Let’s begin a process of immersion in the lexicon of the home grown American herbalists of the 18th and 19th century. Our goal is to make vitalism understood in its own words rather than an updated gloss. “ For every question of vitality there is an answer within the tendencies of the living being. Whatever question there is, plants, diet and regime are a major part of the answer. Much of the credit that goes to modern chemical pharmaceutical medicine is misplaced. The credit for improved life expectancy has mostly to do with sanitation, appropriate disposal of human waste and the elimination of water borne illness from contaminated drinking water. Managing sewage and access to clean drinking water, along with access to healthful life giving foods, and creating liveable walkable, human based bikeable communities are the primary focus of any real public health paradigm. The entire framework of health as it is currently in place is primarily a money based system put in place by the propertied elites to benefit their own financial position in the hierarchy as propertied elites. https://youtu.be/oL0ZI4kxJE8
The point and practice of this exercise is to revisit the lexicon of the vitalists, reference their lexicon as they spoke it, without a filter. Secondarily to advocate identity within that tradition as members of that self same tradition. The reason for immersion is to develop the vitalist lens and begin to see health issues through that vitalist lens. The vitalist lens is essentially a perennial human way of understanding.
It is empowering to discover yes we do have a legitimate western herbal tradition. It does exist and the real work is re-investing into it, beginning where you are, who you are and what you are in the immediate place where you are, within the only and sole legitimate position to hold, herbalism. A lot of people are doing precisely this so there's nothing new or groundbreaking here. Herbs are the only question. In fact it is the sense of groundbreaking new paradigm that works against progress. Herbs and plants are not new. People are not new. Illness is not new. Herbs are the appropriate answer. People working with plants to make remedies to increase health and decrease suffering face to face is not new. What is new is people thinking it is new. Because it isn’t new, it is quite the contrary, very old. Working with local plants is not new. Having a medicinal herb garden out back is as old as people are old. https://youtu.be/yPNB27dRQys
Many herbalists describe what they do today with plants in ways that align closely with the tradition of Vitalism that was practiced in the United States from colonial times through to the 1930’s. We could call vitalism and its lens of seeing the world a perennial mixture of having 5 senses and walking upright on two legs. People tend to see the world around them in vitalist terms. On its simplest level vitalism says, “I am alive. I have a body which is living. In order to keep it that way, I need to do certain things and avoid other things. If I break the laws or rules of life I suffer. Conversely if I obey the rules of life I thrive.”
Vitalism is not a unique way of seeing. It is no more unique than sticking your head under water and asking, how did it feel to have your head underwater? How did it feel? I couldn’t breathe. In order to live you need to breathe. It is matter of fact and somewhat childlike. What is unique is the who of the person doing the seeing, ie the cultural framework. Also unique is the where, the ecosystem that supports the who thus creating the what. So the specific aspect of vitalism references the person, plants and place. The vibrant tradition of herbalism, using plants to maximize thrive wellness and minimize disease illness exists within a smaller subset of traditional western herbalism, that is then within the smaller subset of American herbalism, and the smaller still, Northeast Appalachian Ohio valley herbalism using mainly those local northeast appalachian ohio valley american native plants as part of an herbal process of healing illness disease states and maximizing thrive wellness states. To the degree we can experience the gestalt of these western traditionalists is to the degree we can invigorate our own current understanding of disease, health and herbal remedies. The lens of vitalism was and is part of western herbal medicine. Revisiting the writings of these herbalists can inform us of fresh insights useful to what plants we use and how we use them.
We can trace vitalism as a sub-school of western herbal medicine through Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), the physio-medicalists and the eclectics. It continues to inform the western herbal tradition. I thought it could be productive to view this western herbal tradition through its own lens in the lexicon of the speakers themselves. Several herbalists have recently reinterpreted the vitalist findings and rebranded them with new terms in the hope that these new terms would be helpful to modern students of herbalism to better grasp the vitalist findings rooted deeply in the world of circa 1850. Maybe yes, maybe no. This re-branding, and updated language has several pitfalls that have proven consistent with American herbalism. For one thing it tends to develop and heighten the cult of personality of the author doing the updating and rebranding, so that the western herbalism of the vitalists becomes, “James X. Smith and Dynamic Mumbo Jumbo herbalism circa 1975, circa 1989, circa 2003, circa 2023”. It’s a lot like Soap, Supersoap, new improved supersoap and new new super upgraded super soap. Or like a container of coffee that used to be 16oz, 1 pound, then becomes 14oz, then 12oz at the same price as the old one pound container. Or giant cereal boxes that used to be full to the top with cereal and now hold only tiny bags of cereal in the giant box to hide inflation and decreasing buying power within the economy. Or gluten free water. A lot of the herbal rehash is hyperbole
In the “Philosophy of Physiomedicalism”, of Joseph M. Thurston, c1900, he spoke of “ the vital commonwealth”, in the sense of a vital principle that governs the body and unites it as a bounded whole with an intention to ease, a united community, or association of tissues, organ systems. Due to the vital principle, life is both directional and intentional towards ease, health. As such it is self rectifying in its processes towards those ends.
1)“The human Organism is essentially a vital commonwealth, dominated by Vital force, with integrative, constructive, and regenerative instinct, and whose inherent nature is resistive, prophylactical, eliminative, and reconstructive when the vital domain - living organism - is invaded by inimical or disease-causations.
2) The living organism is a systematic and purposeful aggregation of minute tissue-units, “organic cells.”
3) The living being takes in and appropriates according to its nature within a bounded whole
4) The dynamic principle of vitalism is inherently organizing
5) This Vital force continuing its control of every functional action through the central nucleus of living matter in every tissue-unit - organic cell - after the organism is fully matured, maintains the vital integrity and functional vigor of the organic whole, continually resisting and eliminating from the vital commonwealth all adverse influences and extrinsic inimical matters. https://youtu.be/6sP8enDRLFk
6) Laying aside all unknowable and unknown speculative questions… upon this certain foundation we build our PRINCIPIA OF MEDICINE.
7) because all the…”foundation principles are admitted facts by all schools, sects, and doctrines of medicine… yet in no sense can be a, dogmatic, or exclusive school or system of medicine.” …in other words, Thurston was speaking of the constant infighting among the early 20th century medical schools which tried to cancel each other out.
8) This Philosophy looks upon disease as an enforced departure of vital activities from the normal standard of functional integrity, because of invasion of the normal tissue-units, tissues and structures, any or all, by extrinsic inimical substances, forces, or influences…the conditions of disease; and the functional perversions, such as exaggerated or depressed and subnormal functional activities, are the secondary effect or functional consequence of the primary disturbance of vital action in the bioplasm of the tissue-units.
9)Therefore, disease is a tissue-state per se… now, if these conditions be normal, then physiological or normal functional operations follow; if a substance produce abnormal conditions of the living matter, it is inimical, and perverted functions result.
10)The Vital force itself is irresponsible alike as to the influence of salutary or inimical substances upon the bioplasm, but always makes the best of depraved conditions of its media - bioplasm - when it is invaded by inimical substances and influences, increasing its prophylaxis by more vigorous functional activities, elevating the eliminative functions, or slowing up the functional motions until the inimical influence shall be spent.
11)those concomitant phenomena, such as “inflammation,” “fever,” “irritation,” “pain,” etc., following this perverted and depraved condition of the living matter of tissue-units, are simply consequent functional aberrations, and not disease per se, but the symptoms, or signs of perverted tissue-state.
12)”the inherent nature and intent of this Vital force is always integrative, resistive, and reconstructive, it follows that in diseased conditions and consequent functional aberrations, or symptoms of disease, it maintains its integrity of purpose,” …since the vital force is pro-life the observed tissue states are adaptive
13) there may be disagreements but the basic principles can’t be thrown overboard
Basic definition of Vitalism: “Basing a definition wholly upon our Theorem, we define Physiomedicalism to be: A medical philosophy founded on the Theorem of a Vital force or energy, inherent in living matter of tissue-units, whose aggregate expression in health and disease is the functional activities of the organism; and whose inherent tendency is integrative and constructive; resistive, eliminative, and reconstructive to inimical invasion, or disease-causations.”
–– “reverence for the Vital integrity of the living organism
—-”all therapeutic measures should be undertaken with a full recognition of Vital force as the supreme curative power, and the inherent resistive and eliminative nature of the Vital actions as manifest even in the exaggerated and finally perverted functional operations arising from diseased conditions, if carefully observed and scientifically understood, they will unerringly guide him in his remedial measures, and respond kindly and in harmony with the therapeutic means applied…”
Part 2 Health—Essential tenant Vitalism...” in both health and disease, all functional action is the expression of Vital force through living matter and tissue units, upon tissues, structures, organs and systems. And the logical premises are that vital action in the living matter of tissue-units is not only sufficient to afford the necessary degree of functional action required to maintain the proper balance between assimilation and disassimilation, waste and supply, of the body elements, which, theoretically, is the normal condition, or a state of health, but that there is in each bioplast of the tissue-units, besides this kinetic energy, a large potential or reserve force; so that in health the body is capable of an immense amount of work, compared with the required amount of functional energy to maintain simply the state of health…”
—-”Health, therefore, is that state of the whole organism, or any part of the vital domain, in which there is sufficient vital vigor in the tissue-units, and functional activity in tissues and structures, to maintain physiological co-ordination between assimilation and disassimilation, nutrition and waste, of the normal body elements, with sufficient potential vitality for all reasonable extrinsic body-work, and intrinsic resistive, eliminative and constructive functional action.”
—Disease====”...we readily understand disease to be enforced resistive, eliminative, and reconstructive extra-functional intrinsic, activities, general or local, because of invasion, exhaustion, or destruction of living matter and tissue-units, by extrinsic inimical substances, forces, influences, or environments, sufficient to disturb or destroy the physiological harmony between assimilation and disassimilation.” —so…”For immediately the tissue-units are invaded to any extent, even locally, a warning pain, ache, or distress comes, and we know where ease ceases and disease commences.” see below ‘Cause of Disease’
Fever— Latin fevere, to glow…definition..”An exaggerated state of vasomotor function, resulting from invasion of the tissue-units by inimical substances, influences or forces, involving sufficient area of tissue-elements to require extra functional action of the general vasomotor apparatus.”
—Fever: temperature valuable guide, one sign of disease…Thus we avoid the illogical practice of placing the temperature as the one distinguishing characteristic, and the fatally erroneous idea of combating the fever and subduing the temperature with depressing and devitalizing therapeutic measures.”
—Inflammation… “An exaggerated state of vasomotor functional activities because of invasion or destruction of living matter and tissue-units involving a more or less circumscribed area.” Celus25BC-50AD : he four marks of inflammation as rubor(redness), tumor(swelling), calor(heat), dolor(pain)
—”inflammation as a complex of correlated signs of abnormal tissue-states, will enable student and practitioner to form more accurate ideas of its treatment; for this definition tersely tells the whole story of these resistive and eliminative states of the functional activities because of inimical and disintegrative invasion of the vital commonwealth.”
Congestion—-”Inability of the vasomotor function to maintain the normal balance between assimilation and disassimilation, locally or generally, because of functional obstruction, vital depression, or lesion of tissue-units of the vasomotor apparatus. ….the chief or cardinal sign is disturbance of the normal balance between nutrition and waste - physiological integration and disintegration - assimilation and disassimilation.”
(Note: lesion here is old french -hurt, offense, injury wound. Latin: laedere ‘to hurt, strike or damage’ ledo- i hurt, i offend, i strike, i betray. An infected, diseased organ or tissue.)
Irritation:---”Exaggerated local and reflexed impressability of peripheral sensory nerves, arising from long continued inefficient inflammatory action.”
—Pain: “ Exaggerated functional action upon sensory nerve centers, due to violent disturbance, or destruction, of the normal relation, or condition of tissueelements.. Pain is the result of a tissue state…disturbance, or destruction, of the normal relation of tissue-units, not only covers nausea, itching, feeling of distention, but it includes mental distress, and physical unease of whatever degree or character, nor does it matter if the causation or disturbing influence be peripheral or central…”
Tissue— Thurston breaks down the great vital commonwealth from the individual person, human being, microscopically to the cell, which he demonstrates with charming line drawings, to what he calls within cell wall(plant), now known as cell membrane(animal). “TISSUE ELEMENT. FUNCTIONAL UNIT. ORGANIC CELL - The smallest integral part of the organic body, consists of the UNIT BODY, or envelope of condensed bioplasm or formed matter for tissue material; a NUCLEUS, of protoplasm, or partly condensed bioplasm, or forming material; a NUCLEOLUS, the central mass of bioplasm or living matter, which is the essential functioning causation.” He calls the nucleolus, “In this minute central speck of transparent, semi-fluid, delicate plasma, so quiescent and insignificant in appearance, resides the potentialities of the mighty functional work - thought, word and deed - of the great Vital commonwealth…”the astounding constructive, resistive, eliminative and reconstructive action of Vital force begins; here is the initial causation which, carried on in rhythmic unity of purpose, through tissues, structures, organs, and systems, results in the magnificently effective and purposeful functional operations of this vital economy.”
So cell nucleolus, ‘cells, tissues, structures, organs and systems.’ from small to large as the “TISSUE. STRUCTURAL ELEMENT - A number of tissue elements in organic systematic continuity”,’By unerring laws of organic developmental and constructive Vital intent…’
organ/example-heart, Hence, we have certain of these organs associated, or grouped functionally, for the performance of a general function. For instance, for the completion of the general function of digestion, there are associated the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, and pancreas, each performing its individual functional work, as a step in the general function.
organ/heart, lungs, arteries, capillaries, veins, lymphatics
apparatus/ circulatory
system/
“These various organs and systems, in health, as do all components of the organism, work in united harmony, though each maintains its individuality in the functional whole. So, also, in disease, this same balance of functions, harmony of apparatuses and systems is still maintained, and the aberrant functional manifestations - signs of disease - if thus studied in their continuity of associate actions, will yield definite data in the making up of a comprehensive and accurate estimate of the patient’s condition, and the prognosis of any given case.”
Thurston, Joseph M. Philosophy of Physiomedicalism. 1900
Thomsonian System
“My mind was bent on learning the medical properties of such vegetables as I met with, and was constantly in the habit of tasting every thing of the kind I saw; and having a retentive memory, I have always recollected the taste and use of all that were ever shown me by others, and likewise of all that I discovered myself. This practice of tasting of herbs and roots has been of great advantage to me, as I have always been able to ascertain what is useful for any particular disease, by that means.” -Samuel Thomson
People are often ruled by conformity and appearances, “the people were justly punished for their ingratitude and folly, in preferring death and misery, because it was done more fashionably, to a mode of practice by which they might relieve themselves in a simple and safe manner.” -Samuel Thomson https://youtu.be/QyDODCMoLGc
1)Lobelia inflata as an emetic, met with in childhood wandering in the woods. Later given to adult
2) Steam baths, Samuel Thompson began to understand heat was the basic principle of health. Example given of an improvised vinegar steam bath for his 2 year old daughter, near death with the canker-rash, a respiratory distress, with pustulant boils over her face, ears, nose, eyes obstructing vision. Steam bath done by pouring vinegar on a heated shovel his wife held.
“This was the first of my finding out the plan of steaming and using cold water. After this I found by experience that by putting a hot stone into a thing of hot water, leaving it partly out of the water, and then pouring vinegar on the stone, was an improvement. Care should be taken not to raise the heat too fast; and I used to put a cloth wet with cold water on the stomach, at the same time giving hot medicine to raise the heat inside; and when they had been steamed in this manner so long as I thought they could bear it, then rub them all over with a cloth wet with spirit, vinegar, or cold water, change their clothes and bed clothes, and then let them go to bed.” quote Samuel Thomson
3)Beginning of Thomson's Theory, “Food the Fuel that Continues the Fire or Life of Man. Maintain the Internal Heat and Restore Perspiration.” J.U.Lloyd “My experience has taught me that by giving hot medicine, the internal heat was increased, and by applying the steam externally, the natural perspiration was restored; and by giving medicine to clear the stomach and bowels from canker, till the cold is driven out and the heat returns, which is the turn of the fever, they will recover the digestive powers, so that food will keep the heat where it naturally belongs, which is the fuel that continues the fire or life of man.” -Samuel Thompson
–another example with his children and measles, “I used the steam of vinegar to guard against putrefaction, and gold thread, or yellow root, with red oak acorns pounded and steeped together, for the canker. These had the desired effect; and by close attention he soon got better.” …”likewise in the canker-rash; in these two disorders, and the small pox, I found a looking-glass, in which we may see the nature of every other disease.’...”which I am satisfied is a key to the whole; for by knowing how to cure this, is a general rule to know how to cure all other cases; as the same means that will put out a large fire will put out a candle.” “The popular practice of the physicians had so much influence on the minds of the people, that they thought nothing could be right but what was done by them.”...”This satisfied me of the foolishness of the people, whose prejudices are always in favor of any thing that is fashionable, or that is done by those who profess great learning; and prefer long sickness and great expense, if done in this way, to a simple and natural relief, with a trifling expense.” -Samuel Thompson
So there is in Samuel Thomson’s treatments three basic ideas, remove the canker, (lobelia), build the fire to fever with steam baths and then a restorative, which he describes here, with Mrs Redding a wife with 13 children…”my usual plan of treatment, giving her things to remove the canker, and steaming to produce a natural perspiration; at the end of the three days she went home, taking with her some medicine, with directions what to do for herself, and in a short time entirely recovered her health.”
Samuel Thomson describes how he was treating people making house calls, and in so doing neglecting his wife and family farm, “and I had always had a very strong aversion to working on a farm, as every thing of the kind appeared to me to be a burthen; the reason of which I could not account for, as I had carried on the business to good advantage, and had as good a farm as any in the neighborhood. I finally concluded to make use of that gift which I thought nature, or the God of nature, had implanted in me; and if I possessed such a gift, I had no need of learning, for no one can learn that gift. I thought of what St. Paul says in his epistle to the Corinthians, concerning the different gifts by the same spirit; one had the gift of prophecy; another, the gift of healing; another, the working of miracles. I am satisfied in my own mind, that every man is made and capacitated for some particular pursuit in life, in which, if he engages, he will be more useful than he would if he happens to be so unfortunate as to follow a calling or profession, that was not congenial to his disposition. This is a very important consideration for parents, not to make their sons learn trades or professions, which are contrary to their inclinations and the natural turn of their minds; for it is certain if they do, they never can be useful or happy in following them.”
Thomson's Famous Remedies, by number: “increasing the internal heat, till the cold is driven out, which is the cause of it (illness ie, canker). Thus keeping the fountain above the stream, and every thing will take its natural course.” “strength (health vitality) depends wholly upon the power of inward heat; and as much as they lose of that, so much they lose of their strength and activity.” S. Thomson
“and when heat had gained the victory over cold, the child gained its strength and was soon about, perfectly recovered.” -S. Thomson
“One or more of the following indications should be accomplished in the cure of every form of disease, viz.,relaxation, contraction, stimulation, soothing, nutrition, and neutralization. These indications assist nature in her efforts to remove obstructions, and regain lost energy.” -Benjamin Colby 1845
No. 1, Emetics (Lobelia, typical); “My emetic herb, (No. 1,) I found would effectually cleanse the stomach, and would very effectually aid in raising the heat and promoting perspiration; but would not hold it long enough to effect the desired object, so but that the cold would return again and assume its power. It was like a fire made of shavings; a strong heat for a short time, and then go all out.”
No. 2, Stimulants (Capsicum, typical); “The first and most important consideration was to find a medicine that would establish a natural internal heat,”
No. 3, Astringents (Bayberry, typical); Bayberry Root, combined with White Pond Lily Root Preferred. In Case the Pond Lily can not be Obtained, Hemlock, Marsh Rosemary, Sumach, Witch Hazel, Red Raspberry Leaves, or Black Cohosh may be Substituted.
“ something that would clear the stomach and bowels from canker, which are more or less affected by it in all cases of disease to which the human family are subject. Canker and putrefaction are caused by cold, or want of heat; for whenever any part of the body is so affected by cold as to overpower the natural heat, putrefaction commences, and if not checked by medicine, or if the natural constitution is not strong enough to overcome its progress, it will communicate to the blood, when death will end the contest between heat and cold, by deciding in favor of the latter.”
No. 4, Bitters (Balmony, typical); known as Chelone glabra
No. 5, Restorative Tonics (Peach, typical);
No. 6, Antiseptics (Myrrh, typical). Thomson's Compound Tincture of Myrrh and Capsicum became celebrated as “Number 6.”
From Alvah Curtis: “He (Samuel Thompson), saw that in disease, the system required, 1st. Relaxation; 2d. Stimulation; 3d. Astringency; 4th. An alterative and tonic effect; 5th. A restorative; 6th. An antiseptic influence; and he selected the best articles for these purposes and arranged them under these numbers, so that any person could readily refer to them in practice. The index articles of these numbers, selected as the best of their kind, were, 1st. Lobelia; 2d.Capsicum; 3d. Bayberry; 4th. Chelone Glabra; 5th. A compound of peach meats, astringents, and aromatics, and 6th. A tincture of gum myrrh and capsicum; and he enumerated under each head, other invaluable articles, in variety of number and power, sufficient for the judicious and effective treatment of every form of disease to which the human family are liable. To aid these, he adopted the use of the invaluable vapor bath.”
-Alvah Curtis 1855 founder of Psysiomedicalism on Samuel Thompson’s method.
“LIVING BODIES, though influenced to a certain extent by the laws which govern inorganic matter, are sustained in their living state by VITAL LAWS, which hold supremacy over and control those of physics and chemistry, which
they modify and render subservient on many occasions to the purpose of vitality." -R. Swinburne Clymer
Benjamin Colby: A Guide to Health
–”A STATE of health consists in the power of all the different organs to perform, in an easy and regular manner, all their proper offices.. This state, on which our happiness so much depends, is the legitimate result of a correct mode of living. The man, woman, or child, who daily transgresses the physical laws of their nature, can no more expect to be healthy, than they can expect to breathe without air or live under water.” -Benjamin Colby
–“We stated in the first chapter that health was secured by obeying the physical laws of our nature; and in the second chapter, that disease was a deviation from a state of health, or an obstruction or diminution of vital energy.’
“hereditary disease, depending on the transgressions of our forefathers.--The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?” Ezekiel 18:2
“disease was an obstruction or diminution of vital energy, caused by a violation of the laws of nature.”
-”He, in infinite wisdom and goodness, has established certain unchangeable laws, by which all matter, animate and inanimate, is governed. Obedience to these laws secures to us health and all its blessings, with as much certainty as obedience to moral laws secures peace of mind. In order therefore to preserve health, a proper regard must be had to food, drink, clothing, excercise, air, and bathing.” -Benjamin Colby
FOOD & Drink: - “Eat, three times a day only, a moderate quantity of such food as is the most easily digested, which should be well chewed or mixed with the saliva before it is swallowed. The best food is coarse wheat bread, potatoes, rice, ripe fruit, rye pudding, peas, beans, &c., and the best drink is pure cold water; avoiding tea, coffee, fat meat, butter, cheese, &c. The real object of eating should be kept in view, viz. to supply the system with a proper amount of nutriment, varying according to the amount of active exercise taken, and the power of the digestive apparatus, and not to gratify a depraved appetite. Every man and woman should become acquainted with the physiological laws of their nature, so as to eat and drink and provide for their children in accordance therewith.” B.Colby
CLOTHING: -”If a man would live in accordance with his nature, take proper exercise in the open air, and thereby produce a free circulation of blood, but little clothing would be required; but as he is enfeebled by disease, want of exercise, &c., he must keep himself warm by flannels, stoves, and stimulating meats and drinks, until exhausted nature gives up the struggle to sustain its requisite quantity of heat, which suddenly sinks to the temperature of the ground six feet from the surface.” B.Colby
EXERCISE: .—”It is a law of our nature that a certain amount of active exercise in the open air must be taken every day in order to be perfectly healthy…Walking is probably the most healthy exercise; riding on horseback, sawing wood, digging the soil, are also excellent modes of exercise. Those who cannot exercise in the open air in consequence of ill-health or the inclemency of the weather, should engage in such exercise as they can bear within doors; and if not able to take active exercise, make use of the flesh-brush or a coarse towel two or three times a day.” B.Colby
AIR- “Our forefathers, by living in houses well ventilated, and being almost constantly in the open air, and sleeping in apartments where the pure air of heaven was permitted to circulate freely, were robust and healthy; while their posterity are so enfeebled by the pernicious customs of the age, as to be under the necessity of wrapping up head, ears and mouth, when they go out, lest they should take cold, and by this very means predispose the system to take cold.” B.Colby
BATHING:- “—Ablution, or bathing the surface once a day in cold water, is a very important means of preserving health. It invigorates and strengthens the system, cleanses the surface, and renders a person less liable to take cold. It should be done in the morning on rising from bed” -B.Colby
Benjamin Colby Admonitions on health, life in the country, a simple plain life. -”Let those who consider health of more importance than the gratification of a depraved appetite, or conformity to foolish and destructive fashions, seek them a healthy location in the country, if they are not already thus situated; eat the fruits of the field and garden alone; dress consistently, with reference to comfort rather than fashion; construct houses so as to be well ventilated; throw aside feather beds, air-tight stoves, tea and coffee, beef, pork, butter, &c., take four hours active exercise in the open air every day when the weather will permit, and bathe the surface in cold water every day; and above all, keep a conscience void of offense: and with as much certainty as the earth revolves round the sun, or water inclines to run down hill, will they enjoy health, peace, and competence. But those who are determined to follow the foolish customs of the age; live in indolence or in constant toil, breathe the contaminated air of cities and large villages; eat hogs and sheep, rich pies and cakes, and live in constant violation of the laws of nature, must suffer the consequences; pain, suffering, anxiety, parting with loved children, constant sickness, &c. When will mankind be wise, and observe the laws of their nature, and thereby avoid the suffering that inevitably follows their transgression ? In consequence of the unnatural state in which man lives, his body is constantly diseased, requiring the aid of medicine to assist nature in her efforts to regain lost energy. To supply this demand, physicians and secret medicine-manufacturers, as thick as the frogs of Egypt, have sprung up in every town and city, many of whose remedies are as well adapted to cure disease as a hand-saw would be for shaving, and the aggregate of whom, undoubtedly, increase vastly the amount of disease and suffering.” -Benjamin Colby
-” Fever is not a disease. but the effect of an effort of nature to overcome disease…This retained heat gives a name to the disease, as fever means heat. It must appear evident that this retained heat, called fever, is not the disease, but the effect of disease. Disease assumes the most dangerous forms when there is a deficiency of fever, as in low typhus fever, cholera, cold plague, paralysis, &c. Fever is an evidence that nature is active; whereas a loss of fever, before the cause is removed, would be a certain indication of approaching death.”
Disease: Cause of Disease
(from Benjamin Colby:A Guide to Health)
1st. By our forefathers; producing in us hereditary taints, such as consumption, scrofula, liver complaints, &c.
2d. Insufficient or too great an amount of exercise. The former producing an inactive state of the organs—the latter producing an exhaustion, in both of which states they do not perform their proper offices. The stomach ceases to secrete the necessary quantity of gastric juice to carry on digestion, the bowels are costive (costive from the latin constipatus ie, bowels are stuck, constipated, sluggish), the morbidic agents generated in the system retained, the wheels of life clogged until exhausted nature gives up the struggle to keep in motion its machinery.
3d. Sudden changes from heat to cold, or cold to heat. 4th. Eating and drinking that which is injurious in itself, or if not injurious in itself, made so by the quantity taken.
5th. Poisons, coming in contact with the surface, taken into the stomach, inhaled into the lungs, or inoculated into the veins; such as the miasma of swamps and lakes, the bite of snakes or any poisonous reptile or animal; the inhalation or inoculation of a poison virus, as the small pox, measles, &c.; taking any substance into the stomach capable of destroying life, in small quantities, although the destruction of life may be prevented by the efforts of nature in expelling it from the system, or protecting herself against its immediate destructive effect, yet rapidly diminishing the vitality of the system, and dragging its victim slowly but surely to the grave.
6th. Mechanical or chemical injuries; such as wounds, cuts, burns, freezes, &c. These causes, acting separately or combined on the human system a length of time, impede the vital functions, obstruct the free operation of the organs, and produce disease.
(1-6 from -Benjamin Colby A Guide to Health)
-disease: obstruction or diminution of vital energy, caused by a violation of the laws of nature.
Materia Medica
”Relaxants are those substances that have the power of relaxing muscular fibre, and alleviating spasm. The best and most powerful is..
LOBELIA INFLATA- antispasmodic, as it instantly relieves cramps, spasms, fits, lock-jaw, &c., and relaxes contracted sinews.
-CRAWLEY, OR FEVER ROOT. (Corallorhiza odontorhiza, C. maculata and others: Coral Root) -effectual in all remittent, typhus, nervous, and inflammatory fevers, and will relieve cramps, constrictions, and all pains caused by colds, &c. It produces a general relaxation of the system, equalizes the circulation, and brings a moisture on the surface. It is an excellent medicine in pleurisy, inflammation of the chest and brain, and is a pure remedy in erysipelatous inflammation
-BONESET.—the Leaves and Flowers. (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - in large doses, operates as an emetic; in small doses it produces perspiration, and promotes all the secretions…boneset, either the infusion or decoction; it being a relaxant, sudorific, antiseptic, stimulant, diuretic, emetic, and tonic.
STIMULANTS
CAYENNE. Capsicum.-Cayenne may be used with advantage in all cases of coldness, debility, indigestion, costiveness, and in combination with other medicines in nearly every form of disease to which mankind are subject. DOSE.—. From one fourth to a whole teaspoonful in hot water, if designed to produce perspiration; if for costiveness, one half teaspoonful in cold water or molasses three or four times a day.
Ginger- .—Ginger is warming and moderately aromatic, and may be used in mild cases as a substitute for cayenne
PRICKLY ASH.—The Bark and Seed Vessels. (Zanthoxylum americanum and others)—The seed-vessels have a warm, pungent taste, and are an excellent stimulant; -remedy in all cases where stimulants are required, as rheumatism, cold hands and feet, ague and fever, &c
PENNYROYAL.—The Herb. (Hedeoma pulegioides) -carminative, (having power to remove wind from the stomach and bowels,) stimulant, (possessing the property of exciting increased action in the system,) diaphoretic, (promoting moderate perspiration. ) =female complaints. The best time for gathering this herb is about the month of August. It should be tied up in bundles, and hung in a warm, dry, and shady place until dry; then wrapped in paper, as the best means of excluding the air, by which, if exposed, it will lose a large part of its strength and virtue.
CANADA SNAKEROOT.—The Root. (Asarum canadensis—Wild Ginger) - pleasant, warming stimulant and nervine. It is very useful in all affections of the lungs, as colds, asthma, croup, consumption, &c. The ordinary dose is a moderate teaspoonful, which may be taken in warm water sweetened. A decoction with saffron is excellent to give children when attacked with any eruptive form of disease. Black pepper, cinnamon, tansy, red pepper, bayberry, yarrow, &c., may also be given where stimulants are required.
There is frequently raised, a false contention, we, western herbalists, don’t/don’t have a native system to describe, meaning terms to describe the body, illness or the therapeutic use of herbal botanics. The assumption is for me figurative and apologetic because indeed we do. That a major movement of these false narratives is fitting herbs into a drug category. Herbs are drugs, and so therefore herbs standardized for a specific drug component is the brave new future as our only option. Or the subtle apologetic use of sub-continent India, ayurvedic terms, or traditional chinese terms often used by people who lack significant experience into the cultural nuance of these terms in their contextual application. For me, at this time the idea of localism is central, preserving and further developing traditional western herbalism. That means using the lexicon of the west to describe what’s going on with herbal energetics.
Matthew Wood-Study Guide
Utilizes the faculty that perceives the whole pattern, this is known as ‘the intuition’. Patterns that can be described and shared with others. Thus, intuitive information can be agreed upon and discussed, ie data. The most basic patterns are heat and moisture. In TCM Yin/water/moisture, yang/fire/heat. Describe patterns of disease and constitution- to their students. Thus tools of discourse and communication. The four qualities of Greek medicine represent excess or deficiency of heat and moisture. Ayurveda uses the three doshas, which more or less measure heat and dampness. As David Winston has shown, we can bridge from constituents through tastes to energetics. Holistic herbalism is that which unites tradition, pharmacology, and energetics.
FOUR ELEMENTS:
Earth solid black bile melancholic
Earth: heavy, firm, stable, dense, sustained and enduring energy that centers and moves downwards
Water liquid phlemn phelgmatic
Water: moderate heaviness, soft, slippery, smooth, easily adapts to different shapes and spaces, receptive
Air gas blood sanguine
Air: light, thin, subtle, adaptable, porous, moves energy upwards
Fire radiant/plasma yellow bile choleric
Fire: absolute lightness, bright, very rare, transforms and transmutes energy into other qualities
“Disease, discomfort or imbalance occurs when there is excess or deficiency of one or more elements in relation to our inherent nature and the influence of external variables including weather patterns, geographical location, societal inputs and relationship dynamics.”
three pillars: (1) temperature or energetic (hot, cold, damp, dry),
(2) appropriation or organ-affinity/location, and
(3) propriety (herbal action). https://youtu.be/A82PK5ZKqe8
4 Temperaments
The 4 temperaments relate to the 4 humours 4 elements and constitution.
(The following excerpts from the 11th c. Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, attributed to John of Milano, gives the basic run-down as to the effects of too much of one humor or another:), and ( St. John Damascene (b. ca. 676) tells us in his "Exposition of the Orthodox Faith"on the seasons:)
St John Damascene “The course which the Creator appointed for them [the planets] to run is unceasing and remaineth fixed as He established them. For the divine David says, The moon and the stars which Thou establishedst, and by the word 'establishedst,' he referred to the fixity and unchangeableness of the order and series granted to them by God. For He appointed them for seasons, and signs, and days and years. It is through the Sun that the four seasons are brought about.”
Sanguin:
Blood/liver/air/hot/moist/sanguine season/spring latin sanguis-blood
If Sanguin humour do too much abound,
These signes will be thereof appearing cheefe,
The face will swell, the cheeks grow red and round,
With staring eies, the pulse beate soft and breefe,
The veynes exceed, the belly will be bound,
The temples, and the forehead full of griefe,
Unquiet sleeps, that so strange dreames will make
To cause one blush to tell when he doth wake:
Besides the moysture of the mouth and spittle,
Will taste too sweet, and seeme the throat to tickle
Season of blood is spring.
And the first of these is spring: for in it God created all things, and even down to the present time its presence is evidenced by the bursting of the flowers into bud, and this is the equinoctial period, since day and night each consist of twelve hours. It is caused by the sun rising in the middle, and is mild and increases the blood, and is warm and moist, and holds a position midway between winter and summer, being warmer and drier than winter, but colder and moister than summer. This season lasts from March 21st till June 24th.
Yellow bile/spleen/fire/hot/dry/choleric season summer greek khole-bile
If Choller do exceed, as may sometime,
Your eares will ring, and make you to be wakefull,
Your tongue will seeme all rough, and oftentimes
Cause vomits, unaccustomed and hatefull,
Great thirst, your excrements are full of slime,
The stomacke squeamish, sustenance ungratefull,
Your appetite will seeme in nought delighting,
Your heart still greeued with continuall byting,
The pulse beate hard and swift, all hot, extreame,
Your spittle soure, of fire-worke oft you dreame.
Season of summer
Next, when the rising of the sun moves towards more northerly parts, the season of summer succeeds, which has a place midway between spring and autumn, combining the warmth of spring with the dryness of autumn: for it is dry and warm, and increases the yellow bile. In it falls the longest day, which has fifteen hours, and the shortest night having only 9 hours, this season lasts from June 24th to September 25th.
Black bile/gall bladder/earth/cold/dry/melancholic season autumn/fall
greek "melas" (black) and "khole" (bile).
But if that dangerous humour ouer-raigne,
Of Melancholy, sometime making mad,
These tokens then will be appearing plaine,
The pulse beat hard, the colour darke and bad:
The water thin, a weake fantasticke braine,
False-grounded ioy, or else perpetuall sad,
Affrighted oftentimes with dreames like visions,
Presenting to the thought ill apparitions,
Of bitter belches from the stomacke comming,
His eare (the left especiall) euer humming.
Season autumn
Then when the sun again returns to the middle, autumn takes the place of summer. It has a medium amount of cold and heat, dryness and moisture, and holds a place midway between summer and winter, combining the dryness of summer with the cold of winter. For it is cold and dry, and increases the black bile. This season, again, is equinoctial, both day and night consisting of twelve hours, and it lasts from September 25th till December 25th.
Phlegm/lungs-brain/water/cold/moist/phlegmatic
season winter greek phlegmatikos abounding in phlegm
If Flegme abundance haue due limits past,
These signes are here set downe will plainly shew,
The mouth will seeme to you quite out of taste,
And apt with moisture still to overflow,
Your sides will seeme all sore downe to the waist,
Your meat wax loathsome, your digestion slow,
Your head and stomacke both in so ill taking,
One seeming euer griping tother aking:
With empty veynes, the pulse beat slow and soft,
In sleepe, of seas and ryuers dreaming oft.
Season winter
And when the rising of the sun sinks to its smallest and lowest point, i.e. the south, winter is reached, with its cold and moisture. It occupies a place midway between autumn and spring, combining the cold of autumn and the moisture of spring. In it falls the shortest day, which has only nine hours, and the longest night, which has fifteen: and it lasts from December 25th till March 21st. For the Creator made this wise provision that we should not pass from the extreme of cold, or heat, or dryness, or moisture, to the opposite extreme, and thus incur grievous maladies. For reason itself teaches us the danger of sudden changes. https://youtu.be/x80lMON4jQo
The Golden Legend, written by Blessed Jacopo de Voragine (A.D. 1230-1298), Archbishop of Genoa, gives the following as one of eight reasons for our Ember Day fasts:
The fifth reason, as saith John Damascenus: in March and in printemps the blood groweth and augmenteth, and in summer coler, in September melancholy, and in winter phlegm. Then we fast in March for to attemper and depress the blood of concupiscence disordinate, for sanguine of his nature is full of fleshly concupiscence. In summer we fast because that coler should be lessened and refrained, of which cometh wrath. And then is he full naturally of ire. In harvest we fast for to refrain melancholy. The melancholious man naturally is cold, covetous and heavy. In winter we fast for to daunt and to make feeble the phlegm of lightness and forgetting, for such is he that is phlegmatic. https://youtu.be/shIrIe68sDY
REFERENCES
Colby, Benjamin. Guide to Health:Tomasonian System of Practice. Milford, New Hampshire, John Burns 1846
Clymer, Reuben Swinburne. Thomsonian System of Medicine, Quakertown PA 1905
Curtis, Alvah “A Fair Examination and Criticism of all the Medical Systems in Vogue (Cincinnati: Printed for the Proprietor, 1855
Lloyd, John Uri, Samuel Thompson and the Early History of Thomsonianism, Bulletin of the Lloyd Library, Cincinnati, Ohio 1905
Thomson, Samuel. New Guide to Health or Botanic Family Physician. Boston, Massachusetts. J. Q. Adams Printer 1835
Thurston, Joseph M. Philosophy of Physiomedicalism. 1900
Wood, Matthew, The Earthwise Herbal, Volume 1 2008 & Volume 2 2012, North Atlantic books
Wood, Matthew, Handouts:”Tissue States Study Guide”, “Unique Traditions Western Herbalism” 2016
