Using Plants for Healing: An American Herbal

by Nelson Coon

Featuring a guide to over 250 American medical plants.

Genres: Herbs, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

Reviews

[Sherrill Watson]

Written in in 1963, revised in 1979. Three stars because of the age of the book. It's useful, as part of the possible library of those who choose to use "natural" medicines. A fun book for the rest of us!

Mr. Coons says: "Here is a partial list of the medications I keep on hand. Aspirin, originally made from willow bark; witch hazel, a familiar astringent; a healing ointment made from oak, sumac, and other plants; Passiflora for sleeping; digitalis for heart; white pine medicine for coughs; castor oil; pumpkin oil for prostate conditions; a mint salve for healing; eucalyptole; and marsh-mallow."

The 6-page glossary in the front of the book gives uncommon words used throughout the book that you might need to use in this book, such as "volneries" -- plants useful in wound healing; or "emmenagogues" -- medicines which promote the menstrual discharge.

The b & w hand-drawn sketches of each plant are beautifully done and clearly reproduced. Each plant is carefully given with many common names for each. For instance, gramineae, "witch grass", which I believe I know as crab grass, is listed as "couch grass, quitch grass, dog grass, Dutch grass, and quack grass," and there is a beautiful picture / drawing of the awful stuff.
Each listing is given a full page, sometimes more. Mr. Coon has listed "how to" administer each homeopathic medicine, as available, as well as MANY learned peoples who made suggestions toward each item. The names and their credentials are listed in the 5- page bibliography in the back of the book. There is also an index in the back; while incomplete (where in the heck are cat-tails? Can't find them in my Western Garden Book either, tho) it's some 10 pps.

A certain shepherd lad
Of small regard to see, yet well skilled
In every virtuous plant, and healing herb;
He would beg me sing:
Which, when I did, he on the tender grass
Would sit, and harken even to constancy;
And in requital ape his leathern scrip,
And show me Simples, of a thousand names,
Telling their strange and vigorous facilities.
john Milton

[Gary Geier]

Truthfully, this is a very informative book which, I would suggest if you are looking for natural medicines that you could employee in your life as tea. Bare in mind, this book is rather old, so there are slightly dated terminology, which you could likely infer the definition of with their syllables. I like the illustrations that accompany the book, but wish they continued to include all 260> plants. Most of the plants covered in this book should be reviewed externally from this source material though as research over the last 50+ years has definitely uncovered more than what was presented. This was a good read.

[Lucie R]

I found this book disappointing. The writing feels overly clinical and somewhat simplistic, as if the author relied solely on library research rather than firsthand experience with the plant and its true virtues. The images, unfortunately, are of poor quality, further diminishing the book’s impact.

[Laci Carlson]

This book was a great help in my writing. :)