Chapter 6 - The Diaphorectic Herbs

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=3 height=90 BGCOLOR="#996600" TEXT="#080000" background="04e785a3.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="ccb4c550.png" border=0 width="76" height="85" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Complete Writings of</I></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFBF0" FACE="Times New Roman" > Dr. John R. Christopher.</FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dr. John R. 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About Disease</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_2___the_alterative_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 2 The Alterative Herbs">Chapter 2 - The Alterative Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_3___the_anthelmintic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 3 The Anthelmintic Herbs">Chapter 3 - The Anthelmintic Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_4___the_astringent_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 4 The Astringent Herbs">Chapter 4 - The Astringent Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_5___the_cathartic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 5 The Cathartic Herbs">Chapter 5 - The Cathartic Herbs</A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Chapter 6 - The Diaphorectic Herbs</B></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_7___the_diurectic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 7 The Diurectic Herbs">Chapter 7 - The Diurectic Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_8___the_emmenagogue_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 8 The Emmenagogue Herbs">Chapter 8 - The Emmenagogue Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_9___the_expectorant_and_demulcent_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 9 The Expectorant and Demulcent">Chapter 9 - The Expectorant and Demulcent Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_10___lobelia.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 10 Lobelia">Chapter 10 - Lobelia</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_11___the_nervine_and_antispasmodic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 11 The Nervine and Antispasmodi">Chapter 11 - The Nervine and Antispasmodic Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_12___the_stimulant_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 12 The Stimulant Herbs">Chapter 12 - The Stimulant Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_13___the_tonic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 13 The Tonic Herbs">Chapter 13 - The Tonic Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_14___about_collecting_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 14 About Collecting Herbs">Chapter 14 - About Collecting Herbs</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_15___the_cleansing_program.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 15 The Cleansing Program">Chapter 15 - The Cleansing Program</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_16___the_regenerative_diet.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 16 The Regenerative Diet">Chapter 16 - The Regenerative Diet</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_17___herb_alternatives.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 17 Herb Alternatives">Chapter 17 - Herb Alternatives</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_herbal_formulas.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Herbal Formulas">Herbal Formulas</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_appendix_i.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Appendix I">Appendix I</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_appendix_ii.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Appendix II">Appendix II</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_appendix_iii.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Appendix III">Appendix III</A></div> <div> <A HREF="snh_bibliography.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bibliography">Bibliography</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=366 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="102" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <head> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">  </script> </head> <A HREF="javascript:myprint()" TARGET="TRLX_Middle" TITLE="javascript:myprint()">Print this Page</A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> <I><B>Chapter 6 - The Diaphorectic Herbs</B></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="snh_yarrow.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="YARROW or MILFOIL (Achillea millefolium ">YARROW or MILFOIL</A></div> <div> (Achillea millefolium; COMPOSITAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_camomile.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CAMOMILE or ROMAN CHAMOMILE (Anthemis no">CAMOMILE or ROMAN CHAMOMILE</A></div> <div> (Anthemis nobilis; COMPOSITAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_pleurisy_root.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PLEURISY ROOT (Asclepias tuberosa ASCLEP">PLEURISY ROOT</A></div> <div> (Asclepias tuberosa; ASCLEPIADACEAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_boneset.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BONESET (Eupatorium perfoliatum COMPOSIT">BONESET</A></div> <div> (Eupatorium perfoliatum; COMPOSITAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_blessed_thistle.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BLESSED THISTLE or HOLY THISTLE (Carbeni">BLESSED THISTLE or HOLY THISTLE</A></div> <div> (Carbenia Benedicta; Centaurea Benedicta; Carduus Benedictus; Cnicus Benedictus; COMPOSITAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_thyme.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THYME (Thymus vulgaris LABIATAE)">THYME</A></div> <div> (Thymus vulgaris; LABIATAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_hyssop1c9.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HYSSOP (Hyssopus officinalis LABIATAE)">HYSSOP</A></div> <div> (Hyssopus officinalis; LABIATAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_garden_sage.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GARDEN SAGE or SAGE (Salvia officinalis ">GARDEN SAGE or SAGE</A></div> <div> (Salvia officinalis; LABIATAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_catnip.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CATNIP or CATNEP (Nepeta cataria LABIATA">CATNIP or CATNEP</A></div> <div> (Nepeta cataria; LABIATAE)</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="snh_spearmint.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SPEARMINT Mentha viridis M. spicata LABI">SPEARMINT</A></div> <div> (Mentha viridis; M. spicata; LABIATAE)</div> <bR> <div> The diaphoretic or sudorific agents induce perspiration in the following ways:</div> <div> They enter the circulation, and as they are eliminated by the sudoriferous glands, they stimulate the local nerve-fibers supplying these glands to increased action. Herbs characterizing this action are Virginia snake root, senega, sassafras. sarsaparillas, jaborandi, etc.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Page 211</div> <div> They influence the peripheral sensory nerves, which relax and dilate the superficial capillaries and vessels. They influence primarily the surface and then the whole circulation, and the perspiration is a result of the increased blood flow. Herbs and therapies characterizing this action are cayenne, mustard, lobelia, ,ipecac, etc.; also vapor baths, Turkish baths; wet packs, cold sheet treatment, etc.</div> <div> They influence the sudoriferous glands indirectly by stimulating the cells in the central nervous system (the spinal cord and medulla), from which the nerve fibers controlling the action of the sudoriferous glands originate. Herbs characterizing this action are lobelia, jaborandi, etc.</div> <div> Dr. Nowell states:</div> <div> "In a condition where the system is hot and the skin dry, with a pulse that is full and frequent, a relaxing diaphoretic should be used; but if the heart impulse were weak, and the skin cold, we should use a stimulating diaphoretic working from the center to maintain the heart.</div> <div> In addition to the sudoriferous glands, there are the setaceous or oil glands. These give pliancy and softness to the skin. When these glands are not functioning properly the skin becomes hard and chafed. It is then necessary to do more than produce perspiration; the setaceous glands must be moved to action. In scarlatina and eczema this condition is met with, and in these cases some agent specially influencing the oil glands is called for. The seeds of Arctium Lappa (Burdock Seed) and Sem Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Seeds) are very fine articles in this condition. They should, of course, to produce the desired effect, be given in hot infusion.</div> <div> Diaphoresis, or sweating a patient, is one of the most certain means of restoring health in a great number of cases, for when the millions of pores in the skin are closed the blood stream soon becomes impure, poisoning the whole system. It is commonly known that the promotion of perspiration has been the resort of the masses in many cases where the aid of a physician could not be paid for.</div> <div> The old herbal practitioners were wonderfully successful in their practice because they sought to restore the circulation to its equilibrium. It was they who made the vapor bath famous, for along with herbal diaphoretics there is nothing more effective than the vapor bath in the treatment of fevers, inflammation, colds, congestions, etc.</div> <div> From our personal experience, as well as that of many of the best among the herbal healers, we assert that it makes little difference where the trouble may be, provided the general circulation be involved. Diaphoresis is practically essential. In inflammation of the lungs, pleurisy, peritonitis, inflammation in the stomach, spleen, bowels, kidneys, bladder, uterus or brain, equalize the circulation. Maintains a frequent outward flow of blood and you have your patient on the highway to recovery.</div> <div> It is scarcely necessary to say that diaphoretics must be given warm. If given cold they will, as a general rule, influence the kidneys. It is always advisable before giving diaphoretics to have the bowels as clean as possible.</div> <div> Cold drinks should not be given between doses.</div> <div> Cathartics should not be given just before or during the administration of diaphoretics.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Page 212</div> <div> If the bowels are not clean use an injection of warm water to clean them. Your diaphoretics will then be manifest quicker.</div> <div> Don't carry diaphoresis to the point of exhausting the patient, oppressed breathing and tremulous pulse.</div> <div> Hot water alone is a diaphoretic, and when combined with the potential power of sanative diaphoretics of the herbal world, it is one of the most potent forces in the hands of the physician."</div> <div> Diaphoretics are herbal agents that induce increased yet insensible perspiration by influencing the sweat or sudoriferous glands. These herbs relax the sweat glands and increase the evacuation of watery and saline constituents of perspiration. Their influence is mainly on the surface (maintaining the porous openings of the skin free of obstruction and thereby freely emitting body poisons and keeping the blood pure); also the nervous system is influenced, and ultimately the whole circulation is affected as a result of an increased blood flow. Internal diaphoretics generally need to be aided by stimulating baths and friction with a coarse towel or massage. The diaphoretics are one of the most important of all herb groups, because these are to cleanse the foul, mucus condition from the body system and start it on the road to good health.</div> <div> Sudorifics are herbal agents that stimulate the sudoriferous or sweat glands, producing profuse and visible sweating that stand as beads upon the surface of the skin when taken hot; and they act beneficially as tonics when taken cold.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Page 213</div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=24 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="cc203181eearkz.gif"> <div>  <A HREF="snh_5___the_cathartic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 5 The Cathartic Herbs">SNH 5 - The Cathartic Herbs</A> < Previous  |  Next > <A HREF="snh_7___the_diurectic_herbs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Chapter 7 The Diurectic Herbs">SNH 7 - The Diurectic Herbs</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>