Some Seldom Heard Herbs and What They Do

The following article is edited and reprinted from Majority Report, August 6-19, 1977. It is in direct violation of the federal Comstock Law as amended by the Scheuer-Bush Act (Public Law 91-662, 1971). This law prohibits, among other things, "(1) use of the mails to ship any abortifacient drug or device, or any information as to where such things may be obtained or any inducement to use such articles, or any information as to how or where an abortion may be obtained (18 USC 1461), and (2) transportation by common carrier interstate or foreign commerce, of abortifacient drugs or devices, and information as to how or where such things may be obtained."

Grandma knew about them, midwives administered them, 18th Century pharmacists sold them, Native American women cultivated them, as did medieval "witches," but most women today have never heard of drinking tea to expel a fetus.

One of our more imaginative writers (on Majority Report] indulged for a moment in the fantasy of how fabulous it would be if women didn't need the clinical abortions we had been fighting for for six years, or the $125 to pay for them, or even the medicaid to cover that. A few days later, our staff archivist casually mentioned that several herbs could be used to terminate pregnancy. We were so skeptical we didn't even ask which ones.

Then one of our reporters had a diaphragm accident and she did what any responsible investigative journalist would do she offered to test the remedy. Her period was four weeks late by the time she found a place to buy pennyroyal, the herb mentioned in a letter from a reader who said a miscarriage could be induced by drinking a strong tea made from it. Our reporter bought four ounces of pennyroyal for $2.60. Each night before retiring she drank three strong coffeemugs full and took a hot bath. She said the tea made her high, induced perspiration and brought on a slight cramp as early as the first night. For four days she joked about getting cramps but no "action," and didn't believe it would work, But after the fifth treatment, she woke up with a severe cramp, bled heavily for a day, had back pains for two more days, lost all pregnancy symptoms and a few weeks later had a normal period.

Our staff got into the act again when, as luck would have it, another reporter got pregnant and tried both Pennroyal and Black Cohosh tea in vain. "'You've heard of iron stomachs?" she commented. "Well, I have an iron uterus.” She obtained a vacuum aspiration at a local clinic.

Experts on herbal healing were quick to point out the dangers of such experiments. Herbs, they told us, as just as potent as medicine and just as dangerous if abused. However, they refused to help us compile a reliable guide to abortifacients (agents causing miscarriage). Majority Report's editors weighed the situation and concluded that the secretive and elitist attitude both of physicians and herbalists is more dangerous to women than the bald facts about abortifacients. We decided to end the conspiracy of silence with this article.

If abortifacient herbs don't work, thousands of generations of healers were in error, and their simul. taneous use by diverse cultures such as the American Indians and the European peasants was a coincidence. If they do work, women don't need the OK of Jimmy Carter, Congress, the Supreme Court or the Pope to end their pregnancies; they can just pick some plants in their back yards and brew them into tea. And, if they do work, women will have succeeded at last in reducing the price of abortion to approximately 65¢,

Women who claim to have used herbs to induce miscarriage, report that their symptoms were: abdominal cramps similar to a menstrual period; lower back pain; heavy flow; general weakness; and, sometimes, depression. These symptoms will not persist beyond one or two days. Such symptoms, we are told, are typical of abortion and miscarriage.

Symptoms that could indicate infection or other are fever and backache. We have not heard of anyone experiencing an infection or other complication following an herbal abortion, but such symptoms are best treated by a physician, if for no other reason than that the patient needs a prescription for penicillin to get rid of the infection.

Emmenagogues (agents promoting menstrual flow) should be used at the first sign of a late period because they tend to be easier on the system. If after one week, the emmenagogue doesn't work, try an abortifacient. But whichever you are using, the following measures will aid the effect of the herb: 1. Warm bath following dosage.

2. Avoidance of cold water and drafts to the feet, legs and abdominal area.

3. Bowels should be kept loose and laxative herbs taken when necessary.

4. Meals should be light and include lots of fruits. Remember that some of the most potent drugs are merely plant derivatives such as digitalis (foxglove) and belladonna. Do not exceed the recommended dosages or period of treatment. Women who have used these herbs say that if they're going to work, they do so after about five days. Since there are no reports on long term effects, the best bet is to give up after trying for one week and seek a suction abortion well before the 12-week limit.

AM PENNYROYAL

ABORTIFACIENTS

Pennreyal, Hedeoma pulegiodes, COMMON NAMES: American Pennyroyal, mosquito plant, squaw mint, tickweed.

MEDICINAL PART: The herb.

USES: Abortifacient, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative. TO USE: Steep 1 oz, herb in I pint water (when using as abortifacient, drink 1/4 pint brewer's yeast dissolved in juice directly before or after). Drink 3 cups a day, before bedtime.

Peruvian Bark, Cinchona spp.

COMMON NAMES: Cinchona, Jesuits' bark.

USES: Abortifacient, astringent, febrifuge, oxytocic, tonic.

TO USE: Infusion. Steep 1 tsp. bark on 1 cup water. Take 1/2 cup a day, no more than 1-2 cups total. Don't use larger doses than prescribed.

Hemieck Spruce, Tsuga canadensia.

COMMON NAMES: Canada pitch tree, hemlock gumtree. MEDICINAL PART: Bark.

TO USE: Infusion. Steep 1 tsp. inner bark or twigs In 1 cup boiling water,

Herseradish, Armoracia lapathifolia. MEDICINAL PART: Root.

USES: Abortifacient, diuretic, stomachic.

TO USE: Cover 1 cup finely grated undried horseradish with vinegar and let stand for 10 days. Take 1 tsp. 2 or 3 times a day, well diluted with water.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Do not take large doses at one time. Discontinue use if diarrhea or night-sweating occurs /-

Shepherd's Purse, Capsella pursa-pastoris.

COMMON NAMES: Cocowort, pickpocket, St. James' weed, toywort. MEDICINAL PART: The herb.

USES: Abortifacient, diuretic, styptic, vasoconstrictor.

TO USE: Infusion. Steep 1 tsp. fresh or 2 tsps, dried herb in 1/2 cup water. Take 1 cup a day, unsweetened, homeopathically. CONTRAINDICATIONS Not to be taken internally if high blood pressure is present.

Celery, Apium graveolens.

COMMON NAMES: Garden celery, wild celery.

MEDICINAL PARTS: Root, leaves, seeds.

USES: Plant: Abortifacient, diuretic, emmenagogue.

TD USE: Take 1 Tbsp. juice expressed from plant 2 or 3 times a day, 1 hour before meals.

CONTRAINDICATION: High sodium content precludes use if there is high blood pressure.

The following herbs have also been listed as abortifacients, but are to be used only under medical supervision. They can be poisonous and harmful and are noted here as a caution:

Cotton Root, Ergot, Hedge Hyssop, American Mistletoe, European Mistletoe, Ragwort, Common Groundset, Tansy.

EMMENAGOGUES

Caraway, Carium Carvi. COMMON NAME: Caraway. MEDICINAL PART: Seed.

USES: Antispasmodic, carminative, emmenagogue, expectorant, galacta. gogue, stomachic.

TO USE: Seeds may be chewed or prepared as follows:

Infusion: 3 tsp. crushed seeds to 1/2 cup of water. Boil briefly, steep covered for 10 minutes and strain. Take 1 to 1-1/2 cups a day, homeopathically.

Motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca.

COMMON NAMES: Lion's ear, lion's tail, throwort,

MEDICINAL PARTS: Leaves and top.

USES: Astringent, calmative, cardiac, emmenagogue, stomachic.

TO USE: Infusion: Steep 1 tsp. tops or leaves to 1/2 cup water. Take 1 cup

a day, homeopathically. Decoction: 1 tsp. boiled in 3 cups water until

1 cup remains. Take 1/3 cup, 3 times a day.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Skin may react to external contact with leaves on susceptible individuals,

American Centaury, Sabatla angularis.

COMMON NAMES: Bitterbloom, bitter clover, eyebright, red centaury. MEDICINAL PART: The herb.

USES: Bitter tonic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, vermifuge.

TO USE: Use 1 tsp. chopped herb to 1 cup boiling water, steep for 1/2

hour. Take 1 tbsp. every few hours..

To be Continued

in July's WSW

HERBALESE DICTIONARY

Abortifacient: An agent that induces or causes premature expulsion of

fetus.

Anthelmintie: An agent which expels worms.

Anesthetic: An agent that deadens sensation.

Astringent: Causes contraction and arrests discharges.

Anthilitle: Prevents formation of calculi in the urinary organs.

Antiseptle: Opposed to putrefaction.

Antispasmodic: Relieves or prevents spasms,

Carminative: Expels wind from bowels.

Cardiac: An agent that stimulates or otherwise affects the heart. Cathartic: An agent which acts to empty the bowels.

Decoction: Stronger dose, usually made from root of medicinal plant, where 1/2 oz. of the root is boiled in 1 cup of water for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain before drinking.

Diaphoretic: An agent that promotes perspiration; sudorific. Dturetle: An agent which increases the secretion and expulsion of urine. Emmenagogue: An agent which promotes menstrual flow.

Expectorant: An agent which promotes discharge of mucous from the respiratory passages.

Febrifuge: An agent that reduces or eliminates fever.

Galactagegue: An agent that increases the secretion of milk. Homeopathically: In small mouthfuls.

Infusion: Tea made from steeping 1 tsp. herb in 1 cup boiled water, Laxative: An agent promoting evacuation of the bowels.

Oxyteel: An agent that stimulates contraction of the uterine muscle and thus speeds childbirth.

Pergative: An agent that promotes vigorous emptying of the bowels.

Sedative: An agent which has a soothing effect on the nerves.

Stimulant: An agent that excites or quickens the activity of physiological

processes.

Stomachic: An agent that strengthens or tones the stomach.

Tonic: An agent that invigorates organs or organism.

Vasoconstrictor: An agent that narrows the blood vessels, thus raising the blood pressure.

Vermifuga: An agent causing expulsion of intestinal worms.

Vulnerary: A healing application for wounds.

What She Wants/June, 1978/page 9