HERB - Where do we Stand?

Christine A Seelye-King mermayde at juno.com
Wed May 13 08:40:38 PDT 1998


>The history of modern pharmacy has been to define, extract and
>synthesize the active ingredients in plants (and animals etc.). 
	<very good explaination snipped>
>Agnes deLanvallei
>Mag Mor, Calontir
>
>PS. It is hard to know where the listservs fit:  Is this in the SCA or
>are we modern hobbyists talking about our hobby?  At SCA events I'm
>Mistress Agnes, laurel for herbalism.  .......
>...	With my Laurel came a commitment to nurture the study of 
>plants in the Middle Ages and the recreation of that in the SCA. ...
>I need to develop a sig. line that says that but the phrasing is
>difficult.
>
>PPS. In the modern world I'm a Professor of Biological Sciences--
snip, snip, snip

One, I enjoyed your explaination about plant chemical interactions.  It
is just that sort of give and take that makes this list so interesting.  

Two, I am torn as to whether we should stick to period plants on this
list.  I don't have that kind of dilema with SCA-Cooks, the only time we
really talk about OOP food is to state that it is - out of period.  BUT,
I want to know everything I can about this topic, and don't want to limit
our discussions to just the medieval.  This information is hard enough to
come by - the government doesn't want you to know, the FDA won't allow
useful lableing (or bogus lableing, to be fair), and sources offer
conflicting information.  I think the potential for learning from one
another's experiences is too great to limit ourselves to the medieval
practices here.  Not to mention the fact that by ignoring the modern
findings on plants used in our period, we could be overlooking some VERY
important information, possible detrimental to our health and the health
of those around us.  

Three, By learning everything we can about the herbs in period, we can
better encourage and guide the study of plants used in the Middle Ages
and the recreation of that in the SCA.  

Four, How about Mistress Agnes deLanvallei, OL
	          Nurturing the safe study of Period Herbalism      ? 
You're right, it is awkward, but I've read some signature lines that were
worse! 

Mistress Christianna MacGrain, OP, Meridies

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