The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them

This is an interesting mix of science and fable. There is quite a lot of material concerning organic chemical constituents of the various plants and how that makes them effective. And then phytodynamics is blended in to muddy the explanations. Most of the description for each makes logical sense until the description of ‘Flower essence’ which dips into shamanistic spiritual properties.
Occasionally, there is even a purely irresponsible statement, such as citing a single study that might indicate that coumarin alone is not an anti-coagulant. You can’t pass off that kind of statement in just one paragraph.
There is a clear description of medicine cabinet terms, clarifying the difference between say a fomentation and a poultice.
The show more section titled Herbalist’s Laboratory is heavy on measurements and math. There are some annoyances. For example, there is a photo of a bottle labeled poison ivy relief liniment on page 202, but no pointer to the recipe which is on page 263. Recipe names are sometimes too stupid to bear – Bonk & Boo Boo Salve, Barking Dogs Salve (for tired feet), Bum Bum Relief Suppository, and so forth. But the preparation methods are clearly described and recommended solvents tables are excellent.
The last section, Herbal Treatment Plans takes categories of complaints and offers multiple recipes with a short explanation of why their actions differ slightly one from another. And then there is a final inconspicuous but important list of practical lifestyle suggestions to complement the herbals. show less