Botany and Healing: Medicinal Plants of New Jersey and the Region (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dr. Still, a descendent of a prominent New Jersey herbalist, has compiled a comprehensive, very usable, and accurate source book-a must for anyone interested in the medicinal plants of northeastern North America. This is a labor of love by a professional plant scientist, who collects medicinal plants, grows them in his own garden, prepares them for use, and teaches a popular course on the subject." -- Eugene H. Varney, Rutgers University

Product Description

A description of nearly 500 species of plants found in the Garden State and in nearby areas, that have been used medicinally. The plants are listed by family, and for each entry the author discusses natural history, medicinal uses, habitat and preparations and applications by Native Americans.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press; Book Still in Shrink Wrap edition (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081352508X
• ISBN-13: 978-0813525082
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,505,770 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting reference but not for practical use, February 7, 2003

By	Jessica Ferguson "threelittlebirds" (Woodbury, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Cecil Still's compilation of 112 medicinal plants that can be found in New Jersey is an interesting identifier with a historical look at these plants.
While no specific information is provided on growing or preparing these individual plants, Still does provide botanical descriptions, illustrations and common names for identification purposes.
Most interesting are the short historical sketches of how these plants cured, soothed, or intoxicated. The majority of historical information is based on Amerindian uses but, when appropriate, Chinese medicine is also discussed.
The introduction and section titled Medicinal Plants and their Preparation provides basic and mostly historical information on how to prepare plants for medicinal use but is in no way a guide and, in fact, Still provides many cautionary warnings both in the introduction as well as within plant descriptions, particularly when the plant has been determined to be poisonous or deadly upon consumption.
Botany and Healing is an interesting reference guide worth a look but it will not provide much practical knowledge for the herb or medicinal plant gardener.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Book, January 16, 2000

By	George A. Kirschbaum (Indian Mills, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I live in Indian Mills, a small town in the New Jersey Pine Barrens -- not far from where James Still was born. I really enjoyed reading this book. Anyone interested in herbal medicine who lives in Northeast U.S. should buy a copy and keep it for reference.