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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 |
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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