ECHINACEA Echinacea angustifolia, L.( N. O.: Compositae)
Common Names: Purple Coneflower, Black Sampson. Features: Native to the prairie regions of America, west of Ohio. This native herbaceous perennial belongs to the Aster family. The plant grows 2 – 3 ft. high, with single, stout, bristly, hairy stems. Leaves are thick, rough, hairy, broadly landscaped, 3 – 8 in. long, narrowed at the end and strongly three nerved. The single, large flower head appears from July to October, the colour varying from whitish rose to pale purple. Taste is sweetish, then tingling, as in aconite, but without its persistent benumbing effect, when administered wrongly. Faint odour, aromatic, and should not be used after it has lost its characteristic odour and taste. Contains inulin-bearing parenchyma tissue. Medicinal Parts: Dried rhizome, root. Solvent: Alcohol. Bodily Influence: Diaphoretic, Sialagogue, Alterative. Uses: Useful in all diseases due to impurities in the blood. Thompsonian, Physio-medical and Naturophysicians have always maintained that Echinacea is a natural herbal antitoxin. Orthodox physicians have not generally been willing to accept it as such, though many do. Controversy being permitted, falsehood will appear more false, and truth more true.
“ Echinacea is a corrector of the deprivations of the body fluids”, was Dr. Niederkorn’ s opinion, and this whether the morbific changes of the fluid of the body are internal, or caused by external introductions.
Echinacea has an honoured place for septic infections, septicaemia in its various forms, blood poisoning, adynamia fever, typhoid fever, cellular abscesses, salpingitis, carbuncles, cancerous cachexia, and in fevers or conditions where there is a bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes, of any condition which points to sepsis, internal or external.
The Sioux Indians used fresh scraped root for hydrophobia, snake bites, septicaemia. Dose: Steep 1 teaspoonful of the granulated root in 1 cup of boiling water for ½ hr., strain, take 1 tablespoonful three to six times a day. Of the tincture, 5 – 10 min. Externally: Steep as above and apply, or bathe parts concerned. Homoeopathic Clinical: Tincture of whole fresh plant— Appendicitis, Bites of rabid animals, Blood poisoning, Carbuncles, Diphtheria, Enteric fever, Gangrene, Poisoned wounds, Pyoemia, Rhus poisoning, Scarlatina, Septicaemia, Snake bites, Struma, Syphilis, Typhoid, Ulcers, Vaccination( effects of). Russian Experience: Echinacea is not native to Russia. Careful study, research and experiment has given many opportunities for cultivation in Ukraine, Kaukaz and other places. They use the Latin name Echinacea for identification, pronounced with a Russian influence. Another species, Echinacea angustifolia, or narrow leaf Echinacea, grows on the North American plains and is used for the same purpose. Uses: According to experiments it is not toxic in large amounts but has been known to cause salivation. They use it as an antiseptic, internally and externally. Internally it is healing by reducing pain; improves the quality of blood to resist infection, or further spread of disease. Externally: Antiseptic and healing for skin conditions of carbuncles, boils, wounds, ulcers, burns and bed sores.