegar, and polenta, it loosens the bowels. Taken with boiled honey and nitre, it is a cure for intestinal complaints. Employed with wine it is a diuretic, and if the wine is the produce of the Aminean grape, it has the additional effect of dispersing calculi of the bladder and removing all internal pains. Taken in conjunction with honey and vinegar, it modifies the menstrual discharge, and brings away the after-birth, restores the uterus, when displaced, to its natural position, and expels the dead fetus. The seed is given to persons to smell at, who have been suddenly struck dumb, and is prescribed for epileptic patients in doses of one cyathus, taken in vinegar. If water is found unwholesome for drinking, bruised pennyroyal should be sprinkled in it; taken with wine it modifies acridities of the body.

Mixed with salt, it is employed as a friction for the sinews, and with honey and vinegar, in cases of opisthotony. Decoctions of it are prescribed as a drink for persons stung by serpents; and, beaten up in wine, it is employed for the stings of scorpions, that which grows in a dry soil in particular. This plant is looked upon as efficacious also for ulcerations of the mouth, and for coughs. The blossom of it, fresh gathered, and burnt, kills fleas by its smell. Xenocrates, among the other remedies which he mentions, says that in tertian fevers, a sprig of pennyroyal, wrapped in wool, should be given to the patient to smell at, just before the fit comes on, or else it should be put under the bed-clothes and laid by the patient’s side. 

Common Name: bay laurel
Botanical Name: Laurus nobilis
Native Range: Northern Africa, Western Asia, Southern Europe

A description of the use of bay laurel in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, c. 50-70 AD:

One type of laurel is narrow-leaved, the other broad-leaved. Warming and softening are both; Therefore, their decoction is suitable for sitz baths for uterine and bladder disorders. The green leaves adstring gently, grated and hung up heal wasp and bee stings. They can also relieve any inflammation when handled with barley groats and bread, but drunk they complain the stomach and provoke vomiting. The fruits (laurels) are more warming than the leaves; they therefore work well in the leak with honey or sweet wine in phthisis and orthopnea, and rheumatism of the breast. With wine they are drunk against scorpion sting, they also eliminate the white patches of skin. The squeezed juice helps with earache and hearing loss, when it is drizzled with old wine and rose oil. It is also mixed with ointments and warming and distributing envelopes. But the bark of the root smashes the stone and kills the fruit; it is also salutary to the liver sufferers when it is drunk in the gift of three Obolen with spiced wine.

Common Name: cardamom
Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum
Native Range: India

A description of the use of cardamom in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, c. 50-70 AD:

The best cardamom is sourced from Comagene, Arabia, and the Bosphorus; it grows in India and Arabia. Choose the one that is hard to break, full and rattling [because what this property does not have is collected at the wrong time], which has a numbing odor and sharp, bitter taste. It has warming power. When taken with water, it works against epilepsy, coughing, sciatica, paralysis, lacerations, cramps, and body cutting and wipes off the tapeworm. Taken with wine, it is a good remedy for kidney problems, urinary retention, scorpion stings and all bites of poisonous animals. With one drachma drunk from the root bark of the laurel, it smashes the bladder stone. In the smoking process it kills the embryo, rubbed in with vinegar, it drives off the scabies.

Common Name: castor bean
Botanical Name: Ricinus communis
Native Range: Northeastern Africa to the Middle East

A description of the use of castor bean in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, c. 50-70 AD:

The castor oil is made in this way: Take any number of ripe croton fruits, dry them in the sun, after you have occupied the place with a horde until the outer (enclosing) bark falls off; then collect the meat, place it in a mortar and pound it carefully and place it in a tinned kettle with water and let it dry over an underfired fire. When it has released all the liquid in it, lift the kettle off the fire, scoop up the floating oil with a shell and set it aside. The Egyptians, because they use it abundantly, prepare it differently. After cleaning, they put the croton fruits on a mill and grind them carefully. The milled bring them in wicker baskets and express it with a press. But the fruits are ripe, when they detach themselves from the pods enclosing them. The castor oil is effective against evil grind, scabies and inflammation of the buttocks; also against obstruction and twisting of the uterus, further against ugly wound scars and earache. Blended with the patches it makes them more effective. Drunk, it carries the watery off through the stomach and drives out the worms.

Common Name: chaste tree
Botanical Name: Vitex agnus-castus
Native Range: Mediterranean, Asia

A description of the use of chaste tree in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, c. 50-70 AD:

Keuschlamm or Lygos [in some of the barren, innocent, three-fingered, in the prophets of the venerable, the blood of the Ibis, by the Egyptians Sum, by the Romans beach willow, wild pepper, Lecristicum] is a tree-like shrub, which by rivers and in marshy Plains, even in harsh areas and rocky coasts, grow and hard to break long branches, leaves like the olive tree, only smoother and larger. One species has a white, another species a purple flower. The seed is like pepper. He has warming, contracting power. Its fruit, drunk, helps those bitten by venomous animals, those with spleen and dropsy, and those who are absent for a long time. In the gift of 1 drachma taken with wine, it promotes the milk secretion and also facilitates the birth. But she attacks the head, making dizziness. The decoction of the herb and seed helps in sitting pictures of uterine diseases and inflammations. The seed drunk with Polei, also in the fumigation and suppository, promotes the cleansing. In the envelope, he sells the headache, and in the case of the sleepy and insane, he is blown up with vinegar and oil. The leaves lit for smoking and also used as a camp scare away the wild animals and help as an envelope against the bite of poisonous animals. Hardening of the testicles soften them with butter and vine leaves. The seed spread with water relieves cracks around the anus, at the same time as the leaves it heals dislocations and wounds. However, a preventive measure against the wolf on hikes should also be, if someone carries a branch of it in the hand.

Common Name: olive
Botanical Name: Olea europaea
Native Range: Mediterranean

A description of the use of olive oil in De Materia Medica by Pedanius Dioscorides, c. 50-70 AD:

The older but oily oil is suitable for use with medicines. In general, every oil is warming and softening the flesh, protecting the body from excessive cold and refreshing to work. It also has the ability to open body and soften, while it mitigates in the mix the forces of the biting means. Also against deadly poisons it is given, where it is constantly drunk and vomited again. It takes to 1 cotyle with the same amount of barley mucus or water taken away; those suffering from convulsions will be given 6 cups of benefit in a decoction of rhombus. The worms also drive it off. But especially it is used against intestinal entanglement. The old one is both warming and more laxative. It is an ointment for clear-sightedness.

Common Name: hyssop
Botanical Name: Hyssopus officinalis
Native Range: southern and eastern Europe

A description of the use of hyssop in The English Physician by Nicholas Culpeper, 1652:

Hyssop is so well known to be an inhabitant in every garden, that it will save me labor in writing a description thereof. The virtues are as follow. The herb is Jupiter’s, and the sign Cancer. It strengthens all parts of the body under Cancer and Jupiter; which what they may be, is found amply described in my astrological judgment of diseases. Dioscorides says, that Hyssop boiled with rue and honey, and drank, helps those that are troubled with coughs, shortness of breath, wheezing and rheumatic distillation up on the lungs; taken also with oxymel, it purges gross humours by stool; and with honey, kills worms in the belly; and with fresh and new figs bruised, helps to loosen the belly, and more forcibly if the root of the Flower-de-luce and cresses be added thereto. It amends and cherishes the native color of the body, spoiled by the yellow jaundice; and being taken with figs and nitre, helps the dropsy and spleen; being boiled with wine, it is good to wash inflammations, and takes away the black and blue spots and marks that come by strokes, bruises, or falls, being applied with warm water. It is an excellent medicine for the quinsy, or swellings in the throat, to wash and gargle it, being boiled in figs; it helps the toothache, being boiled in vinegar and gargled therewith. The hot vapors of the decoction taken by a funnel in at the ears, eases the inflammations and singing noises of them. Being bruised, and salt, honey, and cumin seed put to it, helps those that are stung by serpents. The oil there (the head being anointed) kills lice, and takes away itching of the head. It helps those that have the falling sickness, which way soever it be applied. It helps to expectorate tough phlegm, and is effectual in all cold griefs or diseases of the chest or lungs, being taken either in syrup or licking medicine. The green herb bruised and a little sugar put thereto, does quickly heal any cuts or green wounds, being thereunto applied.

Common Name: parsley
Botanical Name: Petroselinum crispum
Native Range: Greece, Yugoslavia

A description of the use of parsley in The English Physician by Nicholas Culpeper, 1652:

It is under the dominion of Mercury; is very comfortable to the stomach; helps to provoke urine and women’s courses, to break wind both in the stomach and bowels, and doth a little open the body, but the root much more. It opens obstructions both of liver and spleen, and is therefore accounted one of the opening roots. Galen commended it against the falling sickness, and to provoked urine mightily; especially if the roots boiled, and eaten like Parsnips. The seed is effectual to provoke urine and women’s courses, to expel wind, to break the stone, and ease the pains and torments thereof; it is also effectual against the venom of any poisonous creature, and the danger that comes to them that have the lethargy, and is as good against the cough. The distilled water of Parsley is a familiar medicine with nurses to give their children when they troubled with wind in the stomach or belly which they call the frets; and is also much available to them that are of great years. The leaves of Parsley laid to the eyes that are inflamed with heat, or swollen, doth much help them, if it be used with bread meal; and being fried with butter, applied to women’s breasts that are hard through the curdling of their milk, it abates the hardness quickly; and also takes away black and blue marks coming of bruises or falls. The juice thereof dropped into the ears with a little wine, eases the pains. Tragus sets down an excellent medicine to help the jaundice and falling sickness, the dropsy, and stone in the kidneys, in this manner: Take the seed of Parsley, Fennel, Annise and Carraways, each of an ounce; of the roots of Parsley, Burnet, Saxifrage, and Carraways, each of an ounce and a half; let the seed be bruised, and the roots washed and cut small; let them lie all night to steep in a bottle of white wine, and in the morning be boiled in a close earthen vessel until a third part or more be wasted; which being strained and cleared, take four ounces thereof morning and evening first and last, abstaining from drink after it for three hours. This opens obstructions of the liver and spleen, and expels the dropsy and jaundice by urine.

Common Name: fig
Botanical Name: Ficus carica
Native Range: western Asia, southeastern Europe

A description of fig in The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes by John Gerard, 1636:

Figs are good for the throat and lungs, they mitigate the cough, and are good for them that be short winded: they ripen phlegm, causing the same to be easily spit out, especially when they are sodden with Hyssop, and the decoction drunk.

Figs stamped with salt, rue, and the kernels of nuts withstand all poison and corruption of the air. The King of Pontus, called Mithridates, used this preservative against all venom and poison.

Figs stamped and made into the form of a plaster with wheat meal, the powder of Fenugreek, and Linseed, and the roots of Marsh Mallows, applied warm, does soften and ripen impostumes, phlegmons, all hot and angry swellings and tumors behind the ears: and if you add the roots of Lilies, it ripens and breaks for venereal impostumes that come into the flank, which impostume is called bubo, by reason of his lurking in such secret places, in plain English terms they are called botches.

Figs boiled in Wormwood wine with some Barley meal are very good to be applied as a plaster upon the bellies of such as have the dropsy.

Dried figs have power to soften, consume and make thin, and maybe use both outwardly and inwardly, whether it be to ripen or soften impostumes, or to scatter, dissolve and consume them.

The leaves of the fig tree do waste and consume the Kings Evil, or swelling kernels in the throat, and do mollify, waste, and consume all other tumors, being finally pounded and laid thereon: but after my practice, being boiled with the roots of Marsh Mallow until they be soft, and so incorporated together, and applied in the form of a plaster.

The milky juice either of the figs or leaves is good against all roughness of the skin, leprosy, spreading sores, smallpox, measles, pushes, wheals, freckles. Lentils, and all other spots, and deformity of the body and face, being mixed with Barley meal and applied: it does also take away warts and such like excrescences, if it be mingled with some fatty or greasy thing.

The milk does also cure the tooth-ache, if a little lint or cotton be wet therein, and put into the hollowness of the tooth.

It opens the veins of the hemorrhoids, and loosens the belly, being applied to the fundament.

Figs stamped with the powder of Fenugreek, and vinegar, and applied plasterwise, does ease the intolerable pain of the hot gout, especially the gout of the feet.

The milk thereof put into the wound proceeding of the biting of a mad dog, or any other venomous beast, preserves the parts adjoining, takes away the pain presently, and cures the hurt.

Common Name: larkspur
Botanical Name: Delphinium elatum
Native Range: Europe, northern and central Asia

A description of the use of larkspur in The herball, or, Generall historie of plantes by John Gerard, 1636:

“…that the seed of Larkspur drunken is good against the stinging of Scorpions; whose virtues are so forcible, that the herb being only thrown before the Scorpion or any other venomous beast, causes them to be without force or strength to hurt, insomuch that they cannot move or stir until the herb is taken away…”

Common Name: lovage
Botanical Name: Levisticum officinale
Native Range: Eastern Mediterranean

A description of lovage in The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes by John Gerard, 1636:

This plant being our common garden Lovage, has large and broad leaves, almost like smallage (the wild variety of celery). The stalks are round, hollow and knotty, 3 cubits high, having spokie tufts, or bushy rundles; and at the top of the stalks of a yellow color, a round, flat, and brown seed, like the seed of Angelica: the root is long and thick, and brings for the every year new stems.

The roots of Lovage are very good for all inward diseases, driving away ventosites or windiness of the stomach. The seed thereof warms the stomach, helps digestion; where for the people of Gennes in times past did use it in their meats, as we do pepper, according to the testimony of Ant. Musa. The distilled water of Lovage clears the sight, and puts away all spots, lentils, freckles, and redness of the face, if they be often washed therewith.

Common Name: yarrow
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium
Native Range: Europe, western Asia, North America

A description of yarrow in The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes by John Gerard, 1636:

The leaves of Yarrow do close up wounds, and keep them from inflammation, or fiery swelling: it stanches blood in any part of the body, and it likewise put into baths for women to fit in: it stops the leaks, and being drunk it helps the bloody flix. 

Most men say the leaves chewed, and especially green are a remedy for the tooth-ache.

The leaves being put into the nose, do cause it to bleed, and ease the pain of the migraine.

It cures the inward excoriations of the yard of a man, coming by reason of pollutions or extreme flowing of the seed, although the issue does cause inflammation and swelling of those secret parts, and though the spermatic matter do come down in great quantity, if the juice be infected with a syringe, or decoction. This has been proven by a certain friend of mine, sometimes a Fellow of Kings College in Cambridge, who lightly bruised the leaves of common Yarrow, with Hogs-grease, and applied it warm unto the private parts, and thereby did divers times help himself, and others of his fellows, when he was a student and a single man living in Cambridge.  One dram in powder of the herb given in wine, presently taketh away the pains of the colic.

Common Name: pomegranate
Botanical Name: Punica granatum
Native Range: middle and western Asia

A description of pomegranate in A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell, 1737-1739:

… the flowers and the bark are very drying and astringent, good for all sorts of fluxes, hemorrhages, bleedings. They strengthen the gums, fasten loose teeth, help the falling down of the uvula, and cancerous ulcers in the mouth and throat.

Common Name: rosemary
Botanical Name: Salvia rosmarinus
Native Range: Northern Africa, western Asia, southern Europe

A description of rosemary in A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell, 1737-1739:

It is accounted good for affections of the head and nerves. It strengthens your sight and memory, and opens obstructions of the liver and spleen. The dried herb burnt is good to sweeten the air. Officinal preparations are Conserva Anthos, Aqua Reginae Hungariae, the Chymical Oil and fixed salt.

Editors note: Conserva Anthos is a conserve, or preservation of rosemary flowers. Aqua Reginae Hungariae, also known as Hungary water, was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe made primarily from rosemary. 

Common Name: wafer ash
Botanical Name: Ptelea trifoliata
Native Range: Eastern and Central United States

A description of the use of wafer ash in American Medicial Plants by Charles F. Millspaugh, 1887: 

Rafinesque first introduced the plant in American medical literature in his work on Medical Botany, 1830, speaking of the leaves as vulnerary and vermifuge.  Schoepf gives the same in substance; and Merat and De Lens speak of the fruit as aromatic and bitter, and an affirmed substitute for hops. Howard speaks of the bark of the root as an excellent stimulant, expectorant tonic; especially useful in agues. Jones speaks of the plant as “a pure unirritating tonic” in cold infusion, especially adapted to convalescence after debilitating fevers. Following these, its use became general, especially in Eclectic practice, for a variety of troubles, especially asthma, phthisis, glandular degeneration in general, syphilis, scrofula, chronic diarrhoea, epilepsy, dyspepsia, intermittent fever, and chronic rheumatism. 

Part Used and Preparation-The fresh bark, gathered after the fruit is ripe, but before the leaves begin to fade, is treated as in the preceding drug. The tincture, separated by pressure and filtration, has a brownish orange color by transmitted light; a bitter odor; an extremely bitter taste; and an acid reaction. 

In Dr. E. M. Hale’s provings of this drug upon a number of observers, who took from 30 to 500 drops of the tincture, and from 1 grain to a scruple of “Ptelein.” the following disturbances occurred: Mental depression and confusion; frontal headache, vertigo; contraction of the pupil; aural pains with swelling of the lymphatics; tongue sore, yellow-coated; ptyalism; voracious appetite; nausea, with pressure in the stomach as of a stone; griping colic; great urging followed by copious diarrhoeic stools; urine increased; heart’s action increased; general restlessness and prostration, followed by chilliness and fever.

Common Name: butcher’s broom
Botanical Name: Ruscus aculeatus
Native Range: Northern Africa, Western Asia, Europe

A description of the use of butcher’s broom in Medicina Britannica by Thomas Short, 1746:

Butcher’s-Boom, or Knee-Holly Root, is very useful in stuffings and obstructions of the viscera, especially the liver, spleen, and urinary passages. Hence it is good in the jaundice, dropsy, and strangury; the second whereof, of a deplorable sort, has been cured in a month, by daily drinking a decoction of this alone, or with Flower-de-luce, and Fennel Roots in wine or water; it is thought as powerful as Comfrey in healing broken bones, or as Solomon’s Seal. Tho’ a decoction of the root has had such surprising effects in dropsies in a few weeks, yet proper purges were, and always should be given with it, as of Jalap Root and Ginger, or Jalap and Syrup of Buckthorn, twice a week. Powder of the root and of Dropwort, and Figwort, of each a Scruple, infused in a pint of white wine, and drank daily, is good in scrophulous tumours. A conserve of its berries is commended in a gonorrhea, taken from two drams to half an ounce, for some days; or Rose water four ounces, juice of Lemons one ounce, white of an egg, mix and drink every fourth day.

Common Name: vervain
Botanical Name: Verbena officinalis
Native Range: Europe

A description of vervain in Medicina Britannica: Or, A Treatise on Such Physical Plants as are Generally to be Found in the Fields Or Gardens in Great-Britain: Containing a Particular Account of Their Nature, Virtues, and Uses by Thomas Short, 1746:

Vervain formerly called Herba Sacra, was much admired, being good in diseases of the head, from cold humours; in diseases of the eyes and breast; in obstinate coughs, in obstructions of the liver, spleen, and jaundice; in gripes, and bloody flux. It wastes and expels the stone, suppresses lust, cures tertians, eases arthritics, heals wounds, and forwards the birth; outwardly it is a noble vulnerary; it is good for pains of the head, tooth-ach, baldness, melancholy, weakness, dimness, and redness of the eyes. It is also useful, applied in a poultice, to the throat for a quinsy, or hoarseness; for a gargle, in swellings of the throat; in an ointment, for pain of the spleen, make it into a poultice, with white of egg and barley meal, and apply; laid under the head at night, or in a plaster of it, four leaven, and oil of rose, laid to the head, cures the head-ach, from hard drinking. Its decoction is thought good against the biting of serpents, and venomous beasts, plague, tertian and quartan agues. It kills and expels worms, causes a good color of the face and body, and, drank with Peony seeds, is very good against a dropsy, and the diminished office of reins and bladder; by cleaning them from vicious and filmy humours; applied outwardly with hog’s lard, it cures swelling of the privy parts. The juice, or leaves bruised, cleanse the skin wonderfully from all spots, freckles, or inflammatory eruptions. The distilled water from the herb, in its full growth, is said to answer most of the above intentions. The leaves make a very good tea for the vapors. The water, dropped into the eyes, is good for them.

Common Name: boneset
Botanical Name: Eupatorium perfoliatum
Native Range: Southeastern United States

A description of boneset in A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve, 1931:

Boneset was a favourite medicine of the North American Indians, who called it by a name that is equivalent to ‘Ague-weed,’ and it has always been a popular remedy in the United States, probably no plant in American domestic practice having more extensive and frequent use; it is also in use to some extent in regular practice, being official in the United States Pharmacopceia, though it is not included in the British Pharmacopoeia. 

All parts of the plant are active, but the herb only is official, the leaves and tops being gathered after flowering has commenced. They contain a volatile oil, some tannic acid, and Eupatorin, a bitter glucosidal principle, also resin, gum and sugar. The virtues of the plant are yielded both to water and alcohol.

It is regarded as a mild tonic in moderate doses, and is also diaphoretic, more especially when taken as a warm infusion, in which form it is used in attacks of muscular rheumatism and general cold. In large doses it is emetic and purgative.

Many of the earlier works allude to this species as a diuretic, and therefore of use in dropsy, but this is an error, this property being possessed by Eupatorium purpureum, the purple-flowered Boneset, or Gravel Root.

It has been much esteemed as a popular febrifuge, especially in intermittent fever, and has been employed, though less successfully, in typhoid and yellow fevers. It is largely used by the negroes of the Southern United States as a remedy in all cases of fever, as well as for its tonic effects. As a mild tonic it is useful in dyspepsia and general debility, and particularly serviceable in the indigestion of old people. The infusion of 1 oz. of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water may be taken in wineglassful doses, hot or cold: for colds and to produce perspiration, it is given hot; as a tonic, cold.

As a remedy in catarrh, more especially in influenza, it has been extensively used and with the best effects, given in doses of a wineglassful, warm every half hour, the patient remaining in bed the whole time; after four or five doses, profuse perspiration is caused and relief is obtained. It is stated that the popular name Boneset is derived from the great value of this remedy in the treatment of a species of influenza which had much prevailed in the United States, and which from the pain attending it was commonly called Break-Bone Fever.

This species of Eupatorium has also been employed in cutaneous diseases, and in the expulsion of tapeworm.

Common Name: foxglove
Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea
Native Range: Western, southern, and central Europe

A description of foxglove in A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve, 1931:

Digitalis has been used from early times in heart cases. It increases the activity of all forms of muscle tissue, but more especially that of the heart and arterioles, the all-important property of the drug being its action on the circulation. The first consequence of its absorption is a contraction of the heart and arteries, causing a very high rise in the blood pressure.

After the taking of a moderate dose, the pulse is markedly slowed. Digitalis also causes an irregular pulse to become regular. Added to the greater force of cardiac contraction is a permanent tonic contraction of the organ, so that its internal capacity is reduced, which is a beneficial effect in cases of cardiac dilatation, and it improves the nutrition of the heart by increasing the amount of blood.

In ordinary conditions it takes about twelve hours or more before its effects on the heart muscle is appreciated, and it must thus always be combined with other remedies to tide the patient over this period and never prescribed in large doses at first, as some patients are unable to take it, the drug being apt to cause considerable digestive disturbances, varying in different cases. This action is probably due to the Digitonin, an undesirable constituent.

The action of the drug on the kidneys is of importance only second to its action on the circulation. In small or moderate doses, it is a powerful diuretic and a valuable remedy in dropsy, especially when this is connected with affections of the heart.

It has also been employed in the treatment of internal hemorrhage, in inflammatory diseases, in delirium tremens, in epilepsy, in acute mania and various other diseases, with real or supposed benefits.

The action of Digitalis in all the forms in which it is administered should be carefully watched, and when given over a prolonged period it should be employed with caution, as it is liable to accumulate in the system and to manifest its presence all at once by its poisonous action, indicated by the pulse becoming irregular, the blood-pressure low and gastro-intestinal irritation setting in. The constant use of Digitalis, also, by increasing the activity of the heart, leads to hypertrophy of that organ.

Digitalis is an excellent antidote in Aconite poisoning, given as a hypodermic injection.

When Digitalis fails to act on the heart as desired, Lily-of-the-Valley may be substituted and will often be found of service.

In large doses, the action of Digitalis on the circulation will cause various cerebral symptoms, such as seeing all objects blue, and various other disturbances of the special senses. In cases of poisoning by Digitalis, with a very slow and irregular pulse, the administration of Atropine is generally all that is necessary. In the more severe cases, with the very rapid heart-beat, the stomach pump must be used, and drugs may be used which depress and diminish the irritability of the heart, such as chloral and chloroform.