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more accessible. Or one can obtain horehound's healing qualties with a tea,
tincture, or syrup. Hyssop is similar in chemical makeup and function to
horehound but is much less bitter. Both of these herbs mix well with
peppermint. Tea formulas for colds might also combine them with yarrow and
elder.

Some other herbs that can be helpful in treating coughs are: wild cherry
bark, violets, osha, bee balm, slippery elm, nasturtium, red clover and
plantain.

Wild cherry bark (Prunus serotina) continues to be a favorite ingredient in
cough and cold remedies, primarily due to its sedative effect on the
respiratory system. Susun Weed suggests a homemade violet flower syrup for
cough treatment which turns a beautiful lavender shade but is a very
labor-intensive remedy to make. Bee balm was another Native American remedy
for coughs and headcolds, drunk as a tea three times a day. The Peruvian
Indians utilized the natural antibiotic qualities of nasturtium leaves to
treat coughs. The leaves were eaten fresh daily or drunk as a tea. And
last, Native Americans also used slippery elm bark as a tea, gargle, or by
chewing on small pieces of the bark to soothe the annoying symptoms of a
cough.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and plantain (Plantago major and
lanceolata) are two very common wildplants in the area we live and write,
the Northeastern US. Red clover is an expectorant and anti-spasmodic
especially good for children (over the age of 2) with whooping cough. A tea
of the dried flower tops is the most convenient; a tincture may also be
used. The expectorant and demulcent qualities of plantain are often used in
teas for bronchitis and whooping cough.

One cough syrup you can make at home is Kathy Kevilles Homemade Honey Cough
Syrup:

     1 tablespoon licorice root
     1 tablespoon marshmallow root
     1 tablespoon plantain leaf
     1 teaspoon thyme leaf
     1 pint water
     4 tablespoons honey
     4 ounces glycerin
     1/8 teaspoon anise essential oil (optional)

Prepare a triple-strength tea by simmering the herbs in water for 10
minutes, then steeping for 20 minutes. Strain the tea, then stir in honey
and glycerin while the tea is still warm. Add optional essential oil. Take
1 tablespoon at a time. Stored in a cool place, this syrup will keep for 2
weeks. In the refrigerator, it will keep for several months.
This recipe is suitable for children, but not for infants, who should not
have honey.

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                            End of part 4 of 7.
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-- 
Henriette Kress, AHG                      Helsinki, Finland
Henriette's herbal homepage: http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed

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