Witches Heal: Lesbian Herbal Self-Sufficiency

204 Pages·1988·25.525 MB·English

by  Billie Potts

POTTS
BILLIE
Witches Heal

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Witches Heal
Lesbian Herbal Self-Sufficiency
Second Edition
by Billie Potts
©
Copyright 1988 by Billie Potts
also known as Billie Luisi
Second Edition
Published by:
DuR^ve Publications
P.O. Box 7772
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107
Cover Design by Phyllis Hochberg
All rights reserved. No part ofthis book shall be reproduced, stored in
aretrieval system, ortransmitted by anymeans, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, orotherwise, withoutwrittenpermission from
the Publishers and Author.
Printed in U.S.A.
First Edition published in 1981 by Hecuba's Daughters, Inc.
DuRevePublicationsdoes notandcannotguarantee orwarrantthatthe informationand
remedies contained herein are fit for any particular medicinal purpose. Statements or
descriptions are informationalonly, andnotmade orgivenas awarrantyorendorsement
asto anyparticularresultwhichmayormaynotarisefromtheirapplication. Thereader
shall be solely responsible for determining the advisability ofutilizing the remedies in
this book and for any and all results which shall arise out ofuse ofthe information by
the reader. The utilizationand application ofthe information in this bookby thereader
shall not be subject to any implied warranty of fitness for that purpose.
The Author and Publishers assume no responsibility for experiments with traditional
remedies on the part ofthe readers, since the intent ofthis work is not to substitute it
for the guidance ofexperienced practitioners or other types ofmedical care.
For River, that the vision may grow.

Preface
wish here to acknowledge the support and encouragement
I
of Beverly Brown, Brenda Gray, River LIghtwomoon, Allx Dobkin,
Bette Tallen, Lauren Jacobs, TonI Cardlnale, Denslow Brown,
Felice Rhiannon, Jean SIrlus, Cara Vaughn, and the wonderful
Wombwimmln.
My goal has been to contribute to the renewal and repos-
session of our healing powers. The title comes from a slogan
invented and popularized by myself and the wimmin of my for-
mer land collective. We owe a debt to Feme for producing the
first "WITCHES HEAL" buttons. The connection Is being made
now everywhere among us that "Witch," like Dyke, and Black,
becomes a word of power when the oppressed take hold of the
tools of oppression and charge them and recreate them.
The book you are about to read has been conceived and
birthed as an access tool for us all, particularly those of us who
do not have the money, time, or space to attend conferences,
weekend ovulars, orexpensive naturopathic schools and classes.
You will find many common herbal terms have been dlllberately
ignored or left out in this work. I find most Latinate herbal
jargon offensively pretentious, unnecessarily intimidating, and
vague; defined so differently from author to author, practitioner
to practitioner. Some of the more clear and useful of these terms
do appear occasionally in the text. For further discussion, see
the "Broken List" glossary, at the end of the book.
have used the standard Latin double nametags for back-up
I
Identification. This does represent a European bias, but right now
It's the most agreed upon international system of plant reference,
and we need to know among us, from region to region and nation
to nation, specifically which plant we are discussing. This system
is not all that absolute, correct, inclusive, or agreed upon. It's
a convenience. I've tried to relate my nomenclature usages to
standard works in the field, to make cross referencing easy and
meaningful.
Pondside, Autumn 9981
Preface to the Second Edition
It is seven years since the writing of Witches Heal. I am
gratified by its reception and documented usefulness to lesbians
and all other women. My objectives remain much the same as
stated in the "9981 Preface". I wish here to acknowledge both
the first and second generation of its supporters.
Special thanks go, this time around, to Ana Capek, Morgan
Grey; River Lightwomoon, Jean Sirius and Cara Vaughn again,
Zelda Detroit, B.A. Caruso and the new generation of Michigan
Wombwimmin, including the wimmin of DuReve Publications.
have also been sustained by my "second family" of radi-
I
cal wimmin in Miami, Mindy (her phrase), Silas, Ellen, Louise,
Maryann, the two Barbaras, the wimmin of "Our Place", Ruth Ann
and the Gainesville wimmin, Arlene and Arline of the California
desert, and my neighbor in Summit, N.Y., Peggy M. Clarke.
Mountaintop, Summit, 9988
——————————————————
Table of Contents
Preface v
Introduction 1
I 1
2
II
4
III
IV 5
SIMPLE WAYS TO USE PLANTS MEDICINALLY 9
TEAS: 9
INFUSIONS: 9
DECOCTIONS: 10
TINCTURES: 11
OILS, SALVES, and OINTMENTS: 13
POULTICES: 15
DRYING: 16
MATERIA MEDICA FEMINA-A WITCH'S TABLE OF
MEDICINAL PLANTS 22
Boneset eupatorium perfoliatum, compositae 22
Burdock arctium lappa, compositae 24
Catnip nepeta cataria, labiatae 26
Chamomile anthemis nobilis (Roman), matricaria
chamomilla (German), compositae 26
Coltsfoot—ft/ss/7ago farfara, compositae 27
Comfrey symptitum officinaie, boraginaceae 29
Dandelion taraxacum officinalis, compositae 31
Echinacea echinacea angustifolia, compositae (Kansas
snake root) 32
Elecampane inula helenium, compositae 35
Eucalyptus eucalyptusglobulusor cinera, myrtaceae 37
.
Eyebrlght euphrasia officinalis, scrophulariaceae ... 37
Hops humulus lupulus, moraceae 38
Horsetail equisetum arvense, equisetaceae 40
Hyssop hyssopus officinalis, labiatae 41
Motherwort—/eoHL/o/s cardiaca, labiatae 43
Mugwort artemisia vulgaris, compositae 45
Mullein verbascum ttiapsus, scrophulariaceae 46
Nettles urtica dioica, urticaceae 48
Parsley petroselinum sativa, umbelliferae 50
Peppermint mentha piperita, labiatae 53
vu
—————————————————— ——
Raspberry rubus idaeus, rosaceae 53
Rosehips—rosa rugosa and others, rosaceae 55
Rosemary rosmarinus officinalis, labiatae 56
Red Clover trifoliumpratense, leguminosae 57
Sage salvia officinalis, labiatae 58
Sagebrush artemisia tridentata, compositae 60
Shepherd's Purse capsellabursa-pastoris, cmciferae 61
.
Skullcap Scutellaria lateriflora, labiatae 62
Slippery Elm ulmas fulva, ulmaceae 63
Uva Ursi arctostaphylos uva ursi, ericaceae 64
Valerian Valeriana officinalis, valerianaceae 66
Violet viola odorata, violaceae 67
Wintergreen gaultheria procumbens, ericaceae .... 69
Wormwood artemisia absinthum, compositae 70
Yarrow achillea millefolium, compositae 72
YELLOW BITTER ROOTS 75
Golden Seal hydrastis canadensis 75
Yellow Dock rumex crispus, polygonaceae 75
Barberry berberis vulgaris, berberidaceae 75
Oregon grape root berberis aquifolium,
berberidaceae 75
Gold Thread coptis groenlandica, ranunculaceae ... 75
LIVE GREEN PLANTS 81
—
Ground Ivy nepeta tiederacea, labiatae 81
—
Plantain plantago major or plantago lanceolata,
plantaginaceae 81
—
Cinquefoil potentilla tormentilla, rosaceae 83
St. Johnswort hiypericumperforatum, hypericaceae . 84
—
Cleavers galium aparine, rubiaceae 86
—
Chickweed stellaria media, caryophykkaceae .... 86
—
Celandine chelidonium majus, papaveraceae .... 88
—
Jewelweed impatiens biflora 88
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