HERB - Useful view

[Roos cc]

In answer to promoting safe herb use

One of the things that I have found helpful in teaching
about herbs is to stress the old apothecary motto and 
the four degrees.

The old motto is "The dose makes the poison"
A dose is not only the immediate quantity (how much),
but also how often and for how long. What might be safe
once a year as a spring tonic may not be safe taken
daily. Also people need to realize that traditional use
was not the concentrated forms available today.

The medieval understanding was that everything
affects the body. This is true! The four degrees
are based on the observable effects. 

The first degree is no observable effect--that didn't
mean that there was no effect, just that it wasn't
observable. (You can't *see* the body converting a 
slice of bread into energy, but the flour does have a 
nutritional effect.)

The second degree was minor effect, especially
if the plant is taken in quantity or over a long period.
(Think of fiber in the diet or vitamins.)

The third degree was a strong, usually immediate
effect. (Onions make your eyes water.)

The fourth degree was a strong immediate effect that
was destructive. This would include something that
raised blisters as well as plants that we call poisonous.
(Watch out especially for plants described as cold
in the fourth degree.)

Then I remind them that:

Plants in each of these degrees can kill you if you
mistake the dose. 

It's just that there a larger margin for error in
the 1st and 2nd degrees.

Alysoun de Ros
Midrealm
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