Angelica is a genus of umbelliferous plants, one of which, Angelica sylvestris, a tall plant bearing large umbels of white flowers tinged with pink, is common in wet places in Britain, and was formerly believed to possess angelic properties as an antidote to poison, a specific against witchcraft, etc. The name is also given to an allied plant, the Archangelica officinalis, found on the banks of rivers and ditches in the north of Europe, once generally cultivated as an esculent, and still valued for its medicinal properties. It has a large fleshy aromatic root, and a strong-furrowed branched stem as high as a man. It is cultivated for its agreeable aromatic odour and carminative properties. Its blanched stems, candied with sugar, form a very agreeable sweetmeat, possessing tonic and stomachic qualities. Research Angelica
Cumin, or Cummin (Cuimnum Cuminum) is an umbelliferous plant which grows wild in Egypt and Syria, and is largely cultivated in Sicily and Malta, whence it is exported. The fruit, called cumin seeds, is of a light-brown colour, with an aromatic smell and caraway-like taste, and possesses stimulating and carminative properties. Research Cumin
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is an umbelliferous aromatic Eurasian plant, with finely dissected leaves and umbrella-shaped clusters of yellow flowers. The fruits, commonly but erroneously called seeds, of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, and are employed medicinally as a carminative. In appearance it resembles the fennel. Dill-seeds yield dill-water, which is used as a remedy in flatulency and gripes of children. Research Dill
Ginger is various species of perennial plant of the genus Zingiber, family Zingiberaceae found native in south east Asia, and also grown in the West Indies, South America and Africa of which Jamaican ginger is the most prized variety. Ginger grows in moist places in various parts of tropical Asia and the Asiatic islands, and was introduced into the West Indies, particularly Jamaica, as also into South America and West Africa. The rhizome, or underground stem, is what is used, being employed in various ways. It has an aromatic, pungent taste, and when young is candied, and makes an excellent preserve. It is a favourite condiment, and is used medicinally as a carminative, and in debility of the stomach and alimentarycanal. It is often useful in cases of toothache, relaxation of the uvula, and paralytic affections of the tongue. It enters into the composition of a great number of confections, infusions, pills, etc. The special preparations are the tincture and the essence of ginger; syrup, prepared by mixing twenty-five parts of syrup with one of the strong tincture. Infusion of ginger is a preparation useful for flatulence. Research Ginger
Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana) or knotted Marjoram is an annual, sometimes biennialherb or sub shrub of the family Labiatae with an erect, branched, square, slightly hairy stem. The leaves are small, opposite, oval and greyish in colour and short-stalked. The flowers are small, white or purplish in colour and two-lipped and are arranged in roundish clusters in the leaf axils.
Sweet Marjoram is used in cooking as a flavouring herb and in medicine for its mildly sedative, choleretic, carminative and antispasmodic properties. Research Sweet Marjoram
Cajeput Oil is a volatile oil distilled from the leaves of the cajeput tree. It is a bluish-green liquid with a strong penetrating odour. It is applied externally as a counter-irritant for chilblains, myalgia and rheumatism, and is used internally as a carminative for gastro-intestinal troubles. Research Cajeput Oil
Carminatives are a class of remedies used in medicine for the relief of gastric and intestinal discomfort caused by the collection of gases formed during imperfect digestion. Research Carminative
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Angelica
