SC - Watermelon

[S.Thomas]

Upon re-reading my post, I don't think I made this sufficiently clear:

RUE IS POISON.  DO NOT USE IT YOURSELF FOR ANY OF THE TREATMENTS
LISTED BELOW.  IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, DO NOT EVEN HANDLE THE HERB.

You are all intelligent adults, I'm sure, but I feel better having
said that in so many words.

Alys

On Sat, 3 May 1997, Alys of Foxdale wrote:

> > I have recently become interested in gardening and bought a lovely plant
> > called "rue". Was this known in period? What were its uses?  Is there any
> > folklore surrounding it?
> > 
> > Helisenne
> 
> Dang!  I really need to get more herb books; most of mine have no
> historical or medicinal info at all, and the use of rue was primarily
> medicinal.
> 
> I know Shakespeare mentions rue more than once.  Ever heard the saying 
> "rue the day you were born"?  Rue was associated with melancholy and 
> regret; I think it may have been used to treat it; either that or it
> was used by the suicidal.  It is a poison, and has been used as an
> abortifacient.
> 
> According to _The Pleasure of Herbs_ by Phyllis Shaudys, "Once a
> medicinal herb, bunches of it [rue] were used to ward off the plague,
> and King Mithridates is said to have taken small doses of rue and
> other poisonous herbs to make himself immune to assassination
> attempts."
> 
> >From _Herbs for the Home_ by Jekka McVicar:
> 
>    "The Romans brought it [rue] across Northern Europe to Britain,
>    where it did not gain favor until the Middle Ages, when it was one
>    of the herbs carried in nosegays by the rich as protection from
>    evil and the plague.  Also, like rosemary, it was placed near the
>    judge before prisoners were brought out, as protection from the
>    pestilence ridden jails and fever.
> 
>    It was famous for preserving eyesight and was said to promote
>    second sight, perhaps acting on the third eye.  Both Leonardo da
>    Vinci and Michaelangelo are supposed to have said that their inner
>    vision had been enhanced by this herb."
> 
> McVicar goes on to say that rue was used to treat eyestrain, eyestrain 
> headaches, nervous headaches, heart palpitations, high blood pressure,
> nervous digestion, and colic.  It was also used to help harden bones
> and teeth, and to expel worms.
> 
> Both sources warn against handling rue; it is known to cause a rash
> called phytol-dermatitis, and also strong allergic reactions.
> 
> It is also enlightening to check out the page and a half of entries in
> the Oxford English Dictionary if you have one handy.
> 
>    Alys of Foxdale          Shire of Stierbach, Kingdom of Atlantia
>  mka Sallie Montuori               Chantilly, Virginia, USA
> foxdale at wolfstar.com
>