Blàthan-Leighis / Medicinal Plants
- Informant(s)
- Name
- Jean (Jeannie) Gibson
- Age
- 69
- Origin
- Mull, Bunessan, Ardtun, Knockan
- Name
- Christina MacGillivray
- Age
- 80+
- Origin
- Mull, Burg
- Name
- Angus Henderson
- Age
- 79
- Origin
- Mull, Tobermory
- Name
- John Campbell ( Teonaidh Chailein )
- Origin
- Mull, Bunessan, Taoslainn
- Location
- Mull
- Notes
- [NOTES: Mr Boyd uses different colours of ink to distinguish informants. In this file, in order to preserve the distinction, the informants’ names have been inserted before the sections they contributed.]
A. Plant medicines | |
1. Diseases in the head area | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
cairt a’ chaineil | Mint tea. Disease: headache (ceann goirt). Part used: leaf and stem. How prepared: boiled. Sources of information: aunt. |
[Christina MacGillivray] | |
fuaran tuirneip | Turnip poultice. Disease: abscess. |
2. Respiratory diseases | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
fuaran-sgeallain | Wild mustard poultice. Disease: pneumonia, colds, pl [sic] [pleurisy?]. Part used: leaves and stems. How prepared: mixed with hot water to form a kind of paste, and then put between two cloths. Can also simply use cold mustard leaves and stems in a bandage (bànn-arad). |
3. The blood | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
cama-mhil | Camomile. Disease: chilblains (millicheartain). Part used: roots and flower and stem. How prepared: boiled to form camomile lotion (ola-cama-mhil). Lotion just rubbed on, not covered. |
[Christina MacGillivray] | |
lìon an damhain allaidh | Spider’s web. Disease: cuts, wounds. |
4. The bowels and stomach | |
[Angus Henderson, blacksmith (retired), Tobermory (79)] | |
cuach Phàraig | Greater plantain. Disease: piles. How prepared: whole plant (including roots) boiled in water until very little water left. Butter then mixed with finely ground oatmeal. Formed an ointment. |
5. Bladder and kidneys | |
6. Other internal organs | |
7. Gynaecological complaints | |
8. Skin diseases not already mentioned | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
a’ chopag | Docken. Disease: burns. Parts used: leaves. How prepared: leaf put against burn with bandage. |
[Christina MacGillivray] | |
rusg buidhe nan creag | Yellow lichen on rocks by shore. Disease: burns. How prepared: lichen boiled until nearly dry, then mixed with fresh butter to make an ointment. |
9. Acute diseases | |
10. The skeleton and muscles | |
B. Treatments which did not involve the use of plants | |
C. Veterinary medicine | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
seannas | Like honeysuckle. For constipation in cattle and other stomach upsets. Leaves and roots boiled and then strained. |
[John Campbell (Teonaidh Chailein), Taoslainn, Buneasain] | |
mart trì foil | Bog bean. Cattle – constipation. Boiled and then strained. Known as ‘tribhealach’ (also taken as tonic by people when mixed with lucozade and/or shandy, etc.) |
D. What do you think is the English name for the plants called in Gaelic: | |
[Jeannie Gibson] | |
móthan | Ladynut. ‘Braonan’ in Mull. (Used to eat them.) |
[braonan] | [See móthan] |
cairmeal, carra-meille | Camomile. |
E. Any further information about your sources | |
F. Other information not covered above |
© DASG