[Herbalist] period product-creams fats oils

[wjwakefield@juno.com]

Adding beeswax to an ointment or salve seems to act as a preservative, as
does oil of clove.  I make an ointment with both, and it keeps a couple
of years and still works well.  Several other herbal oils also act as
preservatives, so it may depend on what you are using.

Oils that were available at least late in period would include olive oil,
castor oil (Gerard calls this oleum cicinum or kik), almond oil - all of
these are mentioned in period herbals.  I have no idea of price or
availability, though olive oil and castor oil would have been imported
into England.

Lard (pork fat) and tallow would have been readily available and were
commonly used.

Gerard also mentions "barrows grease" for making ointments - not sure
what this was...  He generally just says to use oil - when not specified,
I would assume olive oil.

Suzanna, herbalist


On Tue, 1 Oct 2002 23:48:53 +0100 (BST) =?iso-8859-1?q?BJ=20of=20NZ?=
<bjofnz at yahoo.co.nz> writes:
>  Greetings I'm interested in creating period creams,
> oils, and ointments
> using substances that might of been availible to the
> english house wife
>
>
> so I thought I'd direct a few questions to the list
>
> what vegetable oils would be availible to the English?
> localy availible?
> imported oils ?
>
>
>  how expensive an reasonably availible would they of
> been  and how perishable or seaonle
>
> What would the animal fats been
>
> I have done a few experiments with Olive oil Duck
> grease and Mutton fat seething soaking or mushing
> calendula petals into it and have been pleasently
> surprised at the texture. but they do not keep well.
>
>
> so surmise that an ointment as a product was created
> for immediate use to be recreaed as nesscessary
>
> I'd love feed back
>
> Beatriz
>
> =====
> From bjofnz at yahoo.co.nz
>
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