Horehound Tonic Process

The wine

(It was recommended that red wine would be the most period)

The dry herbs 

Herbs in the wine on the stove

Linen cloth ready to strain

Straining the herbs through the linen cloth so just the wine is left.

The strained herbs

I had trouble getting a good picture of the tonic, the colour of the wine appeared only a little darker.

The flavour is of the tonic is dominated by the horehound, the other two herbs are barely detectable.

Horehound Tonic

"Those who cough should take fennel and dill in equal parts,add one third of a part of horehound and boil the herbs in wine, strain through a linen cloth,drink and the cough will disappear."

Hildegard of Bingen's Medicine by Dr. Wighard Strehlow and Gottfried Hertza, M.D.

Medieval Medicine

Medieval beliefs about the body, its ailments and how to cure them were centered around the four

humours: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. Balance of these within the body meant good 

health,while an imbalance lead to sickness. The hot or cold, dry or wet qualities of the humours gave 

healers clues how to best return the body's equilibrium. Galen, a Greek in the early part of the first 

century, further defined the aspects of plants and gave them degrees; one being the weakest and four 

being the  strongest.

'Hot' herbs were generally used to stave off chills and stimulate metabolism. Many of the herbs that fall into this category are strong in both aroma and taste. 'Dry' herbs were best used to purge the body of moisture, such as phelgm. All of the cures were determined by opposites. If you had an ailment that was cold and wet, an example being a bronchial cough, this tonic with its hot and dry properties would be ideal in easing the patients suffering and place on the road to well-being.

Hildegard of Bingen

A German Abbess in the 12^th century, who wrote about many herbs, treatments and beliefs about the human body. She is the only female herbalist currently known.

White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)

Part used: Leaves

Qualities: hot 2 dry 3

Historical Tidbits: Indigenous to Britain.

Esteemed by the Romans and refered to as "seed of Horus", "Bull's Blood" and "Eye of the Star" by the ancient Egyptians.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Part used: Seeds

Qualities: hot 2 dry 2

Historical Tidbits: Indigenous to the Mediterranean.

Cultivated by the Romans.

Mentioned in pre-Norman conquest Anglo-Saxon cookery and Spanish agriculture records from AD 961.

Dill (Anethum graveleons)

Part used: Leaves

Qualities: hot 2 dry 1

Historical Tidbits: Indigenous to the Mediterranean and southern Russia.

Called the "Anethon of Dioscorides" and known by Pliny and Middle Age writers.

Found in Norse burial sites.

Why is called "Horehound Tonic"?

While there is no documentable reason for this name, I feel that it is named for horehound, rather than fennel or dill, as it is the most potent of the herbs used. When drunk, all one can taste is the horehound.

Why wine?

Wine is believed to have its own restorative properties and is well known for its ability to absorb the medicinal properties of herbs placed within it.

Works Used

http://www.greekmedicine.net/Principles_of_Treatment/Herbal_Therapeutics_and_Materia_Medica.html (Last accessed November 10, 2014)

Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper's Complete Herbal: Over 400 herbs and their uses. London: Arcturus, 2009.

Daisley, Gilda. Herbs International & Illustrated. Chevprime Ltd, 1989.

Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal http://www.botanical.com (Last accessed November 10, 2014)

Pazzini, Adalberto and Emma Pirani. Herbarium: Natural Remedies from a Medieval Manuscript. New York: Rizooli, 1980.

Tobyn, Graeme. Culpeper's Medicine: A Practice of Western Holistic Medicine. Shaftesbury: Element, 1997.