|
Author: Linné, Family: asteraceae (compositae)
The plant may originally have come from Central Asia, but today is spread all over Europe. Its
main medicinal use is in the treatment of coughs and lung diseases, but it was used for other
troubles as well.
Large doses can have negative side-effects, it can also cause allergies.
More about elecampane in MGMH
Text References: Healing
| CB 10, 159 |
Iza stopped and looked around, then headed for a stand of tall, showy,
yellow flowers that resembled asters.
"This is elecampane, Ayla," Iza said. "It usually grows in fields and
open places. The leaves are large ovals with pointed ends, dark green on
top and downy underneath, see? (...) The rib in the middle is thick and
fleshy. (...)
It's the root that's used. The plant grows from the same root every
year, but it's best to collect it in the second year, late in summer or
fall, then the root is smooth and solid. Cut it into small pieces and take
about as much as will fit in your palm, boil it down in the small bone
cup to more than half full. It should cool before it's drunk, about two
cups a day. It brings up phlegm and is especially good for the lung disease
of spitting blood. It also helps to bring on sweating and to pass water.
(...) The root can be dried and ground to a powder, too. |
| CB 22, 351 |
Iza's Tuberculosis
"Your cough is worse." (...)
"Besides, you and Uba collected so many elecampane roots, I don't think
there's a single plant left around here, and we probably won't have many
black raspberries this season with all the roots you dug up to mix with
wort flowers for my tea." |
| CB 25, 414-415 |
Iza's Tuberculosis
"Where's the elecampane? I can't find any elecampane."
"I don't think there's any left," Iza motioned // (...) "I used a lot
of it and couldn't go out to get more. Aba tried to find some, but she
brought back sunflowers." (...)
Ayla (...) raced to the meadow where the plants grew, and dug up the
roots with her bare hands, tearing them out of the ground. Stopping at
the stream just long enough to wash them, she sped back to the cave. (...)
He started to howl while she dumped the root into the water and added
more rocks, impatient for it to boil. |
| CB 25, 416 |
Iza's Tuberculosis
Ayla was grinding meat to make into a broth for Iza. She kept checking
the boiling water with the root for the right color and flavor, impatient
for it to be done. |
| CB 25, 417 |
Iza's Tuberculosis
The roots had finally boiled long enough and Ayla scooped out a cup
of the liquid, impatient now for it to cool. (...)
She searched her memory for treatments. |
| CB 25, 418 |
Iza's Tuberculosis
The elecampane tea was cooled and Ayla wakened the old woman who had
dozed off, tenderly cradling her head while she fed her the medicine. |
| VH 16, 286 |
Pneumonia
She tried to control the deep spasms from her chest that tore at her throat while she waited for water to boil. Finally, with a decoction of elecampane roots and wild cherry bark to help, the cough quieted and she returned to her bed. |
|
Abbreviations |
Editions |
| CB |
The Clan of the Cave Bear |
The page numbers refer to the hardcover editions by Crown Publishers, Inc, New York 1980, 1982, 1985, 1990.
Book 1-3 are the Special Collector's Edition, I don't know if the page numbers differ from those of the 'normal' hardcover editions. |
| VH |
The Valley of Horses |
| MH |
The Mammoth Hunters |
| PP |
The Plains of Passage |
| (...) |
omission |
Copyright |
| ... |
original in text |
All book quotes: © Copyright Jean M. Auel
The format and text contents of this site are the property of the author |
| MGMH |
'A Modern Herbal', by Mrs. M. Grieve |
Comments, suggestions, errors, anything else ... emails are welcome!
|
