Weeds Used as Medicine: Now Available!

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This interesting booklet was released in the early 20th century as a helpful government bulletin designed to inform farmers that some of the weeds they were constantly removing from their land were medicinal in nature and potentially of at least enough value to make the work of exterminating them mildly profitable. It has been beautifully re-illustrated by the talented Rita Metzner. You can see some of her other works here.

It covers quite a few species; datura is here notable along with poison hemlock as plants that are no longer generally considered to be valid within medicine. Catnip is also mentioned somewhat amusingly here as more valuable on the medicinal end; these days of course its primary reason for sale is as a narcotic for peoples' miniaturized lions and tigers. The general medical use of each species, along with a description of its prevalence and appearance, is paired as well with some interesting asides regarding the commercial nature of early 20th century herbal medicine.

58 pages.

The Art of Rita Metzner: Illustrator of "Weeds as Medicine" and "Valuable Herbal Prescriptions"

Some time ago I decided it was impossible to personally illustrate all of the herbal works I desired to release; I needed someone to do that part of the work for me, having edited or partially edited a half dozen or so works I couldn't complete. Rita Metzner had submitted a link to her art along with many others and was selected as the best possible candidate for an illustrator. Indeed, the result is very nice. As you can see, she doesn't do just herbal works, but also some rather fantastical (dare I say vaguely occult?) works as well.

Link to Rita's Instagram

Below I wanted to display a couple of the herbal pictures; the first from the (completed, processing) Weeds as Medicine, the second from Herbal Prescriptions, which should be complete before the beginning of July or just thereafter.

The Blessed Thistle.

Poppy Plant.