tablets and tinctures

[Julian Winston]

Hello lists!

I was going through some old journals, and found this article.
It is interesting to me (us) because:
* it talks about the use of a plant we are not quite familiar with
* it talks about using single drop doses
* it talks about using drop doses ON #35 granules, and fining the
results effective.
* the subject (Phytolacca berry) was brought up in the past on the list.

Some observations:
On occasion, some quick marketing scheme offer a weight loss tablet
or gum that they say is "all natural/ homeopathic". Usually these
products contain the common remedies we'd think of-- Calc, Graphites,
etc. and the usually contain Phytolacca in the 6X.
There is NOTHING in the proving of Phytolacca that indicates it is
useful in weight loss.
The Product that IS useful (as you will read below) is the raw juice
of the BERRIES of the plant.
It was E. M. Hale who observed that birds which ate phytolacca
berries seemed to lose adipoise tissue, and thus he suggested it for
weight loss.

The author of the piece below was a physician named Robert Boocock
who graduated in 1891 from New York Homeopathic at the age of 57. He
practiced in Flatbush, NY (now Brooklyn). He died in 1903.
He was the first prover of Heloderma Horridus, the Gila Monster, and
quite a proving it was! I'll try to scan that one and get it up on my
web-site.

Anyway... enjoy!

JW

****

Homeopathic Recorder, January 1892, page 8-9.

PHYTOLACCA BERRIES.

I have used this as an anti-fat remedy for several years, and know
that it is good, having proved it upon myself. My grandfather was a
great ale and beer drinker, and of course had a very large
corporation-- big belly. He used to tell me that grandfather would
never be dead as long as I was alive, meaning, that I would grow
like him. This used to scare me as a child, but judge of my
annoyance, as I grew to manhood, and found the prediction becoming
true, and in late years I was very much troubled about it.
In studying Phytolacca, I saw the statement about birds, and began
trying it, and always with much benefit. My own corporation is
entirely gone. I can stand up straight and look down my body and see
everything.
I used one drop of tincture made from berries picked from a tree in
my garden. Equal berries to their weight of Alcohol. The berry juice
with only enough Alcohol to prevent their fermentation is the best;
then one drop doses night and morning are enough. While I was taking
these drops I felt as light and springing as a bouncing ball. Could
run and jump with any boy. I am now fifty-eight years old, and took
my Saturday half holidays in the cricket field, playing that manly
and scientific game.
I have used it on others, and all with benefit. Some very fat women
have been made comfortable. I have used it, medicating No. 35 pellets
with this tincture which dyes them pink, and all have spoken highly
of the Pink pill. By actual measurement their fat (adipose) has been
reduced by inches. It was easier to keep track by measure than by
weight. In a few cases they have said they gained in weight, while
they grew less in bulk, but all confessed to the elasticity they felt.
Stiffness of the shoulders, difficulty in getting coats on and off
and difficulty to get hands up to head-- it has done some splendid
cures.
I have one case in hand now of a chronic paralytic-rheumatism . of
the thighs I am trying it upon; it has done great good already; and I
have a hope it will cure with the hot iron rubbed over the stiff
cords daily.
Another use I am making of the Phytolacca root it may be worth while
to mention. In mastitis and cervicitis I am using an ointment. I boil
the Phytolacca root in petrolina, (this is stronger and stiffer than
any form of vaselin I can get) equal quantities, and let it gradually
simmer for six hours then strain. It reduces the hardness, suppresses
the inflammation, and cures in a short time, and prevents suppuration.
I write this to answer your question in RECORDER, November .15, 1891,
"Is there any Virtue in Phytolacca Berries ?" I answer in the above.

Robert Boocock, M. D., Flatbush L. I. N. Y.

[Shannon Nelson]

My, how intriguing!
When he says "equal their weight in alcohol", do you suppose that would mean
e.g. equal their weight in vodka, or would I try to get enough vodka to
approximate that weight in pure alcohol?
Shannon

on 6/11/04 12:39 PM, Julian Winston at jwinston@actrix.gen.nz wrote:

[Rochelle]

Hi Julian,
During my Post grad course with Dr Ramakrishnan he told us that many Indian homeopaths prescribe Phyto.B. for obesity in 6x. He also said it was something he didn't approve of!!

Regards
Rochelle
www.rochellemarsden.co.uk

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Ruby]

Julian Winston wrote:
Julian,

Do you know which latin species this refers to, as I found 3... Don't know if they all work the same or not.

USDA Plants - Phytolacca americana L. American pokeweed
USDA Plants - Phytolacca americana L. var. rigida (Small) Caulkins & Wyatt American pokeweed
USDA Plants - Phytolacca americana L. var. americana American pokeweed
Health, Hope, Joy & Healing :
May you Prosper, even as your Soul Prospers 3John 2

Jennifer Ruby

Email advice is not a substitute for medical treatment.

http://www.rubysemporium.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SymphonicHealth
http://www.LivingNow.net/rubysemporium4life/
24Hr TollFree Transfer Factor Info line 1-866-315-4002

______________________________________________
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

[Julian Winston]

At 10:18 PM -0500 6/11/04, Ruby wrote:

The latin name is Phytolacca decandra. It grows in the United States.
All I can tell you.

JW

[almonds1]

Dr. Boocock's article refers to phytolacca berries "picked from a tree
in my garden" and I wondered if he and we are on the same page! Pokeweed
grows in my garden too and here it is a herbaceous plant about four feet high with
a massive corm, and in its raw state, and considered toxic in all its
parts.
George Ugolini
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Julian Winston]

At 12:29 PM -0500 6/11/04, Bob&Shannon wrote:

Back then they used pure grain. It was readily available.
BUT... read carefully. He says that the BEST was just the expressed
juice with enough alcohol to prevent fermentation.
Should be able to do that pretty easily.

JW

[Julian Winston]

At 6:32 PM -0400 6/12/04, almonds1@aol.com wrote:

You are on the same page!
Phytolacca can grow up to six feet-- I saw one like that bordering a
friend's house in Pennsylvania.
I guess it depends upon your particular definition of "tree." I would
think that anything over waist high with heavy stems could be a
"tree."
Phytolacca is an unmistakable plant, especially when it is in fruit.
The homeopathic remedy is made from the root, which is the 2nd year
growth. This is because after the 2nd year, the root become so large,
that it is impossible to dislodge it except with the use of a
bulldozer.
As someone said, the young shoots can be boiled and eaten. In the
South it is known as "poke-salad." I once had some mixed with young
shoots of milkweed (asclepias syriaca). It was NOT to my liking, but
I guess when food gets scarce, you eat what's there.

JW

[Dale Moss]

Yes, it can be eaten, but with great caution. Use only the young spring
shoots and boil in three changes of water, which pretty much turns the
leaves into shreds of green Kleenex.

Even following those instructions, all I got was a beautiful Phytolacca sore
throat rather than a tasty treat!

Peace,
Cinnabar

[almonds1]

Phytolacca a.k.a pokeweed, said to have been a potherb during (U.S)
colonial times, nowadays taught in survival courses as last resort food --young
shoots only--boiling supposedly takes out the poisonous alkaloid ( I learned
two changes of water, minimum). The berries also give me pause. Phyto grows a
couple of hundred feet from my house (north eastern U.S) in an area we use as a
leaf dump, and in thirty years here I've never seen birds eat the berries.
When, in late fall, we push over the phyto, the berries are very much intact
although we have jillions of birds. Hence I would attach a big caution to eating
the raw berries ad libitum in crude doses.
George Ugolini
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]