What’s On

Age-old herbal remedies explained at Morpeth Library

Posted by The Journal on Apr 14, 09 10:47 AM in What’s On

Jill Schnabel, who will be giving a talk at Morpeth Library Countryside cures dating back centuries to the days long before modern medicine are being kept alive by a North East herbalist.

In bygone times, when rural dwellers lived long distances from the nearest doctor, they often relied on plants plucked from the gardens, fields and hedgerows as do-it-yourself cures for their illnesses and ailments.

The plant medicines were passed down through the generations, and some are now used as the basis for modern-day drugs which treat patients for a variety of diseases and conditions.

Now the curious world of age-old herbal remedies is being explained to fascinated audiences by Newcastle-based herbalist and teacher Jill Schnabel.

Later this month she will give a talk on the so-called Grannies' Remedies used long before the birth of the NHS at Morpeth Library - when she will invite people to bring along their own family tales of plant-based medicines.

Jill runs the Heaton Herbalists medicine clinic, teaches courses on herbalism and gives regular talks on the subject to WIs and church groups.

She said: "Lots of older women come along and tell me these stories about what their grannies used to give them, and it always fascinates me that we don't really use things from the hedgerows any more.

"Before the arrival of the NHS many country people could not afford the doctor, or the nearest doctor was miles away, so they only went if it was something really serious. They have always relied on their own remedies taken from plants and hedgerows.

"For example, the foxglove is a very old remedy for dropsy, a condition which caused swollen legs and was linked to slow heart failure. That is a country cure which is still used as a heart remedy in the drug digoxin, although foxgloves themselves are poisonous.

"A lot of modern medicines are derived from plants, such as opiates which are copied from opium poppies. There also used to be herb bars run by the temperance movement, serving herbal drinks, to encourage people not to drink alcohol.

"In my work I encourage people to use safe and simple herbal remedies themselves, for things like spring cleansing, rather than go to the doctor or the chemist.

'It is quite sad that some of these old herbal remedies are in danger of becoming lost knowledge, although things like the Remembered Remedies website linked to Kew Gardens are collecting them and keeping them alive."

Jill's talk at Morpeth Library is on Thursday April 30 from 10am to noon. She will be accompanied by historian Wendy Stafford, who will talk about how to recognise medical terms of the past that are long gone.

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1 Comments

Heather said:

I am a current herbalist student and am looking for a dedoction for squamous cell lung cancer. I really believe that herbs can do miracles!!! Thank you.
Blessed Be,
Heather

May 21, 2009 1:52 AM