John R. Christopher

(also posted on my site The Paperback Stash)

Dr. Christopher was an amazing pioneer in herbal medicine. The thick, lengthy book will never leave the wondering mind hungry, delving deeply into a variety of herbs with insightful personal usage, history, and formulas. The book begins with paragraphs under different conditions, but the heart of the book is the herbal details, where Christopher clearly expresses his love, admiration, and faith in natural medicine. He cites other herbalists such as Thomson and Shook, following in the same vein of thought as Eclectics before him, stretching it even further with personal opinions and sage advise. While some of the output is slightly dated, most of it is not, still stands as true today, and will always be invaluable information.

If you're ever seeking a reference guide for herbs, this is surely the one, as Christopher goes as far as to describe in a detailed, eye-catching way the habitat, full description from leaf to odor to flower to taste to stem, to properties, dose, preparation, therapeutic action, oral/anal/skin administration of all. So many herbs are covered in such rich detail it's impossible not to use this as a guide when learning a new herb. As many Eclectics were, Christopher was a big fan of the herb Lobelia, devoting here an entire chapter on it alone. However, the old "puke your brains out" use is now considered unsafe and outdated, but some of the herbs recommendations still stand strong today.

After the massive herbal index is read, there's a marvelous chapter on collecting herbs, preparing them in a huge amount of way, from tinctures to compounds to cerates to suppositories to pills to capsules to washes and baths, and much more.

Formulas are here in every chapter, from older ones passed down from other great herbalists to lesser knowns, from Christopher himself and what he used in his personal practice, and from general herbal combinations that go under each herb in its own section. He wraps up the book with two great glossaries, and a chapter exclusively discussing his 'mucusless diet', an eating regimen still followed actively to this day. Of course the preceeding chapter brings up the regenerative diet, dietary recommendations on certain food substances, proper ways of living besides herbal therapy, and some deliciously appealing culinary recipes to whip up in the kitchen for a healthful treat.

Out of the dozens of herbal books I own, this is one of those I turn to the most, for the knowledge in here is thrilling, and the knowledge almost overwhelming since it covers so much. Well worth the price, Dr. Christopher's name is a household one among herbalists for a good reason.… (mer)