These Plants Could Have Saved You! - Historical Herbal Medicine

In this episode Jon goes back in time to 1836 and Prairie Town to ask about medicinal herbs used on the early American frontier. Special thanks to all the folks at Conner Prairie for hosting this episode!

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[Melissa]

This YouTube channel is the kind of thing that would have been a TV show on PBS back in the late '80's and early '90's if this had been around back then.

[LuLu]

As an herbalist, this episode makes me oh so very happy. Yarrow was used in the Civil War to stop massive bleeding, Sage is good for the throat but a bit strong (I use it regularly), and elderberry syrup is great for flu (especially kids) and on pancakes (I'm making some today for flu season and with a bit of gelatin you can make it into gummies). Mullein flowers make an excellent cough syrup, the leaves are an inflammation reducer and fight infection. Plantain leaves also help reduce skin irritation (I use it in my homemade salves/balms with several other herbs like calendula, comfry, etc)...Well I totally geeked out...guess I was born in the wrong century.

*I just found Culpepper's Complete Herbal online. Thanks for another great episode.

[Zunbil]

This "in character" style of video was incredibly enjoyable to watch. Hopefully we'll get to see more ;)

[marylist]

Jewelweed is also good for stinging nettle stings, in fact if you're out in the wild, & you run into a patch of stinging nettles, the jewelweed grows right by them.

[indiamcbuggins]

Mrs. Armstrong is wonderful! I'd really like to see her featured again, w/ more herbal concoctions, please! : )

[ISawABear]

I like the 1st person video, the made-up back story actually puts you in that time period and adds on top of what we're already being taught.

[srbontrager]

This brought back memories of how my grandmother was, just back in the not too distant 1990's, when I was just in grade school. I can't even begin to imagine how many $1000's saved by using natural remedies instead of running to the doctor for every minor little ailment.

[siobhanmacdermott]

Mullein is a two-year plant. If the roots are being used (in tincture form it's a mild sedative), dig the plant in the fall after the first frost. Second year plants produce the flowering stalk. The sedative can also be found in a milder form in the flowers, buds and stalk of the plant. Leaves can be used either first or second year.

[purplealice]

Fascinating! We still use many of these medicines, although instead of willow bark we refine it into aspirin (and other plants yield other useful substances). But you do have to be *very* careful about identifying them, because there are some very dangerous plants that look very much like the useful ones.

[LBrobie]

her voice is lovely and soothing, very nice to listen to. :)

[MartinPHellwig]

Looking dapper Jon! Enjoyed this format quite a lot, thank you!

[efraim]

Yarrow is legendary in herbalism circles, so many uses

[emiliodibenedetto]

Mrs. Armstrong is a wealth of knowledge!

Conner Prairie looks amazing, too! I'd really like to visit, someday.
Thanks for doing what you do, Mr. Townsend!

[MrKmoconne]

I knew about jewelweed when I was a kid and roamed the woods and fields near my house. If we suspected we brushed up against poison ivy, we would rub the area with crushed jewelweed. Seemed to work!

[KillerBebe]

My parents were pre depression era children and they use to have chicory coffee once in awhile.

[cynthiabrogan]

Her: good for anxiety
Me and my broskis: WE’LL TAKE YOUR ENTIRE STOCK

[hojiscott]

Speaking of health - can you tell us about kitchen hygiene? With no running water in house, how did folks keep their pots, pans, dishes, and so forth clean? Did they have soaps that were easy to rinse? What were the habits for using less water? Did they have any kind of scrubbers like we have steel wool or other specialty cleaning tools? Thank you for your wonderful videos!!

[JoeDutchman]

Dear Mr. Townsend, I find your press to be most delightful and shall look forward to hearing of your experiences. Truly you are a treasured member of the the community. Best Regards, JD

[acriticalthinkerfromtexas]

I just discovered this channel and have spent the better part of my evening "marathon watching". I needed a break from depressing current events. This channel is a God send as it has been a delightful and educational diversion. It has reminded me that even though our country has endured dark and shameful chapters, its people eventually triumph by embracing the "better angels of our nature".
Thank you and God bless you.

[garlicgirl]

I this episode! I am studying complementary medicine and herbs have a long history in the USA. They died out at different points in our history especially with mainstream medicine and invention of antibiotics. People forget that many of our medicines come from plants. YAHOO!