nougat37 reviewed on 11/26/2010

Helpful Score: 1

This is a translation of Hildegard's work from her "Physica" about the properties and healing powers of various plants. It is important to note that while this can be a useful tool to discovering what was thought about different plants and herbs in the past, the information provided is -outdated- and should not be used for treating ailments. The author notes that because this was written in a form of old "high" German and because the names of things change over time, it was sometimes difficult to translate. With many of the herbs or plants he had to simply use the names she gave them because there was no way of telling what herbs or plants she was referring to.

Hildegard refers to the "hotness" and "coldness" of these plants, as well as the "dryness" and "moistness" of these plants, which was a common way to describe the spiritual properties of various objects at the time. This is a wonderful peek into Hildegard's world and the medicine of her time.

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