World Medicinal Plants for Health and Healing : Embellished with Engravings of the Human Body and Herbs Used in the Botanic Practice
Contents: Preface. Introduction: Dr. Thomson\'s Theory on Herbal Medicine. I. World medicinal plants: 1. Introduction. 2. Using herbs. 3. First aid herbs. II. Herbal medicinal plants: 4. Stimulants. 5. Diaphoretics and sudorifics. 6. Tonics. 7. Diuretics. 8. Anti-scorbutics. 9. Astringents. 10. Vermifuges, or anthelmintics. 11. Nervines. 12. Purgatives. 13. Injections, or enemas. 14. Expectorants and demulcents. III. Herbal medicine and health: 15. Preservation of health. 16. Clothing. 17. Ventilation. 18. The skin. 19. Vapour and Turkish Baths. 20. The process of digestion. 21. The circulation of blood. IV. Diseases: their cause and cure by the herbal medicine. V. Drying and preserving roots and herbs: 22. Compounds. 23. Ointments. 24. Syrups. 25. Tinctures. 26. Liniments. 27. An agreeable aperient medicine. 28. Foetid or bad breath. 29. Medicine chest. 30. Preparations for the sick room. 31. Diets for invalids. 32. Poultices. 33. Botanic herb beer.
From the Preface: "In presenting this work (World Medicinal Plants for Health and Healing) to the public, the author does so with the greatest confidence, feeling assured that his readers will appreciate his endeavours to alleviate the sum of human misery. Many works have been written on medical science by men of scholastic education; but these works are either too expensive, or written in language which the bulk of the people do not understand, and the remedies are of such a nature that is like putting a sword into the hand of a child. In this work technicalities have been avoided as far as practicable, and it is written in so plain a manner that "all who run may read".
Not only is this a "Guide" of information for the curing of all the curable diseases incidental to a man, but it lays down the plan of prevention, which is far better than cure. Nothing is recommended on theory, but all from practical experience. The use of poisons is avoided whether as remedial agents or as stimulants. The use of the lancet is held to be quite unnecessary; and the use of that formidable enemy--the sheet-anchor, the Goliath of medicine--that all-potent remedial agent of the medical profession, mercury, is altogether repudiated by the author. The means recommended are sanitary--assisting nature to overcome disease by giving those remedies which act in harmony with the eternal laws of nature; these remedies are from the vegetable world and when taken properly, will arouse the dormant energies of the body to fulfill their proper functions and make life\'s wheel run smoothly."
