Customer Reviews

Culpeper's Complete Herbal and English Physician

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I greatly enjoy and benefit from this old herbal. Culpeper links herbs and astrology in some sections and tries to discuss just herbs in another. Tho the language is old english and sometimes a little difficult for me to understand, the methods for diagnosing and treating illness are somewhat more like the Chinese diagnosis than modern herbals, and to me, more understandable. Although I wouldn't trade some of my more modern herbal books for it, it is an invaluable aid in my natural healing business.

Nicholas Culpeper was an English astronomer and physician in the early 1800's and this is, I suppose, his life's work. A study of plants; herbs, flowers and roots and what they were used for in herbal medicine, this book is used as the basis of much of today's knowledge and the source for the Physician's Gardens at the Royal College of Physicians in London. However, many plants used in Culpeper's time are known now to cause harm, so please don't use this book as a modern guide. I found it interesting to read, but sometimes difficult to decifer his meaning - for example, I have no idea what a "web in the eye" would mean now. Also, many plants' names have changed over the years - the plant known as All-Heal (Hercules' All-Heal or Hercules' Woundwort) in this book has been identified as All-Heal (Prunella Vulgaris) in many publications, but Culpeper says it has a yellow flower and any Prunella Vulgaris I could find has a purple and white flower. So, are they really the same plant? I don't know. I don't think so. If you are looking to learn more about herbal medicine or naturopathy, then by all means this should be one of your sources, however, it should not be your only source of knowledge.

I just gave 2 stars out of respect to the Culpeper, but really this is not worth of time or money. I do like the old wisdom, but I think in Natural Health category at this time of age this book is way too out-of-date.