Wormwood is one of the few herbs that was mentioned in Culpeper as useful as a purge for worms, but also in the Barefoot Doctor's Manual - which was a comprehensive attempt to deliver on-the-ground helpful medical knowledge to Chinese people during their troubled times, after the Opium lords were expelled and rooted out.
My point is: Wormwood was known about, in Medieval Europe, as well as by the herbalists in China, when the government did not have the resources to fund a Medical Industrial Complex (like in America), but needed an honest medical resource for remote villagers.
OK so starting from the Middle ages, when people learned distillation, it was known that 'spirit' was able to be a carrier of medicinal properties.
So, this establishes the folk use-case of alcohol.
Furthermore, Wormwood was advised as a folk-remedy during Covid, in China.
Another data point: Wormwood can be used when farming organically, to de-worm lifestock. AS usual, animals have better access to medicine than humans.
OK, then: I have long held that some of the fave tipples were based on medicine.
Cases in point:
_ Rum&cloves. In a recent bout of a gum-flare-up, I tried a culpeper mouth-wash. Literally rum, with clove oil. A sip, which is held in the mouth and swirled around. It works very well. This was also the navy's ration, for sailors who suffered scurvy, and would have done that exact thing (i.e. hold it in the mouth, to prolong the medicinal effect).
Absinthe can do that as well. The anti-septic part (although super bitter in the mouth) literally throbs the pain way, but even helps greatly when applied topically on boils, open cuts, bruises etc..
Drambuie captures a honey/whiskey situation: The honey adds an antibiotic factor. On advice from an old Scot, My mother 'cured' me like that when I was a child, where when I was down with a fever and a sore throat, she mixed a nip of Drambuie with hot water and made me drink it. I fell into a deep sleep and woke bathing in sweat, feeling better.
Then there is the brandy/eggyolk (Advocaat) that is restoratve, even in emergency situation - as in: it can save a dog's life, if in shock. But well-known (In Netherlands) as a hangover remedy (LOL) and a tipple for the old folks on special occasions - the theory is to keep them happy with rosy cheeks - (hey, at least they get an egg-yolk)
"she mixed a nip of Drambuie with hot water and made me drink it"
My mom would give us sips of a Hot Toddy! for a fever, cold whatever.
I remember from reading books, how often Brandy was used as a restorative, esp for fainting women!
Thanks for the info! I have never tried absinthe, but was told to not ever swallow the worm! So that advice turned me away from the drink!
YES I use clove oil on the gums! and for bad taste in the mouth. When I have had a tooth ache I put a whole clove between the teeth. I did not know about the rum with the cloves. Yes I did know that sailors got a ration of rum every day.
?? "Wormwood contains various compounds that may have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties."
anti-parasitical also.
Wormwood is one of the few herbs that was mentioned in Culpeper as useful as a purge for worms, but also in the Barefoot Doctor's Manual - which was a comprehensive attempt to deliver on-the-ground helpful medical knowledge to Chinese people during their troubled times, after the Opium lords were expelled and rooted out.
My point is: Wormwood was known about, in Medieval Europe, as well as by the herbalists in China, when the government did not have the resources to fund a Medical Industrial Complex (like in America), but needed an honest medical resource for remote villagers.
OK so starting from the Middle ages, when people learned distillation, it was known that 'spirit' was able to be a carrier of medicinal properties.
So, this establishes the folk use-case of alcohol.
Furthermore, Wormwood was advised as a folk-remedy during Covid, in China.
Another data point: Wormwood can be used when farming organically, to de-worm lifestock. AS usual, animals have better access to medicine than humans.
OK, then: I have long held that some of the fave tipples were based on medicine.
Cases in point:
_ Rum&cloves. In a recent bout of a gum-flare-up, I tried a culpeper mouth-wash. Literally rum, with clove oil. A sip, which is held in the mouth and swirled around. It works very well. This was also the navy's ration, for sailors who suffered scurvy, and would have done that exact thing (i.e. hold it in the mouth, to prolong the medicinal effect).
Absinthe can do that as well. The anti-septic part (although super bitter in the mouth) literally throbs the pain way, but even helps greatly when applied topically on boils, open cuts, bruises etc..
Drambuie captures a honey/whiskey situation: The honey adds an antibiotic factor. On advice from an old Scot, My mother 'cured' me like that when I was a child, where when I was down with a fever and a sore throat, she mixed a nip of Drambuie with hot water and made me drink it. I fell into a deep sleep and woke bathing in sweat, feeling better.
Then there is the brandy/eggyolk (Advocaat) that is restoratve, even in emergency situation - as in: it can save a dog's life, if in shock. But well-known (In Netherlands) as a hangover remedy (LOL) and a tipple for the old folks on special occasions - the theory is to keep them happy with rosy cheeks - (hey, at least they get an egg-yolk)
"she mixed a nip of Drambuie with hot water and made me drink it"
My mom would give us sips of a Hot Toddy! for a fever, cold whatever.
I remember from reading books, how often Brandy was used as a restorative, esp for fainting women!
Thanks for the info! I have never tried absinthe, but was told to not ever swallow the worm! So that advice turned me away from the drink!
YES I use clove oil on the gums! and for bad taste in the mouth. When I have had a tooth ache I put a whole clove between the teeth. I did not know about the rum with the cloves. Yes I did know that sailors got a ration of rum every day.
the 'worm' comes from tequila, not absinthe.
Wormwood looks like this https://www.gardenia.net/plant/artemisia-absinthium
OH!