As a special halloween treat, or perhaps trick, I thought we would look at a macabre medley of medical ministrations! Some of the gory ancient medical treatments in the search …

New Orleans Pharmacy Museum – an eclectic exhibit
New Orleans Pharmacy Museum I have written previously about my visit to New Orleans and Voodoo. Looking through some old photographs recently reminded me of this trip. The photographs included in this post …

Artemisia or Salvia smudge sticks to cleanse and purify
Artemisia or Salvia smudge sticks to cleanse and purify … Smudging and Smudge Sticks Many sources consider smudging an ancient tradition of indigenous American Indians. Some believe smudging was just …

The Surgery of Davie Beaton the Outlander Castle Leoch Healer
The Surgery of Davie Beaton the Outlander Castle Leoch Healer In the first Outlander book, and the first TV series, Claire is taken by Colum MacKenzie to Davie Beaton’s dank …

Artemisia medicinal herbs from a busy lady !
Artemisia spp. And the name The scientific name Artemisia is often ascribed from the name of the goddess Artemis. You may see Artemis listed as the goddess of the hunt …

Dandelion teeth of the lion – for kidney, liver and digestive function
Taraxacum officinale Family: Asteraceae So why dandelion? I have sat down to write this post for a friend. Ian is a fantastic photographer. Frequently his stunning photographs include trees, squirrels …

Wood betony a revered cephalic medicinal
Stachys betonica Family Lamiaceae What is in a name? Named after its discoverers, the Vettones of Lusitania (Barker). However, de Baïracli Levy suggested the name is derived from Celtic ‘ben’ referring to head …

Death by Gold Ring – Pretty Poisonous Potion!
Death by Gold Ring On a brief trip to Scotland last week, I visited Inverary Castle. A cousin was visiting from Australia and he was keen to visit the ancestral …
Voodoo and New Orleans Spells with Herbs
Voodoo and New Orleans Spells Some years back I was lucky enough to visit New Orleans. A fabulous fun place of blues and jazz. In addition, and right up my street, there are …
Outlander Claire Frasers Herbal Knowledge
Outlander Claire Frasers Herbal Knowledge Twenty years ago I began reading the Outlander series of books. Helen DuFriend, an American friend and work colleague, was engrossed in the Outlander books. She …