Medicinal Herbs

The Medicinal Herb Garden occupies a small plot adjoining the Pest House Medical Museum. These herbs are typical of those in common use during the 19th century “to treat a variety of ailments.”

Common Name	Botanical Name	Parts Used	Use or Treatment
Bee Balm	Monarda didyma	Leaves, tops	Nervine, flavoring, colic, gas, nausea
Catnip	Nepeta Mussinii	The whole herb	Flavoring, sleep-inducing, soothing to the stomach
Chamomile	Matricaria Chamomilla	Flowers	Tonic, poultice, hair rinse; antispasmodic for colic, gas
Comfrey	Symphytum officinale	Roots, leaves	Internally soothing; externally on bruises, sprains, breaks
Elecampane	Inula Helenium	Roots	Diseases of the chest, stomach cramps, diuretic
Feverfew	Chrysanthemum Parthenium	Dried leaves	Tea from leaves for headaches, blood thinner
Foxglove*	Digitalis purpurea	Dried leaves, second year’s growth	Heart conditions
Goldenrod	Solidago	Leaves	Stimulant, flavoring
Heal-All	Prunella vulgaris	The whole herb	Bitter tonic, diuretic, gargle
Hollyhock	Althaea	Flowers	Poultice, eyebath, cough, hoarseness
Ironweed	Vernonia noveboracensis	Root	Bitter tonic
Lambs ears	Stachys byzantina	Leaves	Bandages
Mullein	Verbascum Thapsus	Leaves, flowers	Diuretic, poultice, antispasmodic, cough, cold
Narrow-leaved Mountain Mint	Pycnanthemum flexuosum	Leaves, flowers	Tonic, flavoring, diaphoretic (increases perspiration)
Rue	Ruta graveolens	The whole herb	Bitter stimulant, flavoring, gas pains, colic
Sage	Salvia officinalis	Leaves	Tonic tea, aid to digestion
St. John’s Wort	Hypericum	Tops, flowers	Astringent, externally in ointment, poultice, washes
Sedum	Sedum acre	Leaves	Astringent, poultice, refrigerant
Strawberry	Fragaria virginia	The whole herb	Astringent, tonic for children
Thyme	Thymus vulgaris	The whole herb	Cough, bronchitis, gas, colic
Yarrow	Achillea Millefolium	Leaves, flowers	Sudorific tonic, hair rinse

* Too Dangerous for Home Use