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.
Ground Pine
Description. A very singular little wild plant, of a mossy appearance, and resinous smell: it grows four inches high; the stalks are hairy, and seldom stand upright; the leaves are very close set, and the young shoots which grow from their bosoms perfectly obscure the stalk; it seems a thick round tuft. These leaves are short, narrow, and divided into three parts at their ends, and they stand two at every joint of the stalk; they are rough and hairy like the stalk. The flowers are little and yellow, and they stand at the joints. Virtues. The whole plant is used, and it has great virtue; it is to be used dry, in powder or infusion. It works strongly by urine, and promotes the menses. It opens also all obstructions of the liver and spleen, and is good in jaundice, the rheumatism, and most of the chronic disorders.