The Herbal Medicine-Maker's Handbook_ A Home Manual - James Green [175]
The rational starting point of the medical discoveries of the Western medical world is basically the empiricism of folk medicine and Herbalism.
TRITURATION
Trituration is the process of reducing the size of particles by rubbing them in a mortar with a pestle. This renders a crushing and or a mixing effect as the pestle is plied under pressure in a circular motion. The most effective method of using the pestle is to begin in the center of the mortar and describe a circle of small diameter with the pestle on the substance, and gradually increase the size of the circle with each revolution until the side of the mortar is touched. Then reverse the motion, describing circles that are continually smaller in diameter until the center is again reached. This is repeated until pulverization or thorough mixing of all ingredients (powders with sugar, essential oils with sugar, etc.) is effected. Mortars with pestles having somewhat flattened ends are the best for this process.
Mortar and Pestle
UNITED STATES PHARMACOPOEIA (USP)
The U.S. Pharmacopoeia is an official manual of standards for the identification of drugs known as “official” in this country. The components and processes identified and outlined in this manual are the “top 40” of the day, so to speak, as compared to the NF’s “oldies but goodies”; and like the National Formulary, those USPs published around 1926 and before will be the most valuable resource books for herbal medicine-makers. The abbreviation “USP” stamps a medicine or preparation as official, and as such any preparation bearing this official title must conform in all respects to the provisions of a U.S. pharmacopoeia (as designated by its number, i.e., USP IX).
Many countries compile and publish their own official pharmacopoeia. Originally, the U.S. Pharmacopoeia was revised every ten years by a committee of delegates from the American Pharmaceutical Association, medical and pharmaceutical colleges and associations, and the army, navy, and marine hospital services sitting in convention. Today, due to the continual swamping of the drug market with new patented drugs and drug recalls by pharmaceutical conglomerates, it is revised much more frequently. It is accepted as the standard concerning the quality, uniformity, purity, and integrity of the drugs and chemicals embraced by modern medicine. It describes them, gives tests, notes the usual adulterants and sophisticants, sets limits for impurities, gives instructions on preservation, and, most useful to herbal medicine-makers—it gives appropriate (official) menstrua and practical weight/volume ratios for each botanical tincture discussed (as does the National Formulary). Except for USP II published in 1830, neither the USP nor the NF gives therapeutic uses in any form except as may be inferred from the titles of some of their preparations.
VETERINARY DOSES
Herbalists are asked to advise in regard to giving herbs to animals in appropriate dosages. In general, sensible dosage corresponds to the weight of the animal, but there seems to be some exceptions. Cows, for instance, appear to be less responsive to medicines than horses when they are about the same weight. Cows are just more laid back than horses.
The following doses will work as a good starting place to develop experience.
Cats—1/8 to 1/4 the dose for an adult human
Dogs—Correspond to adult human dose according to weight (obviously a 12 pound Shih-tzu/Maltese cross–even though every bit as brave and tough—cannot take a dose appropriate for a 140 pound Rottweiler.
Horse—8 to 16 times the dose for an adult human
Cow—12 to 24 times the dose for an adult human
Goats and sheep—1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times the dose for an adult human
Swine—1 to 3 times the dose for an adult human
Llamas and ostriches—If you have them, your guess beats mine
VIVISECTION
Vivisection