an efficacious deobstruent, promoting all the fluid secretion, and is much used in dropsy, to expel the water from the engourged organism. It is scarcely excelled by any other medication. Can be used for children’ s diseases, such as liver derangements, erysipelas, etc., decreasing the amount according to age.
ELDER or ELDERBERRY Sambucus canadensis, L.( L. Y. Skliarevsky, Lekarstevennye Rastenia, Moscow, 1968)
Externally: The Elder may be called the Herbalist’ s cosmetic tree, as every part will aid in complexion beauty, removing spots, allaying irritation, removing freckles and preserving and softening the skin if applied faithfully, internally and externally. For various swellings, tumours, joints, etc., simmer any or all parts of the elder; apply as a poultice, or bathe when skin is broken. Also excellent mixed with coconut oil for a discutient ointment, used for burns and scalds. Any part is advisable to keep in its dried form for out-of-season use. Homoeopathic Clinical: Tincture of fresh leaf and flower— Albuminuria. Angina pectoris, Asthma, Larynx( dry), Lumbago. Russian Experience: The decorative and medical yellow, red and black Elder grows in many parts of Russia and has been used as home medicine from the time of their early history. However they consider the North American white Elder superior. In the Middle Ages it was considered a Holy Tree, capable of restoring good health, keeping good health, and, it is reasonable to say, as an aid to longevity, as this, too, was one of its contributions. Uses: The roots, bark, twigs, leaves and berries are used alone or in combinations for every type of infection or inflammation.
Flowers: contain oil, rutin, vitamins and minerals extensively for treatment of dropsy, rheumatism, appendix inflammation, bladder and kidney infections, intestinal conditions, eyes, and external skin trouble. Berries: Diuretic, Astringent, Diaphoretic, much used as a gargle. Leaves: The young spring leaves boiled in honey are excellent in chronic constipation; boiled in milk for inflammation of burns of the skin and piles. Clinical: Used for conditions of above, in extracts, tinctures and powders. Food: Home and hospital foods are made from the flowers and berries, including vitamin- and mineral-rich jam, and marmalade used in many dietetic preparations. Elderberry wine, with its pleasant aroma and taste, is a familiar in the wine industry. Externally: Leaves, flowers, bark and twigs are excellent as a hot poultice, mixed equally with Chamomile( Matricaria chamomilla), for soreness, inflammations, joint stiffness, etc.
In a seventeenth-century Botanic book is a story about a king and a small hunting party. Most of the