Wild Medicine/First Aid

[Moonraker]

Simon that's brilliant, thank you so much!

mon plaisir

I think you have the right approach to start. Begin with basics, look to do a course on it and then progress. It really is fascinating and leads on to so many other aspects of the natural world.

When I first began to learn the botanical names and details for plants on a college course, beginning to understand the qualities of plants and their individual stories and characters, I remember the first Autumn after I started, driving along country lanes I had driven down hundreds of times before; but this time I saw soooo many new colours and facets of the hedges and trees! It really was a whole new world. All down to the fact that my eyes had been opened and I was receptive to things that are always there but we do not sense.

 

[FeralSheryl]

mon plaisir

I think you have the right approach to start. Begin with basics, look to do a course on it and then progress. It really is fascinating and leads on to so many other aspects of the natural world.

When I first began to learn the botanical names and details for plants on a college course, beginning to understand the qualities of plants and their individual stories and characters, I remember the first Autumn after I started, driving along country lanes I had driven down hundreds of times before; but this time I saw soooo many new colours and facets of the hedges and trees! It really was a whole new world. All down to the fact that my eyes had been opened and I was receptive to things that are always there but we do not sense.

That's exactly how I feel. I love discovering a plant I hadn't noticed before (no doubt always there though) and knowing nothing about it. Doing the research and finding out it's name, is a bit like being formally introduced . Then as you get to know it, it shares it's secrets with you. Suddenly you see it everywhere, ablaze with life. All that 'new' detail is pretty amazing to experience. The nice thing is that it doesn't seem to wear off either.

Its great returning to plants and trees you've come to know (either by chance or design) through the seasons and and watching them change. Gotta stop waxing lyrical now before I make a propper fool of myself (again)

On a practical note I've just started the Distance Learning course with the Wild Food School. Quietly impressed so far.

 

[FeralSheryl]

If anyone else is still looking, the Collins Book is on ebay for £1.49 as I type this.
Plus £2 P&P.

 

[missy mycelium]

A realy good one to know is Yarrow, the old carpenters herb. I have used it on many occasion (dried) as a poultice to heal cuts of which many I have had, always due to sloppy knife techniques. (Never with a scalpel though I may add!!!!(I am an embalmer)).
Another one is Jews Ear mushroom to suck on for sore throats.

 

[moduser]

Regarding Wilderness First Aid.

You will find that the courses are about applying convensional first aid skills in an outdoors environment with a degree of emphasis on improvisation and preparing the casulty for evacuation and then techniques on moving casulties in those environments.

The Woodcraft course is a standard first aid course with some pertinant knowledge thrown in, very good as I understand it.

I have been fortunate enough, through my employment, to have been a first aider for the last 10 years.

The training given on the basic 3 day courses (both Red Cross & St John's provide similar) is enough to save and maintain life when you have access to emergency services. The wilderness courses take you that step further.

David

 

[FeralSheryl]

Cheers David. A First Aid course has to go on my To Do list now I think. A Wilderness one would definitely be my first choice, since it adds that extra rather appropriate dimension.

Yarrow and Jew's Ear Mushrooms duly noted. Thanks Missy.

 

[missy mycelium]

Had a look through my bookshelf last nite and found a great book, a little expensive but well worth it:-Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition- An Ethnobotany of Britain & Ireland by David E. Allen & Gabrielle Hatfield published by Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-638-8.

 

[FeralSheryl]

Had a look through my bookshelf last nite and found a great book, a little expensive but well worth it:-Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition- An Ethnobotany of Britain & Ireland by David E. Allen & Gabrielle Hatfield published by Timber Press ISBN 0-88192-638-8.

Looks really interesting and not that expensive from Amazon - currently £14.83 new.
I've been on a bit of a BC spending spree lately, so I've added it to my Wish List for now.

Ta for the tip
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[FruitBatInShades]

If you've got a cheap bookshop (The works etc) near you, You'll find A Modern Herbal By Mrs M. Grieve. Its usually about £4 and is 900 pages of all the info you could ever need. Its an old book but is a true compendium of most plants and their uses.

 

[FeralSheryl]

If you've got a cheap bookshop (The works etc) near you, You'll find A Modern Herbal By Mrs M. Grieve. Its usually about £4 and is 900 pages of all the info you could ever need. Its an old book but is a true compendium of most plants and their uses.

The works - yeah, we do have one in town. I'll take a look tomorrow. Cheers

 

[Beer Monster]

Just posted this thread in "other topics":- Edinburgh - Botanics Walk

It's walk around the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens with a Homeopath who will talk about the plants, their homeopathic uses and how homeopathy differs from herbalism. If any of you are north of the border it could be quite interesting ......

 

[FeralSheryl]

Just posted this thread in "other topics":- Edinburgh - Botanics Walk

It's walk around the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens with a Homeopath who will talk about the plants, their homeopathic uses and how homeopathy differs from herbalism. If any of you are north of the border it could be quite interesting ......

Sounds really good.
Love to come but it's a long walk from the Shire

 

[Beer Monster]

Sounds really good.
Love to come but it's a long walk from the Shire

........ i don't know ....... could be a bit of an adventure!