Herbs and Medicine in Eclectic Tradition

[Guest guest]

I had posted earlier about the publication, the Natural Standard, and its

extensive reviews of research on selected herbs and remedies. In my post I had

complained about the inconclusive nature of this research for an herbalist

trying not to advise whether Herb X may or may not be given for Condition Y, but

simply trying to ascertain what it is that a particular herb in fact does. The

clearer this perception may be (science), the more creative one may be in usage

(art).

 

I have come across a web address that archives the herbal lore of a group of

physicians from around the turn of the century (19th to 20th) called the

Eclectic Physicians. Within a site called Henrietta's Homepage, there are the

classic herbal texts from this group of physicians. They were rather given to

experimentation, perhaps too much, but their descriptions are clear-minded,

their awareness of herbal potencies broad but disciplined. On the whole I think

you will find them a sympathetic bunch.

 

Thuja for example had just begun to be used at that time and there are various

speculations and trials -- but within context of human usage and actual

treatment, not a context of animal tests and potential treatment.

 

Check it out: http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/index.html

 

If you already knew about this work, just zap all this.

 

Carl

 

 

 

Relax. Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses!

 

 

[Guest guest]

Carl, some nice stuff on ginseng from 1936 including this description of a 1903

trip to

Seoul, Korea looking for ginseng:

 

They all use it, but, like the Chinese, not one in several thousand ever saw a

Ginseng plant

growing. After considerable delay I secured a competent interpreter, a cook, and

food

supplies, and started from Seoul for the great Ginseng district, traveling part

of the way by

rail, then by sampan, and finally reached my destination on Korean ponies.

Arriving at the

Ginseng center, I lived among the Ginseng growers from the time the seed crop

ripened

until nearly all the five-year-old roots, or older ones, were dug up and

delivered to the

government at their drying grounds, which is about four acres in extent. This

compound is

enclosed on three sides by buildings from 100 to 150 feet in length and a

uniform width

of twelve feet and the rest of the compound with a high stone wall with a gate,

which is

closely guarded by soldiers armed with guns. Near the center of this compound is

a well

where the roots are washed as soon as they are received. There is no entrance

from the

outside to any of these buildings. Every one must pass the guards at the gate,

for the

buildings, together with the wall, make a complete enclosure.

 

 

___________________________

 

 

, carl ploss <cploss wrote:

>

> I had posted earlier about the publication, the Natural Standard, and its

extensive

reviews of research on selected herbs and remedies. In my post I had complained

about

the inconclusive nature of this research for an herbalist trying not to advise

whether Herb

X may or may not be given for Condition Y, but simply trying to ascertain what

it is that a

particular herb in fact does. The clearer this perception may be (science), the

more

creative one may be in usage (art).

>

> I have come across a web address that archives the herbal lore of a group of

physicians

from around the turn of the century (19th to 20th) called the Eclectic

Physicians. Within a

site called Henrietta's Homepage, there are the classic herbal texts from this

group of

physicians. They were rather given to experimentation, perhaps too much, but

their

descriptions are clear-minded, their awareness of herbal potencies broad but

disciplined.

On the whole I think you will find them a sympathetic bunch.

>

> Thuja for example had just begun to be used at that time and there are

various

speculations and trials -- but within context of human usage and actual

treatment, not a

context of animal tests and potential treatment.

>

> Check it out: http://www.henriettesherbal.com/eclectic/index.html

>

> If you already knew about this work, just zap all this.

>

> Carl

>

>

>

> Relax. Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses!

>

>