in the Apothecary

Apothecary - a word not used often these days and one that is not easy to say. It refers to a person who makes and sells medicines. In the middle ages Apothecaries also delivered babies and practiced surgery and dentistry. The apothecaries were the forerunners of pharmacists and chemists.

The apothecary table with the tradition small drawers

An apothecary garden was where medicines were grown, in the form of herbs. During the middle ages most large households had a kitchen garden, for vegetables, and an apothecary garden for the herbs that were to be used in medicines and toiletries. The house keepers of the wealthy, and farmers wives, were skilled in making everything from soap to cures for gout and diarrhoea.  

Large apothecary gardens were created in monasteries and tended by the monks who also acted as apothecaries for the local area. Medicines were prepared and stored in a special room - also known as the apothecary.

Medicinal plants were the only medicine, and drinking infusions or potions, rubbing on salve or piling on a poultice was the way to treat most ailments. The cures offered by what we now call conventional medicine, are often chemical imitations of these old remedies.

In an apothecary garden each plant was known and valued for its curative properties.  Plants were collected from other areas and countries to be studied. Raised garden beds were often used and I was excited when my husband agreed made some for me, as well as terracing other areas of our garden.  It's so much easier to care for the plants when you don't have to bend double or crawl around on the ground with them.

Below are some herbs commonly found in apothecary gardens. All these plants are available today and can be found in many gardens where those who understand them make use of their powers.  Of course many of these cures are traditional and have not been proved by science, which didn't stop apothecaries in the middle ages because they had nothing else, but these days health and safety issues mean that warnings should be given.  Information of how to grow and to use herbs is available online.  I don't add links because new information is constantly being up loaded, adding to the choice of many good websites.

These aloes have been very useful this week.

Aloe Vera:  An easy growing succulent, Aloe Vera does well in the ground or in pots. It is antiseptic and can be used for skin irritations; burns, cuts, grazes and other sores.  This week I used several leaves from this plant, scraping out the gel to treat a wound on my arm where I'd had a skin cancer removed. I was amazed at how well it actually worked - swelling and inflammation gone over night, skin healing up.

The soft gel inside the leaf can be eaten or applied straight to a wound. Cut a leaf close to the bottom of the plant, slice off the sharp sides and cut and peel one side back to reveal the gel inside. This can be applied directly from the plant. Aloe Vera is also used for digestive problems - if you are eating it you can use a teaspoon to scrape the gel away from the leaf skin but do not eat the lining of the skin as it tastes horrible.

My potted Bay trees behind comfrey plants

Bay:  Usually grown as a seasoning bay is an attractive ornamental shrub, or if allowed to grow wildly, a huge tree.  It can be use as decorative topiary, pruned into different shapes. The leaves are very fragrant, especially when dried, and can be broken into hot dishes such as soup and stew. It is used with fish and in homemade tomato sauce and is a necessary component of the French bouquet garni.  The leaf itself is bitter and not really edible and as it does not soften in cooking it is removed before eating.
  

Bay leaves are exceptionally rich in vitamins A, B and C, folic acid and the minerals copper, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, selenium and manganese. They also contain essential phytochemicals and volatile oils. Bay can improve the skin,  remove free radicals and boost the immune system; strengthen eyesight and maintain mucus membranes.  The potassium is important for cell and body fluids, blood pressure and heart rate. 

As a traditional medicinal plant Bay has been used to treat earaches and rheumatism and is used as an insect repellent - though some people find it irritates the skin.  I am very impressed by what I've learned about Bay.

Comfrey:  This is my favourite herb.  Comfrey is a perennial herb that aids healing, though it should not be used on open wounds. It is anti-inflammatory and can be applied to sprains and strains, broken bones and bruises, either by making a quick poultice of crushed leaves and your usual moisturiser or hand cream and applied it straight onto the skin, or by heating chopped leaves in good quality olive oil for half an hour and, when cool, using that for massage. You can also add bees wax to the hot comfrey oil to make a salve.  

Echinacea: This useful and beautiful plant loves the sun and is very forgiving of drought. It comes from North America and was a traditional herbal remedy of the Great Plains Indian tribes.  As an anti-inflammatory it has been used to speed up recovery from the common cold and flu, for urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, herpes, septicaemia, gum disease, tonsillitis, strep infections, typhoid, malaria and diphtheria. It can boost the immune system when taken internally and reduce the effects of upper respiratory infections. Other uses include chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, acid indigestion, dizziness and, applied to the skin, boils, abscesses, skin wounds, ulcers, burns, eczema, psoriasis, herpes, bee stings and haemorrhoids.  That is a great long list.  Echinacea is available as a dried herb, as a liquid and in capsule form. The fresh leaves, flowers and stems can be made into an infusion (tea) for drinking.

There are warnings for Echinacea - it should not be taken indefinitely, so if you are treating yourself long term it's a good idea to take it for two weeks and then have a week off.  Also some people could be allergic to Echinacea, especially those allergic to ragweed, marigolds, or daisies or if you are on medication for an auto-immune disorder.

New season ginger ready for market

Ginger:  An ancient spice from India, it is used in cooking around the world, often paired with garlic and onion or used in sweet dishes.  Ginger grows underground as a fleshy rhizome.   Planted in spring it grows through the summer and dies back in winter, though the root can be left underground for several months until needed, in a well drained area.  Ginger is found in many apothecary gardens for its antiseptic, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties. It stimulates the heart and settles the stomach. It can be used for colds, flu and muscle spasms, rheumatism, arthritis, migraine, sore throat, cholera, anorexia and to improve circulation and reduce fat deposits and many of these uses are supported by science.

Ginger is also a blood thinner and should be used with care by people on blood thinning medication.

Lemon Balm:  Most of us know this herb as a garnish for drinks and desserts. The fresh leaves can be added to fruit salad, garden salad, fruit punch, sorbet, marinades and sauces for fish and chicken, and combined with butter and pepper to serve with corn and broccoli. Mix it into apple crumble or with honey into a cheesecake.  Lemon Balm is from the mint family, it is antiviral and can be combined with other medicinal herbs. As an infusion it helps to cool the fever from colds or flu, it acts as a relaxant, relieves anxiety, soothes nervous indigestion and headaches. But, a warning here, Lemon Balm stimulates the thyroid so people on thyroid medication should avoid it.

Mint: We all know mint as a flavouring for cold drinks, hot tea and mint sauces as well as sweets and in toothpaste. There is a wide variety of mints and most are also prized for their nutritive and medicinal qualities. Members of the mint family include basil, bee balm, catnip, horehound, horsemint, hyssop, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, peppermint rosemary, sage, savoury, spearmint, thyme, and there are  many others.

Traditional mint

While they all have their own medicinal properties most mints share the qualities of being analgesic, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, digestive, repellent and stimulant.  They are usually found in herbal remedies that treat  headache, migraine, fever, sore throat and sinus and chest congestion.

You can add mint to your bath or the rinse water clean shiny hair. Externally mints can repel mosquitoes and ease the heat and itchiness from bites, stings, rashes, hives, eczema, some fungal infections and other minor wounds. 

As an infusion (hot tea) mint can help ease the symptoms of indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, flatulence, cramps, bloating, diarrhoea, and nausea.  If the common mint does not help try using spearmint, lavender or basil instead. The milder spearmint is also more suitable for children.  Peppermint contains a higher percentage of volatile oils and is considered a strong medicinal herb. 

Mint tea is made by steeping 2 - 4 teaspoons of chopped fresh leaves in 1 cup of just-boiled water for ten to fifteen minutes.  A strong decoction is often the best choice for external uses.

Calendula plant in flower - great for skin problems

I have other medicinal herbs in my apothecary garden including Bergamot, Chives, Calendula, Gotu Kola, Herb Robert, Nasturtium, Parsley, Rocket, Rosemary, Stevia and Yukka.  

I plan to add Dandelion and Liquorice eventually.  It's all a work in progress as I learn about each new plant.

I find the act of tending the herbs, gently plucking away damaged leaves, pulling weeds, mulching and watering has a very calming effect and I like to spend at least an hour in the garden most days and consult my herb books regularly to help my understanding.

One of my wonderful raised gardens

What next?

It's impossible to prepare for everything, even though we try.  This 2013/14 summer began with threats of bush fires, damaging storms and cyclones - not all at once but it seemed like it  And a year ago we couldn't have guessed that a brand new baby would now be part of our extended family. Two years ago we didn't think we'd still have a dog. Disaster or delight, tremendous or trivial -  there are no guarantees. And when we do survive and find that new kind of normal something else will come along ... what next?  We just can't imagine.

Our family and friends know our dog and how much a part of our lives he is.  Now coming close to his 13 birthday (March 2014) we are aware he won't live forever and we've tried to prepare for that while avoiding the toe tapping wait mode. As a medium size male dog his life expectancy is about 10.  Being an active male Staffie could lower that - but, he is de-sexed, on a good diet, exercised daily, lives inside the house and sleeps on a soft surface - so his life expectancy is 12+. 

For the first five years we had very few problems, apart from noticing we had a hyperactive dog who madly chased anything that moved. And we soon found we had to check him daily for ticks and remove those, every day. Short haired dogs don't need brushing and a squirt from the hose can extend bathing for weeks.

There was a broken tooth, caused by chewing big logs and a split claw, possibly caused by rolling big logs in the paddock and both of these had to be removed under anaesthetic. A wound received when he was attacked by wild dogs required the vet's attention. Then he began growing warty things and a few mystery lumps on his legs. These were cut off and a grass seed embedded in his bottom lip led to the removal of the lip, so now he looks up at you and shows his bottom teeth.

Along the way he suffered pancreatitis which required not one, but two trips to the all-night vet hospital, in heavy rain, followed by a low fat diet forever. When a lump that had been growing on his nose was diagnosed as a mast cell tumour the vet felt we would only have him for a few more months - that was in Dec 2009. We held our breath and prepared. Half his nose was taken off in July 2010 and he went onto a homeopathic remedy. He recovered well, though he sneezes more than other dogs.  However arthritis was developing in his hips - we hoped it would slow him down. That was enough, and we looked for a smooth run ahead.

In March 2011 his right back leg went limp and we were told the knee had to be rebuilt. When you have a dog with a huge personality, who communicates well, is usually obedient and never chews your shoes how can't say 'no'.  Three months convalescence was hard on all of us and then in December the other knee went and we went through it all again. What next?

Time passes and we forget. I changed his diet to almost no commercial food and we added sweet potato, pumpkin, oats and psyllium husk powder to his home cooked meat. We had a healthy, happy dog.

We try to keep Rufous close to us, always on a rope or lead but there are still times when he can't resist the call of the wild by running after a kangaroo or dashing off to welcome a visitor and changing direction to chase a kookaburra - and he comes home limping. Our hearts sink until he's had a good rest and recovers. It's sad to hold back a dog who loves to run. His high need for activity has to be satisfied by several walks a day and a short run on a long rope.  He loves being outside so playing with ants under the clothes line or watching RJ weed the crop is good for him.

Early one Friday morning, hubby RJ was tending the new ginger on the far side of the farm, near a neighbour's house. The neighbour was upset about the loss of several chickens overnight and they were discussing the possibility of foxes or wild dogs, with Rufous sitting quietly nearby. As usual the rope on his collar was attached to a long stick which he drags along when walking as a reminder to him, and which can be tucked under something heavy if he has to stay put.

Something moved in the bush. Without warning Rufous was off - rope flying behind, stick bouncing along the ground until it caught between two trees, held for a split second, the weathered rope broke ......  dog gone.

I knew nothing of this, being asleep in bed at home. The phone rang about 8am and I didn't get to it in time. A message on the answering machine identified Lisa who said she had found a 'little' Staffie and could I phone her back.  What?

I phoned RJ and asked, "Where is Rufous?"

His uninformative reply was, "I don't know".

"Um .... isn't he with you?"

"No".

That was no help. I phoned Lisa and asked her to describe the dog.

"He has a sore nose," she said.  "The phone number was scratched on his registration tag."

Oh yes, I remember - I'd done that months ago when two adventuring Staffies had turned up at our house and we contacted the owners through the phone number on one of the collars.

Lisa and I swapped addresses - she was actually in our street but right at the top of the very steep hill and on the opposite side of a deep gully. To get there Rufous would have run uphill through dense bushland. There are deep gorges, a creek and several springs in there as well as thorns and spiky plants and possible wild dogs, foxes, snakes and kangaroos. She offered to drive him home as she was about to take her girls to school.  I couldn't suggest walking up to their driveway because I can't walk Rufous home on the lead without being molested by all the other dogs in our street.  I waited by our letter box with his lead and soon saw a little red car approaching, very slowly. Behind the L plates was a teenage driver in school uniform. In the back seat, beside another girl in school uniform, sat my darling boy, looking as if he was always chauffeured by pretty girls.

Lisa jumped from the front passenger seat and helped Rufous climb out of the car, still trailing a wet broken rope. I snapped his lead on quickly. He didn't look at me but turned away to sniff grass along the roadside.

"He's a lovely boy," Lisa said. "He had a good play with our boy before we knew he was there. We've had Staffies in the past and we know a good one when we see it. Now we have a Neo Mastiff".

I was numb, still thinking of what might have happened if I'd not scratched the phone number onto his tag.  Mastiffs are big dogs, aren't they?  We waved goodbye. At home Rufous had a huge drink of water. I wiped him down and he was soon asleep. RJ came in feeling guilty. I just hoped Ruffies new knees would be okay. He limped a bit, but at the hip, not the knee. Phew.

I googled.  'Neapolitan Mastiffs are one of the largest dog breeds with males weighing up to 80kg and measuring 65-75cm (26-30"). They are heavy boned and thickset with a big broad head.  They salivate heavily particularly when they are hot or after eating and drinking. If they want to come inside the house you'll have to wipe their mouths and faces with a towel.'  That's a big sloppy dog.

Monday morning at 8.30 I was asleep (I stay up late). RJ stuck his head around door and said, "I've just phoned the vet and they say to bring Rufous up straight away".

"What? Why?"

"He's peeing blood".

"What?"

"He'll be okay, go back to sleep".

As if.  "Ask them to cut his nails while he's there".

There were two phone conversations during the day and then they said we could collect him at 4.30.  He had been sedated to have his bladder x-rayed and blood samples taken (and nails trimmed). Urine had been collected and they walked him around until they got a poo sample. He was howling with boredom when we arrived.

The x-ray showed an odd shape in his bladder. Tumour?  The samples were sent away for testing and the x-ray went to a specialist for diagnosis.  We came home with 10 days' supply of antibiotics and a receipt for a lot of money.  A few days later the vet phoned to say Rufous had an E-coli infection in the bladder and needed another 30 days on antibiotics.  What about the bladder shadow?  No one knows what that is.  Oh.

I googled.  'E-coli is the most common bacterium isolated in canine urinary tract infections. Dogs may have an urinary tract infection at any age but in male dogs it is generally classified as complicated. E-coli can invade the host's immune system. One possible source of E-coli is drinking water contaminated by faeces.'

The antibiotics were big white tablets, just right to feed to a dog ... NOT.  They have grooves in them so they break into four small pieces ... if you have huge muscles in your fingers.  Give with food - that should be possible if they are not too bitter.  I licked one - errrk.

The dose was three half tablets twice a day. I experimented with cooked oats, rolling little balls, pushing the half tab inside and then dipping into melted coconut oil (he loves it) or peanut butter (loves that too) and convince him it was a treat. He often swallows treats whole if there is another one waiting - but he can also swish it around his mouth, swallow the good bits and spit out the tablet.

That was good for the morning tabs. In the afternoon I tried to deprive him of snacks and fed him a little bit late so he was hungry enough to eat up the loaded oat balls hidden in his cooked meat and sweet potato. They all went down, mostly. If food was left in the bowl I temped him with a smear of peanut butter - but even with good fats I have to be careful because of his history with pancreatitis.

I was quite good at serving up his meds after 40 days. The follow up urine test showed no blood or infection.

It's not easy keeping Rufous tethered all the time, but it's much safer at his age. He likes to be outside and can still get up to mischief, eating possum poo when we aren't looking, getting bitten by ants when he tries to play with them, lunging at toads, biting the heads off lizards, trashing cardboard cartons. He plays hide and seek games with me and chasing with RJ.  He has a good life but he's not pampered - all dogs sit on the couch to watch TV, don't they?

Many other dogs are not looked after as well. There are dogs around here that run wild all day, sleep outside on hard ground, get chilled in wet weather, eat crap and tinned food and don't even have their ticks removed.  If Rufous picked up that E-coli infection during his two hour escapade up the hill why don't all these other dogs get it too?  And that is the mystery parents of young children wonder about. 

You just never know what will happen next so look after your pets and your children and all the other people you care for, treasure them and let them be a blessing - there are no guarantees for safety or long life.