Pioneer Wisdom And Medicine.

      What is a Pioneer?  These are people who came from all over the world to America in the 1800's seeking a new life and free land in the unexplored North America. This was an opportunity to many farmers and businessmen. Many of them started at the big cities on the east coast and if this did not meet their needs they bought covered wagons and moved towards the west to where the American Government was giving free land to homesteaders. Thousands of farmers and ranchers made good use of this free land and began to build houses, plant their crops and raise a lot of cattle and sheep. These Pioneers were an independent group of people. They could make their own tools. They could fix almost anything and they would Doctor themselves.  Most of these words of wisdom came from the old country or it came from friendly Indians. Below is a list of Ideas and Words of Wisdom that came from the Pioneers and these Ideas can still be used in today's world.

 1.  To remove Bunions, apply fresh radish juice everyday for several days.

 2.  To soften the Bunions or Corns, make a salve of equal parts of Baking Soda and Lard and apply this salve to the Bunions and Corns at night just before going to bed.

 3.  To relieve a cold, do any of the following:

      A.  Slice open a fresh onion and allow it to sit overnight near the sick bed.

      B.  Boil a quart of water and then add each of the following: a tablespoon of Sage, Thyme and Chamomile Flowers, fresh or dried. Allow the steam to arise and breath in the vapors.  The left over tea can be taken to help stop a cold.

      C.  Steam one tablespoon of  freshly graded Ginger Root in 2 cups of boiling water for 15 minutes then strain and add  one teaspoon of honey and the juice from a lemon or a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar. Drink this tea very slowly. Drink this 2 or 3 times a day.

 4.  To relieve Congestion, steep one teaspoon of crushed Anise or Fennel Seed in 2 cups of boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and add one teaspoon each of Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar. Another Remedy that will relieve an upset stomach is to put a teaspoon of Baking Soda into a glass of water. Stir this well and then drink it.

 5.  To remove Corns, soak Ground Ivy Leaves in Vinegar overnight then wrap these treated Ivy Leaves around each Corn and tie this down with a clean cloth. Wrap a fresh treated leaf everyday around the Corn.

 6.  To stop a cough, do any of the following:

      A.  Squeeze out the juice of a large onion and add one tablespoon of Honey, and the juice of a half of lemon. Take one teaspoon 3 or 4 times each day. Apply the onion to the chest mashing it in well.

      B.  Take a quart sized jar and dice up a medium sized onion and then add 2 cups of Honey. Then add the juice of one lemon and fill the rest of the bottle with Blackberry Brandy. Stir this well and store it in your refrigerator. When a cough comes on take one or two teaspoons of this homemade cough medicine.

      C.  Mix 2 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar into a cup of hot water or wine and add the juice of a half of lemon and a teaspoon of Honey. Stir this well and sip on it. Do this 3 or 4 times a day to control a cough or get rid of a cold.

      D.  Steam a tablespoon of grated Horseradish Root into a quart of water for 15 minutes. To each cup of this tea add one tablespoon of Honey and drink to sooth a cough.

      E.  Make a tea of one teaspoon of grated Nutmeg into a cup of Apple Cider and drink this 3 times a day. This will also help to cure a cold..

 7.  To clean out the Digestion Track drink a cup of Chamomile Tea.

 8.  To stop Diarrhea add some Cinnamon to warm water and drink.

 9.  To relieve a Headache make a tea from fresh Mint, Lavender or Rosemary leaves. Steep 2 Teaspoons of leaves per cup of boiling water for 15 minutes. Then strain and drink or apply the tea as a compress to the head and the temples.

10.  To relieve Gas, Heartburn and Indigestion, drink fresh Celery Juice. Or to a glass of water add a teaspoon of Baking Soda and drink. Pioneers will also tell you that a cup of Peppermint Tea will help to settle an upset tummy.

11.  To reduce inflamed skin or a Sunburn, apply thin slices of cucumbers or potatoes to the affected areas and bind these on with a clean cloth. You could also boil some lettuce leaves in a few tablespoons of water and apply the juice to the Sunburn when the water had cooled.

12.  To stop itching and insect bites, apply apple cider vinegar and then rinse with salt water.

13.  To clean the teeth and to remove the tartar, rub fresh strawberry juice onto the teeth.

14.  If you want juicier strawberries in your garden then add a lot of pine needles to your strawberry beds. You will have the most juiciest strawberries around.

15.  Homemade bread that was soaked in raw milk was tied onto most wounds. This would prevent infections if it was changed everyday. Also a piece of salt pork with lots of black pepper on it was applied to wounds to help them to heal.

16.  When garden vegetables were not available in the winter the pioneers would drink Molasses and Milk. Molasses and Milk has 9 minerals and Vitamin B-6. It was a natural Vitamin Pill. Molasses and Milk is a natural Cancer fighter so therefore it is a good beverage to drink everyday.

17.  Both Yarrow and Elderberry Flowers were gathered by the Pioneers to be used for Fevers, the Common Cold and the Flu. These flowers were gathered and then dried so that they could be used throughout the whole year. Both of these are common all over North America but both of these flowers are more common in the mountain States of the United States. The Elderberries were also gathered to be made into Jams, Pancake Syrup, Wines and Pies. Do not eat the berries raw. they will make you sick, but after they have been cooked and are sweetened, the cooked berries are really yummy. These Elderberries are blue when they are ripe and the flowers are white and they grow in clusters on a large bush. These Elderberries are common up almost any canyon in the inter mountain west. Elderberries can be bought from any nursery and they grow easily in any backyard.

18.  There were other berries that were also popular and these were picked by the Pioneers during the summer and the fall. All of these were rich in Vitamin C and they would eat them fresh or they would make Jams, Pancake Syrup or Pies out of them. The most popular berries were as follows:  1.  Wild Strawberries.  2.  Black, Red or Orange Currants.  3.  Service Berries.  4.  Huckleberries.  5.  Wild Raspberries.  6.  Wild Grapes.  7.  Thimble Berries.  8.  Black and Red Mulberries.  9.  Haw Berries.    10.  Buffalo Berries.  11.  Blackberries. and  12.  Goose Berries. I am sure there were other berries that were gathered but the ones up above, these were the most popular that were picked by the Pioneers. Where I live, everyone likes to pick Chokecherries. This wild fruit grows everywhere and it is picked and made into Pancake Syrup and Jam.


      Where ever the Pioneers settled they would plant a Weeping Willow Tree. This is also called a White Willow. It is well known as the Headache Tree or the Aspirin Tree. The Bark is shredded and boiled into a tea that will cure headaches and body pains. Even though many swear that this tea will cure the common headache it is suggested that you do not drink more then 3 cups a week. Too much of this tea used for a long time can do you more harm then good. If this advice troubles you then use something else for your headaches or talk to your Doctor.