TORREYA 



Vol. 30 May-June, 1930 No. 3 



Common Plants as Domestic Remedies in Maine 

 Anne E. Perkins 



From my earliest recollection many plants were highly es- 

 teemed as medicine and collected at the correct time, dried, 

 spread, and generally hung in bags in the attic. Some gathered 

 only a few; others many, as certain women were noted for their 

 skill in compounding medicines from "roots and yarbs," al- 

 though I never knew them to sell a remedy but in neighborly 

 fashion take it in time of sickness or respond to a request for it. 



The main divisions appear to be, bitter tonics and appeti- 

 zers, alteratives, cough remedies, intestinal astringents, diuretics, 

 "salves" and healing ointments. Some kept a secret the exact 

 ingredients, especially of "salves." Our attic was always redo- 

 lent of tansy and pennyroyal, catnip and spearmint, great bun- 

 dles of thoroughwort hung from the rafters, also mullein, 

 cleavers, snake's head, motherwort and mu^wort, hops, worm- 

 wood, etc. 



In the spring after the traditional sulphur and molasses to 

 "clear the blood," a bitter tonic was made of the root of yellow 

 dock {Riimex crispiis), dandelion root, barberry bark or root 

 and a swallow taken before meals — a nauseous dose. The mu- 

 cilaginous root of elecampane was used in the same way, some- 

 times with the addition of one or more of these, burdock, tansy, 

 hops, thoroughwort! But thoroughwort (E. perfoliatum) was 

 par excellence the remedy in hard colds of the type of influenza, 

 with much headache, muscular pains, and prostration, and in 

 regular medicine it is a valuable remedy in just these ills. Our 

 mothers could not afford to call a doctor for every ailment of 

 the children and learned domestic remedies. A mustard foot- 

 bath, "thoroughwort tea" and a good sweat, keeping the 

 patient in bed afterwards "broke up" many a cold. If children 

 or adult had a "cankered sore mouth," gold thread was used or 



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