The Herbalist’s Guide for Historical Fiction 

Guest Post by Sara Dahmen –

Did you know that eating an entire nutmeg will cause serious hallucinations? Or that two nutmegs can kill a person?  

Old fashioned recipes will often have a footnote at the bottom warning about the amount of nutmeg a cook might want to use. (Nutmeg was used with zeal in recent centuries to hide the smell and taste of spoiled dairy or rotting meat.) It’s one of those herbs we mention in passing when we write about cooking or fine desserts, but it could also be an excellent way to secretly poison someone without anyone figuring it out.  

That’s what makes writing about herbs in history such a delight and a challenge. We must be sure the herb was actually used in that part of the world in that particular year. If it is seasonally harvested, when would it be ripe and ready for drying? If it is a plant that came from abroad, when was it introduced to the land? 

Herbs are often the culprit in history for poisoning, and they were also sought for preventing and ending a pregnancy, of which there were many examples beyond nutmeg. Humans, it turns out, are easily poisoned, and pregnancies, if caught early enough, were sometimes treated with herbal methods as well. We read about belladonna, henbane, and wormwood all the time as tools used by nefarious poisoners and jilted lovers alike, but there are quite a few nondescript “remedies” out there to help our characters along with their plots and troubles.  

For instance, parsley seeds are considered toxic in large amounts. Bayberries and mugwort have historically been associated with complications for a pregnant woman at various stages of pregnancy. Tansy should generally not be ingested, as it is highly toxic, but has been used as an ointment. Unless, of course, you’re pregnant. Raspberry leaves have historically been used differently depending on timing in pregnancy, but should be approached with caution in early stages. Yellow dock leaves are sometimes considered unsafe in certain conditions, and the entire plant may pose risks for pregnant women or during breastfeeding. Rue is a full-on abortifacient in historical accounts, but toxic for all people if taken in excess. Be sure your character is wearing gloves when handling fresh rue, too. Avoid basil if trying to get pregnant, and thyme should be avoided as an oil throughout pregnancy. Celery seeds are generally not recommended for those with kidney disease. St. John’s Wort can interact with mood and medications, and ingesting lemongrass oil can cause problems for anyone. 

Whatever your wise woman or fancy doctor is prescribing to their customers, the cure for any illness (except pregnancy!) is not permanent and care would be ongoing. A prescribed tea or ointment would last as long as it does. Almost all herbal remedies for problems like gout, or high blood pressure, or rheumatism must be used daily for full effect. Once out, folks would need to return for another dose or round of tea. This is a factual cadence that would fit into the daily rhythm of a historical figure who either doles out remedies or needs them. It could also be a reason a handsome young man always has to return to the pretty young witch in the woods. You know, for a cure for his insomnia.  

Don’t forget to look for unusual local remedies or common herbs used in history that have carried through to today’s medical community. For instance, many of the tribes living on the plains or in what is now Montana did not suffer from tick-borne illness, even though many colonial settlers died in scores from diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Through preserved study and research, it’s known that the tribes used sweetgrass for everything: food storage, as jewelry, and burned in their lodging to “keep the bad spirits out.” Studies in 2016 suggested that oils in sweetgrass are as effective as DEET at repelling ticks.  

Using herbs in history to help tell a story, provide a backdrop to our characters, or to drive a plot home with a surprise murder offers us, as writers and historians, an immense library of possibilities. What might seem miraculous on the page can be rooted in very real, tried and true practice. Garlic, hot water, gingerroot, and honey can help alleviate symptoms of influenza. A character might live to be very old, and the secret to their longevity might be their daily cup of nettle tea. Real life sleeping draughts can be mixed with thyme, chamomile, and bitters into a bit of brandy or wine. Skullcap tinctures can help calm an agitated mind. 

The possibilities are quite endless for any writer hoping to use herbs in their historical novel. Even better? The research will uncover remedies we can still use with success today! 

Some excellent resources on researching herbal remedies, along with their history, harvesting, and origins are: 

• The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies by Nicole Apelian, Ph.D. & Claude Davis 
• Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier, FNIMH
• Uses of Plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region by Melvin R. Gilmore 
• Wild Remedies by Rosalee de la Forêt & Emily Han