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Using Plants for Healing: An American Herbal
Using Plants for Healing An American Herbal Author:Nelson Coon The only layman's guide to over 250 American medicinal plants, with healing remedies from around the world. — When USING PLANTS FOR HEALING was first published in 1963, it was widely acclaimed as the most authoritative guide to medicinal plants of the United States. Fifteen years and dozens of medicinal-plan... more »t books later, Nelson Coon's USING PLANTS FOR HEALING is still the most authoritative book on the subject. But its reputation has blossomed, and today this fascinating guide is unmatched in its historical thoroughness, its usefulness, and its friendly, easy-to-read style. The author, a horticulturist by training, makes every page sparkle with his personal enthusiasm and respect for the power of plants. Once you've read this book, a walk through the woods, a drive along a country road, or a stroll in your very own garden will never be the same again.
The core of the book is a listing of 160 familiar plants with complete details on where to find them, how to identify them, how to prepare them for medicinal use, and what they are reputed to cure.
Other Chapters Cover:
* The history of medicinal plants and home remedies used by American
Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, Europeans, and Mexicans.
* Preparing plants for medicinal use with tips on collecting, drying, and storing; and plans for a solar dryer.
* Forty-three medicines found in the kitchen and garden.
* A useful glossary of 85 words used by botanical pharmacologists and ancient herbalists.
* Brief descriptions of 77 less well known plants and their healing qualities.
* Poison plants you should avoid.
* A common plant-name index, scientific-name index, and a general index of other information in the book.
* Extensive bibliography.
Examples:
Milkweed juice has been known to cure warts and ringworm.
Witch-hazel is an excellent natural astringent, available commercially in most drugstores.
No herbal remedy is as generally well known as horehound for relief of coughs and congestion.
Because it can allay nausea, peppermint is suggested as a protection against seasickness.
Sphagnum or peat moss is even more effective than cotton as an absorbent, is antiseptic because of its iodine content, and can be used as emergency bandaging material.
Jewelweed, which often grows near poison ivy, can be an effective antidote for ivy poisoning.« less