HANDBOOK OF SPECIFIC
MEDICAL REMEDIES:
By Paul P. - 2021 CE

The following remedies are for
use only in a survival situation.
Do not use them routinely as
some can be potentially toxic
and have serious long- term
effects (for example, cancer).

* _Antidiarrheals for diarrhea._
This can be one of the most
debilitating illnesses for a
survivor or prisoner of war.
Drink tea made from the roots
of blackberries and their
relatives to stop diarrhea.
White oak bark and other barks
containing tannin are also
effective when made into a
strong tea. However, because
of possible negative effects on
the kidneys, use them with
caution and only when nothing
else is available. Clay, ashes,
charcoal, powdered chalk,
powdered bones, and pectin
can be consumed or mixed in a
tannic acid tea with good
results. These powdered
mixtures should be taken in a
dose of two tablespoons every
2 hours. Clay and pectin can be
mixed together to give a crude
form of Kaopectate. Pectin is
obtainable from the inner part
of citrus fruit rinds or from
apple pomace. Tea made from
cowberry, cranberry, or hazel
leaves works, too. Because of
its inherent danger to an
already under-nourished
survivor, several of these
methods may need to be tried
simultaneously to stop
debilitating diarrhea, which can
quickly dehydrate even a
healthy individual.
* _Antihemorrhagics for
bleeding._
Make medications to stop
bleeding from plantain leaves,
or, most effectively, from the
leaves of the common yarrow
or woundwort _(Achillea
millefolium)._ These mostly
give a physical barrier to the
bleeding. Prickly pear (the raw,
peeled part) or witch hazel can
be applied to wounds. Both are
good for their astringent
properties (they shrink blood
vessels). For bleeding gums or
mouth sores, sweet gum can
be chewed or used as a
toothpick. This provides some
chemical and antiseptic
properties as well.

* _Antiseptics to clean
infections._
Use antiseptics to cleanse
wounds, snake bites, sores, or
rashes. You can make
antiseptics from the expressed
juice of wild onion or garlic, the
expressed juice from
chickweed leaves, or the
crushed leaves of dock. You
can also make antiseptics from
a decoction of burdock root,
mallow leaves or roots, or
white oak bark (tannic acid).
Prickly pear, slippery elm,
yarrow, and sweet gum are all
good antiseptics as well. All
these medications are for
external use only. Two of the
best antiseptics are sugar and
honey. Sugar should be applied
to the wound until it becomes
syrupy, then washed off and
reapplied. Honey should be
applied three times daily.
Honey is by far the best of the
antiseptics for open wounds
and burns, with sugar being
second.
* _Antipyretics for fevers._
Treat a fever with a tea made
from willow bark, an infusion of
elder flowers or fruit, linden
flower tea, and aspen or
slippery elm bark decoction.
Yarrow tea is also good.
Peppermint tea is reportedly
good for fevers.

* _Colds and sore throats._
Treat these illnesses with a
decoction made from either
plantain leaves or willow bark.
You can also use a tea made
from burdock roots, mallow or
mullein flowers or roots, and
yarrow or mint leaves.

* _Analgesics for aches, pains,
and sprains._
Treat these conditions with
externally applied poultices of
dock, plantain, chickweed,
willow bark, garlic, or sorrel.
Sweet gum has some analgesic
(pain relief) properties.
Chewing the willow bark or
making a tea from it is the best
for pain relief as it contains the
raw component of aspirin. You
can also use salves made by
mixing the expressed juices of
these plants in animal fat or
vegetable oils.

* _Antihistamines and
astringents for itching or
contact dermatitis._
Relieve the itch from insect
bites, sunburn, or plant
poisoning rashes by applying a
poultice of jewelweed
_(Impatiens biflora)_ or witch
hazel, which give a cooling
relief and dry out the weeping
_(Hamamelis virginiana)_
leaves. The jewelweed juice will
help when applied to poison
ivy, rashes, or insect stings.
Jewelweed and aloe vera help
relieve sunburn. In addition,
dandelion sap, crushed cloves
of garlic, and sweet gum have
been used. Crushed leaves of
burdock have received only
so-so reports of success, but
crushed, green plantain leaves
show relief over a few days.
Jewelweed is probably the best
of these plants. Tobacco will
deaden the nerve endings and
can also be used to treat
toothaches.

* _Sedatives._
Get help in falling asleep by
brewing a tea made from mint
leaves or passionflower leaves.

* _Hemorrhoids._ Treat them
with external washes from elm
bark or oak bark tea, from the
expressed juice of plantain
leaves, or from a Solomon's
seal root decoction. Tannic acid
or witch hazel will provide
soothing relief because of their
astringent properties.

* _Heat rash._ Tannic acid or
witch hazel will provide
soothing relief because of their
astringent properties but
cornstarch or any crushed and
powdered, nonpoisonous plant
should help to dry out the rash
after a thorough cleansing.


* _Constipation._ Relieve
constipation by drinking
decoctions from dandelion
leaves, rose hips, or walnut
bark. Eating raw daylily flowers
will also help. Large amounts of
water in any form are critical to
relieving constipation.

* _Antihelminthics for worms or
intestinal parasites._ Most
treatment for worms or
parasites are toxic—just more
so for the worms or parasites
than for humans. Therefore, all
treatments should be used in
moderation. Treatments
include tea made from tansy
_(Tanacetum vulgare)_ or from
wild carrot (poisonous) leaves.
Very strong tannic acid can also
be used with caution as it is
very hard on the liver.

* _Antiflatulents for gas and
cramps._ Use a tea made from
carrot seeds; use tea made
from mint leaves to settle the
stomach.

* _Antifungal washes._ Make a
decoction of walnut leaves, oak
bark, or acorns to treat
ringworm and athlete's foot.
Apply it frequently to the site,
alternating with exposure to
direct sunlight. Broad-leaf
plantain has also been used
with success but any treatment
should be used in addition to
sunlight if possible. Jewelweed
and vinegar make excellent
washes but are sometimes
difficult to find.

* _Burns._ Tannic acid, sugar,
and honey can be used as
explained.

* _Dentifrices for teeth._ See for
other techniques in addition to
using twigs of sweet gum for its
anti-inflammatory, analgesic,
and antiseptic properties.

* _Insect repellents._ Garlic and
onions can be eaten and the
raw plant juice rubbed on the
skin to repel some insects.
Sassafras leaves can be rubbed
on the skin. Cedar chips may
help repel insects around your
shelter.
* _Tannic acid._ Because tannic
acid is used for so many
treatments (burns,
antihemorrhagics,
antihelminthics, antiseptics,
antidiarrheals, antifungals,
bronchitis, skin inflammation,
lice), a note as to its
preparation is in order. All
thready plants, especially trees,
contain tannic acid. Hardwood
trees generally contain more
than softwood trees. Of the
hardwoods, oak—especially red
and chestnut—contain the
highest amount. The warty
looking knots in oak trees can
contain as much as 28 percent
tannic acid. This knot, the inner
bark of trees, and pine needles
(cut into 2-centimeter [1-inch]
strips), can all be boiled down
to extract tannic acid. Boiling
can be done in as little as 15
minutes (very weak), to 2 hours
(moderate), through 12 hours
to 3 days (very strong). The
stronger concoctions will have
a dark color that will vary
depending on the type of tree.
All will have an increasingly vile
taste in relation to their
concentration.