Medieval Apothecary With Lady Rós Máiri Anderson Shire of Montevale This class is a brief overview of what an apothecary is and is not. What they would know and use in the course of healing. The differences between an apothecary and a physician/surgeon. What plants would be found in an apothecary s garden; as well as some other minor tidbits of information. Timelines for written works on plants for healing: - Hippocratic Corpus a collection of around 70 medical treatises written around 400 BC and credited to Hippocrates and his students (Greece) - Recipes for Fifty-Two Ailments found in a Mawangdui tomb (China) which was sealed in 168 BC and excavated during the early 1970 s (72-74) -De Material Medica (de Material Medica libri quinque) by Greek Physician Pedanius Dioscordies written in approximately 100 AD and lists 500 plants along with a number of animals and minerals. These texts were not translated into English until the mid 18th century. Translated versions of all five volumes are available at http://www.cancerlynx.com/dioscorides.html - Medical Treatises (over 400 of them) written during 500 AD by Aelius Galenus or better known as Galen of Pergamon (Greek) - Shennong Emperor s Classic of Materia Medica written during the 1 th century AD by Shennong Bencao Jing (during the Han dynasty) lists 365 medicines of which 252 are herbs. This text has been reprinted as the Divine Farmers Materia Medica or the Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor. (Chinese) - Treatise on the Nature of Medicinal Herbs written during the 7 th century AD by Yaoxing Lun (during the Tang Dynasty). (Chinese) - The Canon of Medicine and The Book of Healing by Avicenna written in 1025 AD lists 800 drugs, plants, and minerals and is the first to introduce clinical trials. (Turkey) - Causa et Curia (Causes and Cures) written in 1150 s AD by Hildegarde of Bingen (German nun)
- De Secretis Mulierum written during the late 13 and early 14 th century (set of 7 books) written by an unknown disciple of Albertus Magnus (Italian) - The Arte of Gardening gathered by Thomas Hill in 1593 and printed in 1608 an electronic copy is available here: http://archive.org/details/arteofgardeningw00hill - The Great Herbal or also referred to as Gerard s Herbal by John Gerard in 1633 (English) - The English Physician and The Complete Herbal by Nicolas Culpeper in 1652 AD. (English) a electronic copy of The English Physician is available here: http://books.google.com/books?id=7giaaaaaqaaj&pg=pa349&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false While these herbal and medicinal guides are very interesting reading and much of the material remains accurate today, I highly recommend if you are studying the use of plants, minerals, etc. you pick up several recently written books as well. Several that I recommend include: The Herb Book by John Lust Natural Healing with Herbs by Humbart Santillo, N.D. Wise Woman Herbals: Healing Wise and A Woman s Herbal by Susun Weed I must also include a comment that while these medicinal plants can help relieve many ailments; they should not replace your health care provider when it comes to serious health conditions. A couple of prints of what an apothecary and his/her shop may have looked like?
Methods of treatment recommended by medieval apothecaries: Decoctions - Teas while no real differentiation is made in the early writings between decoctions and infusions ; in today s herbal medicine there is. A decoction is used when the bark or root of the plant is being made into tea and this requires the boiling of the herb in water to release the healing properties Infusions Teas of today where the leaf or flower of the plant is used and the plant is not boiled but the water boiled and then pored over the plant. Plasters or Poultices bruised herbs mixed with millet or other grains, honey, animal fats, etc and placed directly on the wound Ointments made usually in advance and kept on hand with a base of oil where the herb has been pressed three or four times to increase healing properties of the ointments. Salves also made in advance and kept on hand however made with a base of animal fats where the herb has been warmed in the fats to draw the healing properties from the plant and infusing the fat. Snuff finely ground herbs and taken in thru the nostrils Pills dried ground herbs coated with wax or honey. Herbed wine watered wine which had been infused with the plant Syrups decoctions boiled down to a thick consistency, often kept in honey or covered with oil to preserve. An Apothecary s Garden St. Petersburg's Botanical Garden - or, to give it its full title, the Botanical Garden of the V.L. Komarov Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences - is located on the Petrograd side, and is one of the oldest Botanical Gardens in the country. The Garden was founded in 1714 by order of Peter the Great as the Apothecary's Garden, and soon became a center for horticultural research that was the equal of any other in Europe in terms of the importance and size of its collection. If you were interested in planting an apothecary s garden today in the medieval tradition, the following plants would probably be included:
Plant Medieval Use Herbalists Today Apothecary s Rose Basil Bay (sweet) Loosens the bowels and cools the stomach; mouthwash for a tooth ache, externally for skin ulcers Disperses exhaustion and used as poultice for tetanus and convulsions Consumption, mucous in the chest; externally for bee stings and bug bites High vitamin C so good for colds and the flu; diarrhea; cramps (particularly the hip of the rose) Stomach ailments, cramps, gastric catarrh, vomiting, constipation also used for headaches. Salves and liniments for rheumatism, bruises, and skin problems can also stimulate digestion Catnip Calm the stomach Antispasmodic, enemas for worms, calms gas and nervousness Chamomile Handwashing and headaches Mild sedative used for Insomnia, nervousness, improving the appetite Coriander Flax Ginger Deterred fevers and aphrodisiac effects Laxative and invalids porridge; helped remove foreign objects from the eye Stomach ailments and a remedy for the plague Mild antispasmodic - also applied externally for rheumatism and pain in the joints Intestinal inflammations and ulcers. Externally for boils, sores, etc. Bronchitis, colds, flu (brings heat to the system which aids the body in burning up the bacteria); travel sickness and stimulates digestion Horehound Coughs and colds Expectorant colds, bronchitis. Will increase perspiration which also aids in sweating out a cold good for sore throats Lavender Kept headaches away Sedative and antispasmodic - migraines, dizziness, also has antiseptic properties for intestinal ailments wonderful for burns Lemon Balm Aid for melancholy Antispasmodic and sedative good for beginning sign of cold or flu add to blends for cramps or to calm hyperactivity Marjoram Soothe and calm the stomach Antispasmodic and calmative upset stomach and indigestion good menstrual cramps and will help regulate the cycle when taken about a week before regular time eases tooth aches when dropped onto the tooth. Aids with insomnia
Mint Mugwort Mustard Stomach ailments, venomous bites and to restore the appetite Foot ointments and women s ailments Illnesses of long duration and to draw out faulty fluids from within Antispasmodic good for vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, and hysteria. Oil in warm water and breathed thru nostrils and mouth will open up the sinuses. Female complaints especially suppressed menstruation and cramps. Also good for kidney stones/gravel. Apply externally to boils and abscesses Use externally only to encourage blood flow to the surface for rheumatism, sciatic, gout, and other internal inflammations not recommended for internal use Rosemary All purpose medicine Tea used for gas, indigestion, nausea and fever will promote liver function improves circulation and digestion. Externally good for rheumatism, eczema, and arthritis. Rue Venomous bites and poor eyesight Stomach ailments and cramps in the bowels, externally for sciatica however don t place directly on the skin. Saffron Treat infections Expectorant so good for coughs, can also stimulate the appetite and used externally in salves for gout. Large doses can damage the kidneys (10 12 grams daily) Sage Spring tonic Great gargle for mouth disease, expels worms, helps to cease milk production during weaning Thyme An astringent Antiseptic and expectorant good for throat and bronchial problems as well as stomach and intestinal problems. External great antiseptic for wounds Valerian Yarrow Nausea and vomiting and various eye troubles Treated headaches and wounds, especially battle wounds and the bites of mad dogs Antispasmodic and Nervine strong sedative and nerve tonic basis of valium in today s medicines. Caution urged because extended use can deplete the nervous system of vitamins and minerals and bring on depression. Astringent and hemostatic shrinks hemorrhoids and bleeding of the lungs. Good for diarrhea and expelling gas from the stomach. Externally add to salves because of antiseptic properties.
Other Plants the Apothecary would have that would have to be imported from some of the eastern trade routes: Plant Medieval Use Today s Herbalist Anise Treatment for gas and to induce sweating Antispasmodic, digestive, stimulant, tonic - Promotes digestion, improves appetite, alleviates cramps and nausea and relieves gas Cinnamon Draws out the menstrual flow - abortifacient Used only in cooking. Cloves Antiseptic and pain killer Antiseptic and stimulant, use oil to stop toothache, also helps stop nausea and vomiting improves circulation and digestion Frankincense Overall medicine Used only as an aromatic Myrrh Antiseptic on wounds Antiseptic, Expectorant, and Stimulate for ailments of the stomach and lungs. Nutmeg Improve digestion Stimulant and Hallucinogenic in small quantities improves appetite and digestion and dispels gas; Caution al hallucinogen can cause stomach pain, double vision, delirium and other symptoms of poisoning. Please feel free to contact me at psn3748@comcast.net to discuss any additional topic or concern you may have. Lady Rós Máiri Anderson (mka Pamela Nelson)