CRANESBILL Geranium maculatum, L.( U. S. Agricultural Department, Appalachia, 1971)
Medicinal Part: The dried root. Solvents: Water, alcohol. Bodily Influence: Astringent, Tonic, Diuretic, Styptic. Uses: The powerful astringent is used in secondary dysentery, diarrhoea, and infantile cholera: in infusion with milk. Internally and externally it may be used whenever astringents are indicated, in haemorrhages, gleet, leucorrhoea, relaxed vagina, throat, sore mouth, rectum, indolent ulcers, diabetes and excessive chronic mucus discharges. Also to alleviate the abuse of mercurial retention in the body, causing more serious conditions that the cause for which the mercury was taken. Troublesome bleeding from the nose, wounds or small vessels, and from the extraction of teeth, may be checked effectively by applying the powder to the bleeding orifice and, if possible, covering with a compress of cotton.
For Diabetes and Brights disease( disease of the kidneys) a decoction taken internally has proven effective: Unicorn root( Aletris farinosa), Cranesbill( Geranium maculatum). For chronic mucous disease, as in gleet, leucorrhoea, ophthalmia, gastric affections, catarrh and ulceration of the bladder, a decoction of: 2 parts of Golden seal( Hydrastis), 1 part of Cranesbill( Geranium maculatum). Dose: From 1 tablespoon to 1 wineglassful three times a day. Administered as an injection for gleet and leucorrhoea: 1 part of Blood root( Sanguinaria), 2 parts of Cranesbill( Geranium maculatum). Homoeopathic Clinical: Tincture and triturations of root; infusion of the plant— Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Haemorrhages, Leucorrhoea, Stool( ineffective urging to), Throat( sore).
CRAWLEY
Corallorhiza odontorhiza, Nutt.
Common Names: Coral Root, Dragon’ s Claw, Chickentoe. Features: This singular, leafless plant has a collection of small, fleshy tubers as roots; the stalk is coral-like, of pale yellow colour, with a covering of a sort of sticky wool and scales, answering for leaves. The flowers, from ten to twenty, are of a brownish-green colour in bloom from July to October, and the fruit is a large oblong capsule. Resembles Beechdrops, growing from 10 – 20 in. high, and depends on roots of trees and the rich soil of the woods for survival, as does Beechdrops. The root is small, dark brown, resembling cloves, or a hen’ s claw; has a strong nitrous smell, and mucilaginous slightly bitter, astringent taste.