Thomson’s Materia Medica

SAMUEL THOMSON’S MATERIA MEDICA

Introduction

The first thing to note with Samuel Thomson’s materia medica is that he was only fair with his botanical skills, and much of his work focused on imported plants and medicinal plants manufactured into dried medicinal goods. There were very few local herbs, very important in Indian Root doctoring history–these are American Valerian, Balmony, Butter Herb, Lobelia, Marsh Rosemary, Skunk Cabbage, Slippery Elm, Sumac (Rhus), Wake Robin and White Pond Lily. An almost equal number of the plants in his materia medica were escapees from the European gardens such as Bittersweet, Burdock, Chamomile, Mullein, Pennyroyal, Raspberry and Red Clover. At times it seems as though he is struggling to name some of his local herbs. His “Umbil” is one of the few local herbs, which he calls “American Valerian”; this name is perhaps alright since this name hadn’t been officially assigned to the local Valeriana species; although the two are not at all alike in appearances, but the use of the term umbel not at all matching the official definition for this term. Although he was very familiar with Lobelia, due no doubt to his famous childhood experience, Thomson lacked much formal school or training in botany except by the local herbalist whom he tells us about in his autobiography. The best that can be said about his knowledge of herbs is that it was somewhat limited, but still important to the history of the discovery of several Native American herbal remedies.

Now this is not a total criticism of Thomson’s work. Some of the errors Thomson makes in his descriptions and names are par for the course for this period in time in American botany history. During the colonial years of American herbal medicine history it was not unusual for someone writing about herbs to make some mistakes, if not many mistakes when it came to naming, identifying and describing plant features for the first time. Even the most trained in this science at times struggled to come up with the right identifications of their plants. It is not atypical for a taxonomist new to the field to misidentify a plant using the common and latin names of a close relative from Europe, or even a close relative from another part of the same country they are in. For this reason Cadwallader Colden misidentified the local Trillium species for the European similar Paris quadrifolium and the American yellow foxglove (Aureolaria flava) for the European Digitalis. The earliest explorers may have seen a wild umbel and related it to their own Alexander back home. Some of the least experienced and scientifically educated of these explorers and pioneers often had problems identifiying plants even down to a similar, assigning a plant some fairly generic name as a result such as red root.

One of the first most important questions to be answered regarding Thomson’s plants and their names is ‘was this plant indigenous or introduced?’ We need to ask this question because by the time Thomson produced his book, a number of plants were introduced to North America deliberately or not due to the local colonial history. The common plant dandelion for example is a non-indigenous species, introduced probably during the earliest years of European settlements. Likewise the very common broad-leaved plantain may have been introduced to North America as early as Leif Ericson’s trip to Greenland around 1000 AD, if not later by a Russian vessel making its way to one of the two shorelines of Canada located well south of the North Pole along either continental shoreline.

Many of the explorers and travellers who kept a listing of the plants they saw (or expected to see, i.e. a list taken from readings done prior to the voyage) made mistakes in their identifications, applying European names to American-born plants. Thomson is no different. This along with Thomson’s limited skills as a botanist make some of identifications difficult but not impossible to discern.

Samuel Thomson engaged in much the same plant-naming adventures when producing his first book.

MATERIA MEDICA.

American Valerian, or Umbil (Cypripedium hirsutum Mill. or C. parviflorum Salisb.)

American Valerian, or Umbil Nerve Powder

Animal Oil–see Oil, Animal

Balmony (Chelone glabra L.)

Balmony No. 4.–Bitters.

Balsam Fir (Abies concolor)

Balsom-fir Salve

Forms the basis for a salve, along with Bees wax, Turpentine and salt Butter.

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris L., introduced)

Barberry No. 4.–Bitters.

Basin

bason Salve

“melt and simmer them together; then strain it off into a bason (sic), and keep it for use. It may be used to make a salve from Balsam Fir, Bees wax, Turpentine and salt Butter.

basin included in Stock of Medicine for a Family

[INSERT]

Myrica pensylvanica

Bayberry (Myrica cerifera or M. pensylvanica?)

Bayberry root bark No. 3.–For Canker

bark of the root of Bayberry No. 5.–Syrup.

Bayberry root bark Composition, or Vegetable Powder

Bayberry bark Cough Powder

1-2 lb. Bayberry root bark, in powder, Stock of Medicine for a Family

“…sufficient for a family for one year…will enable them to cure any disease…The expense will be small, and much better than to emply a doctor and have his extravagant bill to pay.”

Bees Wax

Bees wax Salve

Forms the basis for a salve, along with salt Butter, Turpentine and Balsom-fir (sic).

Beverages

See: Water; Spirit; Essence; Brandy; Wine.

Bitter Herb (Chelone glabra L., or the European Erythraea centaurium (L.) Pursh.)

Bitter Herb No. 4.–Bitters.

This plant is hard to be certain about the identification. (Re-review later?) Chelone glabra is already discussed above as Balmony.

Bitter Root (Rumex?)

Bitter root Cough Powder

Bittersweet (probably the introduced Solanum dulcamara)

(Solanum dulcamara)

the bark of the root of Bitter-sweet Nerve Ointment

Bladder

Let it be given with a large syringe, or where this cannot be had, a bladder and pipe may be used.” Injection or Clyster

Also see Plasters

Brandy

good brandy No. 5.–Syrup.

good fourth proof brandy No. 6.–Rheumatic Drops.

good fourth proof brandy Stock of Medicine for a Family

“…sufficient for a family for one year…will enable them to cure any disease…The expense will be small, and much better than to emply a doctor and have his extravagant bill to pay.”

Brass Kettle–see Kettle

Burdock (the introduced Arctium lappa)

Burdock leaves Strengthening Plaster

Butter/salt Butter

salt Butter Salve

Form the basis for a salve, along with Bees wax, Turpentine and Balsom-fir (sic).

Camphor

gum camphor No. 6.–Rheumatic Drops.

adjunct therapy

1 pint of the Rheumatic Drops Stock of Medicine for a Family

RX:

gum Myrrh pounded fine
turpentine, spirits of
gum camphor

Cayenne Pepper (No. 2)/No. 2.—Cayenne (Capsicum spp., esp. C. annuum)

No. 2 No. 1.–Emetic Herb

“Nos. 2 and 6” No. 1.–Emetic Herb

for the most violent attacks of spasms and other complaints, such as lock-jaw, bite of mad dog, fits, drowned persons, and all cases of suspended animation, where the vital spark is nearly extinct.

“…a tea of No. 2, for canker.” No. 1.–Emetic Herb

No. 2 No. 3.–For Canker

No. 2 No. 4.–Bitters

…For hot bitters.

No. 2 No. 6.–Rheumatic Drops.

Cayenne Composition, or Vegetable Powder

No. 2 Cough Powder

No. 2

2 ozs. of Cayenne Stock of Medicine for a Family

“…sufficient for a family for one year…will enable them to cure any disease…The expense will be small, and much better than to emply a doctor and have his extravagant bill to pay.”

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.)

chamomile Nerve Ointment

(green or dry; with wormwood)

with horse, porpoise, any kind of soft animal oil base.

Cherry Stone Meats/Cherry Pits

cherry-stone meats No. 5.–Syrup.

Clothing–see Water

Cloves

Cloves Composition, or Vegetable Powder

Crackers

“a cracker pounded fine” Poultice

Emetic Herb–Lobelia (Emetic Herb/Lobelia/Indian Tobacco) (Lobelia inflata)

No. 1 No. 3.–For Canker

No. 1 Composition, or Vegetable Powder

No. 1 Cough Powder

No. 1 Injection or Clyster

1 oz. of the Emetic Herb Stock of Medicine for a Family

“…sufficient for a family for one year…will enable them to cure any disease…The expense will be small, and much better than to emply a doctor and have his extravagant bill to pay.”