The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook_ A Home Manual - James Green [153]
Of all the herbs, Plantain (Plantago lanceolata, P. major) is probably the most accessible and abundant. In league with Dandelion, it is one of an herbalist s two most loyal and reliable travel companions. They can be found growing nearly everywhere on our planet. Plantain is used by herbalists to remove the ouch! from wounds, especially the venomous ouch prompted by stinging and biting insects and other skin-penetrating animals. Plantain (both the narrow leaf and broad leaf types) helps stop bleeding, neutralizes venom and toxins, soothes inflammation, and heals wounds. This plant applied as a poultice is also helpful in withdrawing deeply lodged splinters.
Plantain and Dandelion are an herbalist s most loyal and reliable travel companions. They can be found growing nearly everywhere on our planet.
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) is a highly effective wound-healing plant, generously stimulating the immune system. It is especially useful in treating sluggardly, longstanding wounds that are slow to heal. The addition of this plant to any of the above plant poultices complements and amplifies their qualities.
A Field Poultice
This poultice is useful if you are the recipient of an insect bite. It can be a fresh one or an old one that just doesn’t seem to get better, or any kind of benign, welting, itching, insect bite including tick, wasp, yellow jacket, or a bee sting. In case of a bee sting, remove the stinger by sliding the edge of a credit card along the skin up to the stinger and gently nudging it sideways out of the skin. Don’t squeeze the stinger by trying to pull it out with your fingers; you will inject more venom doing that. In case of a tick bite, pull the tick straight out first.
1. Pick a handful of Plantain.
2. Wad it up by rolling it firmly between your palms, bruising and crushing it well, or put it in your mouth and chew it (which is actually better—dogs aren’t the only ones having therapeutic saliva).
3. If you chew it, don’t swallow the juice. It’s okay to swallow the juice, but the Plantain-infused saliva is what contacts the skin as a poultice and “makes you better.”
4. Make the poultice thick and slap it on the skin.
5. Then hold the palm of your hand on top of the poultice to supply some warmth and some caring touch to the injury.
6. (Optional) When you can, brew a pot of Plantain tea and drink it freely. Change the poultice a couple times a day and keep one on the wound overnight with some form of a bandage. Repeat this daily until all is well again; and it will be, soon.
Onion Poultice for Earaches
To make and apply an Onion poultice for relieving the pain of an earache:
1. Cut a medium-size Onion in half and bake it at a low temperature until it is soft.
2. Place the warm flat surface of the baked Onion directly on the ear.
3. Secure it with a cloth bandage wrapped around the head Van Gogh fashion. Unlike Vincent’s technique, however, the application of a baked Onion will soothe the ear and relieve the pain and suffering.
Onion Poultice for the Body
While the aroma of Onion is in the air, I should explain how to make an Onion poultice for the rest of the body. (The notable refinement of detail and characteristic finesse in the preparation of the following poultice I obtained from a conversation with my friend “Herbal” Ed Smith, herbalist and president of Herb Pharm in Williams, Oregon. And although he is more than likely responsible for a lot of other things, he should not be held responsible for the wording used here.) This is what you can do at home to relieve the acute condition of cough, croup, bronchitis, strep throat, kidney infection, eye infection,