Important: Safety Warning
This page describes preparations historically taken to end pregnancy or "bring on the menses." These substances do not work as claimed and are seriously toxic; their use has caused poisoning and death.
In addition, this page prescribes plants as medicine according to pre-modern medical theory. Several of the plants named are toxic, correct identification is difficult, and the doses given have no scientific basis. Do not ingest or apply any preparation described here.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Catmint
Description. Catmint has tall, square, hoary stalks, pretty much branched, having at the joints too pretty large softish leaves, in shape like those of the dead nettle, whitish and hoary underneath, and green above, set on long footstalks. The flowers grow on the tops of the branches, in long handsome whorled spikes of white flowers, galeated and labiated; the galea is cut into two, and the labella into three sections; they are set in open five cornered calyces, in which grow the seed. The root is white and woody, and spreads much. It has a strong scent between mint and penny-royal. It is called Catmint, because the cats are very fond of it, especially when a little flaccid and withered, for then they will roll themselves on it, and chew it in their mouths with great pleasure.
Place. It grows in lanes and hedges.
Time. It flowers in the summer-months.
Government and virtues. It is a martial herb, and consists of warming and attenuating parts, somewhat like Penny-royal; and, like that, is of great service in opening obstructions of the womb, and helping the green sickness, as also the suffocation of the womb and vapours. It promotes the birth and cleansing; and by some authors is recommended against barrenness.