Herb Society Minutes September 15, 2007


Johnson County Herb Society Minutes, January 19, 2008 Treasurer Esther Chambliss reported $425.58 in the general account. She also reported that diapers were donated to the Cleburne Pregnancy Center for Christmas. A check was sent to the Johnson County Master Gardeners for a booth at the March 8 show. One booth was given free in return for a presentation by JCHS members. One booth was rented at the nonprofit price of $45. The raffle item will be a bicycle planter. Pat Kreiner will check on specs and report on details of the park bench donation for McGregor Park. Grace ___ is in charge of the park. She works for the city. Esther brought a rough draft of the Desserts cookbook which will be ready for sale at the March 8 show. She announced that next month’s meeting will be a hands on “Crafting with Herbs” event. Paula Allen, dressed in Colonial costume, gave a presentation on herbs during the Civil War and Colonial periods. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Order of the Confederate Rose. Tidbits from her talk included: Ben Franklin advised his wife to allot ¼ of their income to food. Educated colonialists studied herbals, and believed that plants resembled parts of the human body. A Walnut kernel soaked in wine was laid on top of the head to help the brain. Joe Pye, an Indian, traveled throughout the colonies helping with Typhus. The Joe Pye weed causes sweating. A Negro was freed because he cured people of poisons and rattlesnake bites. Sampson’s snake root was named after another slave. Allspice was a favorite herb. Basil was used as a strewing herb and as snuff to clear the head, to sweeten bathwater, as a bee plant to attract bees, to repel flies, and was used in salads and pea soup. It was said to “make men merry and glad.” Bee Balm, native to America, replaced tea from China after the Boston Tea Party. Teas made from herbs were not taxable. Black pepper came with the first settlers. Schooners could carry 75 tons of black pepper. The profit was 700%. Black pepper was the reason for the merchant trade and the first fleet of fast schooners. It was called the “master spice.” Caraway was drunk by soldiers of the American Revolution to keep from bleeding to death. It was also eaten after hearty meals. Chamomile was used for dye and as an antidote to weariness. Cinnamon was a winter warmer and added to rum and butter. Coriander was used in desserts, breads, pickles, as a digestive, for children’s tummyaches, for flavoring whiskey and for worms in children. Costmary was called “Bible Leaf” because it was used to mark pages in the Bible during Sunday Services. If one got sleepy during the service, they could chew on it to wake themselves up. Dill was used to freshen breath, and was given to children to chew on during long sermons. Fennel was used as an appetite suppressant and for children to chew. Feverfew was applied hot with rum for toothaches, was used for female complaints, as a laxative, for dizziness, and for hysteria. Ginger was brought from England, but colonists found wild ginger in America. It was used to flavor meats. Mint was used for coughs, colds, pneumonia, and for tea since there was no tea tax on it. Spearmint was wound around the head for headaches. On the Santa Fe Trail, between the American Revolution and the War Between the States, the worst problem was Malaria. Quinine was made from Peruvian bark, and was used as a last resort after bloodletting and purging. Doctors used creosote as an expectorant in coughing and bronchitis, as well as licorice, olive oil, whiskey, bourbon, brandy, cayenne mixed with quinine, along with many other herbs. Wild Cherry bark was used as a syrup to dissolve other herbs. Hot peppers were given for sore throats and plasters to draw out infection. Flax seed was used as a poultice. Slippery Elm bark was used for laryngitis, bronchitis and tapeworms. Sarsaparilla was used for gout, rheumatism, and as a blood purifier. Together with mercury and iodine it was used for syphilis. Spirit of lavender flowers was used to bathe the forehead for headaches and fever. Itch weed, Cow Poison, or Tickleweed was used as a sedative for nerves, inflammation, and to lower blood pressure. During the Civil War doctors at field hospitals ran out of silk thread to sew up wounds. They tried hair from horse tails but it was too stiff. They boiled it until it got soft. They found they had less infection than when using silk thread. You see, this was before anything was known about sterilization. Boiling the horsehair to make it soft also sterilized it. During the Civil War, when fleeing their homes before the North invaded, ladies would dig up rosebushes or take cuttings and put them in a potato. For broken limbs, folk doctors would find an animal and skin it, set the broken limp, and wrap the animal skin around it. As the skin dried it would form a cast. Regular doctors simply amputated the limb. It was important to take care of the horses. A horse liniment was made from goldenseal root and lard. Comfrey poultices were also used. Ginger was used to make ginger beer. Blackberry tea was used for dysentery and for stomach flu. Mistletoe was used for headaches and epilepsy, as an oral contraceptive, and to help cows pass the afterbirth. Yarrow has been used as a wound herb dating back to the Greeks and Romans. Tansy was used in preparing dead bodies to keep down the smell. In those times the burial was not done for 5 to 7 days to make sure the people were really dead. People were then buried with a string in their hands which was tied to a bell. If they awoke they could pull the string and ring the bell. The term “graveyard shift” was coined because people stayed in the graveyards at night to listen for bells. Whortleberry was used for bladder and kidneys. Smallpox was treated by putting the patients in tents with lots of airflow. Tuberculosis was treated with leaves of Ben’e, bark of hollyroot, and button snakeroot. Camp Itch was treated with a wash of poke root, broomstraw and slippery elm. Alcoholism was rampant. Mobile field hospitals were the forerunners of the MASH units. Women dressed like men and fought with the men but weren’t accepted as doctors. Women visitors to hospitals wore a flower so the doctor would know that she had herbs (which she carried in the pockets of her petticoats.) During the Civil war era it became common to take pictures of the deceased before they were buried. Children were seldom buried before photos were taken. Most of the pictures of children we see today from that era were actually deceased. Women carried the key to the tea chest on a chain around their waist. Tea was one of their most valuable properties, and the tea chest was always kept locked. Submitted by Micki Nellis, JCHS Secretary

Johnson County Herb Society Minutes, January 19, 2008

Treasurer Esther Chambliss reported $425.58 in the general account. She also reported that diapers were donated to the Cleburne Pregnancy Center for Christmas.

A check was sent to the Johnson County Master Gardeners for a booth at the March 8 show. One booth was given free in return for a presentation by JCHS members. One booth was rented at the nonprofit price of $45. The raffle item will be a bicycle planter.

Pat Kreiner will check on specs and report on details of the park bench donation for McGregor Park. Grace ___ is in charge of the park. She works for the city.

Esther brought a rough draft of the Desserts cookbook which will be ready for sale at the March 8 show. She announced that next month’s meeting will be a hands on “Crafting with Herbs” event.

Paula Allen, dressed in Colonial costume, gave a presentation on herbs during the Civil War and Colonial periods. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Order of the Confederate Rose.

Tidbits from her talk included:

Ben Franklin advised his wife to allot ¼ of their income to food. Educated colonialists studied herbals, and believed that plants resembled parts of the human body. A Walnut kernel soaked in wine was laid on top of the head to help the brain.

Joe Pye, an Indian, traveled throughout the colonies helping with Typhus. The Joe Pye weed causes sweating. A Negro was freed because he cured people of poisons and rattlesnake bites. Sampson’s snake root was named after another slave.

Allspice was a favorite herb. Basil was used as a strewing herb and as snuff to clear the head, to sweeten bathwater, as a bee plant to attract bees, to repel flies, and was used in salads and pea soup. It was said to “make men merry and glad.”

Bee Balm, native to America, replaced tea from China after the Boston Tea Party. Teas made from herbs were not taxable.

Black pepper came with the first settlers. Schooners could carry 75 tons of black pepper. The profit was 700%. Black pepper was the reason for the merchant trade and the first fleet of fast schooners. It was called the “master spice.”

Caraway was drunk by soldiers of the American Revolution to keep from bleeding to death. It was also eaten after hearty meals.

Chamomile was used for dye and as an antidote to weariness.

Cinnamon was a winter warmer and added to rum and butter.

Coriander was used in desserts, breads, pickles, as a digestive, for children’s tummyaches, for flavoring whiskey and for worms in children.

Costmary was called “Bible Leaf” because it was used to mark pages in the Bible during Sunday Services. If one got sleepy during the service, they could chew on it to wake themselves up.

Dill was used to freshen breath, and was given to children to chew on during long sermons.

Fennel was used as an appetite suppressant and for children to chew.

Feverfew was applied hot with rum for toothaches, was used for female complaints, as a laxative, for dizziness, and for hysteria.

Ginger was brought from England, but colonists found wild ginger in America. It was used to flavor meats.

Mint was used for coughs, colds, pneumonia, and for tea since there was no tea tax on it. Spearmint was wound around the head for headaches.

On the Santa Fe Trail, between the American Revolution and the War Between the States, the worst problem was Malaria. Quinine was made from Peruvian bark, and was used as a last resort after bloodletting and purging.

Doctors used creosote as an expectorant in coughing and bronchitis, as well as licorice, olive oil, whiskey, bourbon, brandy, cayenne mixed with quinine, along with many other herbs.

Wild Cherry bark was used as a syrup to dissolve other herbs.

Hot peppers were given for sore throats and plasters to draw out infection.

Flax seed was used as a poultice.

Slippery Elm bark was used for laryngitis, bronchitis and tapeworms.

Sarsaparilla was used for gout, rheumatism, and as a blood purifier. Together with mercury and iodine it was used for syphilis.

Spirit of lavender flowers was used to bathe the forehead for headaches and fever.

Itch weed, Cow Poison, or Tickleweed was used as a sedative for nerves, inflammation, and to lower blood pressure.

During the Civil War doctors at field hospitals ran out of silk thread to sew up wounds. They tried hair from horse tails but it was too stiff. They boiled it until it got soft. They found they had less infection than when using silk thread. You see, this was before anything was known about sterilization. Boiling the horsehair to make it soft also sterilized it.

During the Civil War, when fleeing their homes before the North invaded, ladies would dig up rosebushes or take cuttings and put them in a potato.

For broken limbs, folk doctors would find an animal and skin it, set the broken limp, and wrap the animal skin around it. As the skin dried it would form a cast. Regular doctors simply amputated the limb.

It was important to take care of the horses. A horse liniment was made from goldenseal root and lard. Comfrey poultices were also used.

Ginger was used to make ginger beer.

Blackberry tea was used for dysentery and for stomach flu.

Mistletoe was used for headaches and epilepsy, as an oral contraceptive, and to help cows pass the afterbirth.

Yarrow has been used as a wound herb dating back to the Greeks and Romans.

Tansy was used in preparing dead bodies to keep down the smell. In those times the burial was not done for 5 to 7 days to make sure the people were really dead. People were then buried with a string in their hands which was tied to a bell. If they awoke they could pull the string and ring the bell. The term “graveyard shift” was coined because people stayed in the graveyards at night to listen for bells.

Whortleberry was used for bladder and kidneys.

Smallpox was treated by putting the patients in tents with lots of airflow.

Tuberculosis was treated with leaves of Ben’e, bark of hollyroot, and button snakeroot.

Camp Itch was treated with a wash of poke root, broomstraw and slippery elm.

Alcoholism was rampant.

Mobile field hospitals were the forerunners of the MASH units. Women dressed like men and fought with the men but weren’t accepted as doctors. Women visitors to hospitals wore a flower so the doctor would know that she had herbs (which she carried in the pockets of her petticoats.)

During the Civil war era it became common to take pictures of the deceased before they were buried. Children were seldom buried before photos were taken. Most of the pictures of children we see today from that era were actually deceased.

Women carried the key to the tea chest on a chain around their waist. Tea was one of their most valuable properties, and the tea chest was always kept locked.

Submitted by Micki Nellis, JCHS Secretary