Warming Confection for Infertility

Tradition:

Western

Source / Author:

Wirtzung

Herb Name Ginger Cinnamon Three Peppers Yellow Turnip seed Peas Ivory Nettle seed Ameos Seseli Indian Spikenard Cardamon Blatta Byzantina Bay berries Nutmeg Cypress nuts Cypress roots Hyssop Marjoram Spikenard

Latin Zingiber officinalis Cinnamonum zeylanicum Piper  Brassica rapa Pisum Eboris Urtica dioica Ammi majus Siler montanum Nardostachys jatamansi Elettaria cardamomum Unguis Odoratus Laurus nobilis Myristica fragrans Cupressus semperviens Cupressus semperviens Hyssopus officinale Oreganum marjorana Nardostachys jatamansi Amount 1 ounce ea. 1⁄2 ounce 2 drams ea. 1 dram ea.

Preparation:

Make a confection with Honey; a little Musk can be added at the end.

Function:

Clears Cold, warms the kidneys

Use:

Infertility from Cold or Phlegm (pale face, poor libido, clear discharge, white tongue coating, small pulse)

Dose:

as much as a Nutmeg every morning

Cautions:

None noted

Modifications:

Ivory has a special connection with infertility; it has been used alone for this purpose. It can be omitted in this formula without affecting efficacy. Blatta Byzantina is an aromatic shell. It can be replaced with Cowrie shell or Cuttlefish bone in this formula.

This formula appeared in The General Practice of Physick (Wirtzung, 1598), without name. It, and two similar formulas that appeared with it in the section ‘Barrenness through Cold and Moisture’ look to be of Arab origin, or at least perhaps based on Arab formulas.

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