Firesilk's Book of Shadows    

| pan with cover (non-metallic~ enamel, pyrex or glass) | |
| strainer | cheesecloth | 
| mortar and pestle ~ porcelain or white ceramic | |
| measuring spoons and cups | wooden spoons | 
| ingredients (see table below) | vehicles (see table below) | 
| Ingredients | |
|---|---|
| Herb | Effect | 
| Anise | Carminative, pectoral | 
| Balm | Carminative, diaphoretic, febrifuge, toothache, sore throats | 
| Basil | Insect bites | 
| Betony | Astringent, nervine, headache | 
| Boneset (potentially dangerous) | Stimulant, febrifuge, laxative | 
| Borage (potentially dangerous) | Inflammation, fever of cold | 
| Burnet, Lesser | Styptic, cordial | 
| Caraway | Carminative, stimulant, toothache anesthetic | 
| Chamomile (potentially dangerous) | Antispasmodic, tranquilizer, tonic, diaphoretic, externally for joint pain | 
| Coltsfoot | Pectoral, headache, giddiness, poultice | 
| Comfey | Demulcent, astringent, cell proliferant | 
| Coriander | Carminative, stimulant | 
| Dill | Carminative, soporific for infants | 
| Elder (potentially dangerous) | Insect repellant, cosmetics, headaches | 
| Elecampine | Antispetic, astringent, diuretic, tonic, expectorant | 
| Fennel | Pectoral, diuretic, carminative | 
| Fumitory | Diuretic, weak tonic, eruptive diseases, visceral obstruction | 
| Horehound | Pectoral | 
| Hyssop | Pectoral, purgative, carminative, bruises/burns | 
| Lavender | Acne, headache preventative | 
| Lovage | Colic/flatulence, to remove freckles | 
| Marjoram | Carminative, toothache | 
| Marshmallow | Demulcent, emollient | 
| Mugwort (poisonous and/or hallucinogenic) | Stimulant, nervine, to ease sore muscles | 
| Nettle (potentially dangerous) | Rubefacient, anti-asthma, hair tonic | 
| Parsley | Nerves, GI troubles, poisonous bug bites | 
| Pennyroyal (potentially dangerous) | Cramps, colds, gout, carminative, emmenagogue, itching skin, insect repellant | 
| Peppermint | Gas pains, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, antibacterial | 
| Plantain (potentially dangerous) | Headache, gout, arthritis, mild skin conditions, diuretic | 
| Rosemary (potentially dangerous) | Astringent, tonic, cordial, stimulant, moth repellant | 
| Sage | Febrifuge, colds, weak stomach, nerves, headache, itchy skin, sore throat | 
| Spearmint | Carminative, nausea/vomiting/colic | 
| Summer Savory | Aromatic, carminative | 
| Tansy (potentially dangerous) | Emmenagogue, tonic, toothache, cosmetic wash, hysteria, eruptive skin problems | 
| Tarragon | Soporific, breath sweetener | 
| Thyme | Germicide, counterirritant, carminative, tonic, colic | 
| Vervain (potentially dangerous) | Astringent, antispasmodic, tranquillizer, headache, rheumatism | 
| Wormwood (poisonous and/or hallucinogenic) | Tonic, moth repellant, antiseptic, febrifuge, nervine, joint swellings | 
| Yarrow (potentially dangerous) | Poultice for wounds and boils, headache, flatulence, women's problems, tonic, astringent, toothache, stimulant, rheumatism | 
| This list of herbs taken from A Modern Herbal by M. Grieve | |
| Definitions | |
|---|---|
| Analgesic: | an agent that allays pain without causing loss of consciousness | 
| Anesthetic: | an agent that produces loss of sensation without loss of vital function | 
| Antiemetic: | an agent that relieves nausea and vomiting | 
| Antipyretic: | an agent that reduces or prevents fever | 
| Antispasmodic: | an agent used to ease or prevent muscle spasms | 
| Astringent: | 1. a skin cleansing cosmetic 2. a substance that causes contraction of tissues, checking the discharge of mucous and fluids from the body | 
| Bactericide: | an agent that destroys bacteria | 
| Carminative: | an agent used to relieve colic, griping or flatulence, or to expel gas from the intestine | 
| Cordial: | an invigorating and stimulating medicine, drink, or food | 
| Counterirritant: | an agent used to produce suoerficial inflamation of the skin in order to relieve deeper inflammation | 
| Demulcent: | a medicinal liquid of a bland nature taken internally to soothe inflamed mucous surfaces and to protect them from irritation | 
| Depressant: | an agent that reduces exaggerated functional activity of the tissues | 
| Diaphoretic: | a substance that increases perspiration | 
| Diuretic: | an agent that increases the volume and flow of urine | 
| Emollient: | a substance of a bland nature used externally to soothe and protect | 
| Emmenagogue: | an agent that stimulates menstrual flow | 
| Expectorant: | a substance used to expel mucous from the respiratory tract | 
| Febrifuge: | a substance that reduces fever | 
| Hypnotic: | a drug or other agent that produces or tends to produce sleep without disrupting sleep without disrupting alertness and receptiveness to others | 
| Nervine: | a substance which soothes nervous excitement | 
| Pectoral: | an agent used to treat diseases of the respiratory tract | 
| Purgative: | a substance that causes vigorous evacuation of the bowels | 
| Rubefacient: | a substance used externally that causes redness of the skin | 
| Sedative: | an agent that tends to calm, tranquillize, allay nervousness or irritation | 
| Soporific: | an agent that produces sleep | 
| Stimulant: | an agent that temporarily quickens the functional activity of tissues | 
| Tonic: | 1. a drug or medicine that improves body tone by stimulating tissue nutrition 2. a substance that invigorates, restores, or stimulates the system | 
| Vulnerary: | an agent to promote the healing of wounds; curative | 
| these definitions were taken from Herbs and Things by Jean Rose pp.27-34 | |
| Vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Glycerin | Honey | 
| Lanolin | Beeswax | 
| Vaseline (white petrolatum) | oil (vegetable) | 
| alcohol~ if to be ingested (eaten) use vodka or white wine | |
| alcohol~ if to be used externally, use rubbing alcohol | |
| Types of Preparations | 
|---|
| Cerate: Follow directions for ointments. After straining, add 1/2 - 1 ounce melted beeswax to strained oil to solidify it. Beat until cold. | 
| Cream: Melt 1.5 ounces solidifier and/or solid fat together in the top of a double boiler. Add 3-4 ounces skin oil at a time, stirring continuously. Turn off heat; slowly add 1 ounce herb water, stirring until cooled. Add 5 drops essential oil and stir in completely. | 
| Decoction: Boil 1 ounce herb in 20 ounces water in a closed enamel pot for 20+ minutes. Strain and use. Primarily used for seeds, roots, bark, and the like. | 
| Elixer: Make a tincture. Strain. Add 4 more ounces water. | 
| Essence: Add 1 part essential oil to 9 parts alcohol. Shake well. | 
| Fomentation: Dip cloth in warm decoction or infusion. Wring out and apply. | 
| Infusion: Boil 20 ounces water. Pour over 1/2 to 1 ounce herb; steep 10-20 minutes. Strain and use. | 
| Lotion: Melt 1 ounce solidifier/solid fat in top of double boiler. Add 3 ounces oil and 2 ounces herb water alternately, stirring continuously. Remove from heat. Add 5 drops essential oil. Pour into opaque bottle, shake continuously until cool. | 
| Plaster: Bruise herb. Wet slightly with boiling water. Place between two pieces of cloth and apply to affected area. | 
| Poultice: Bruise herb. Pour just enough boiling water over herb to set it. Apply herb to affected area. Cover with cloth wrung out in hot water. Replace cloth as it cools. | 
| Ointment: To 4 parts fat, add 1 part powdered herb and 1 part dry white wine. Stir and heat gently 20 minutes. Cool slightly and strain. | 
| Syrup: Boil 1 ounce herb in 20 ounces water in closed enamel pot for 20 minutes. Strain. Add 1 ounce glycerin. Bottle cap tightly. | 
| Tea: Boil 10 ounces water. Remove from heat. Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon herb. Cover pot; let steep 5-15 minutes. Strain and use. | 
| Tincture: Add 1-4 ounces powdered herb to 8 ounces alcohol (use the alcohol appropriate to the tincture's intended use, rubbing alcohol is poisonous if taken internally, to avoid even the remote possibility of using a wrong tincture I always use vodka, even for external preparations). and 4 ounces water. Let steep 2 weeks, shaking daily. Strain. | 
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This page last modified 2/15/99