Comments on: Salve on a See-Saw

By: AP60

AP60 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:47:30 +0000

I’m glad that this issue was raised here, because I hope to get an answer to the question that keeps coming back since the moment I’ve found out about essential oils: What is the difference in understanding / acceptance to this issue compared to the use of tobacco, opium, or morphine, say 100 years ago?

These products were back then perceived helpful, sometimes stimulating, sometimes healing, until solid research proved otherwise.

By: Pete Richards

Pete Richards — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:16:31 +0000

What next! So much talk about titillating tinctures and selling out for salubrious salves, Intimidation ploys be damned, an online newspaper simply in order to gain readers and make a profit must pledge to us that it will not stoop to the writing of alliterative headlines on so-called ‘tell all’ stories such as this about 2009′s summer jobs,

“She sold sea shells on the seashore
and says so on the See-Saw”

The Chronicle must set the standard for quality and not cave in to pressure no matter the cost.

By: Linda Diane Feldt

Linda Diane Feldt — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:21:21 +0000

Actually, common usage of “tincture” can include using other mediums to extract material from a plant. Vinegar and glycerin are also both used. If you use water we call it an infusion. They take time to make, 4-6 weeks for alcohol, vinegar or glycerin. A water infusion may be 1/2 hour to overnight.

And while it is common usage to drink”herbal teas” they are truly tissanes. Only the actual tea plant makes tea. But it is so common to call all of it “tea” I don’t think that usage will change.

Speaking as an herbalist…

And thanks for getting the word out about herbs, Dave and Caryn!

Easy, inexpensive, and very nourishing for so many systems of the body. And I have letters from clients saying they think it was the oatstraw infusion made from early oat plants) that enabled them to get pregnant, so a tea that creates pregnancy is possible.

And to prevent fertility? Wild Carrot – Queen Ann’s Lace. The seeds were used by women. We have evidence it works, but not enough info on dosage and reversability. But I’ve also seen heavy carrot users with fertility problems get pregnant once they stopped eating so many carrots. Anecdotal info, but interesting.

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:03:35 +0000

As far as I know, the only crucial difference between a see-saw and a teeter totter is that I prefer the term “teeter totter” to describe that object. Implying that there is some actual technical difference is a cheap rhetorical ploy to which I sometimes appeal in an attempt at subtle intimidation on behalf of my preference.

By: sal

sal — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:36:24 +0000

Since Sabra nicely explained the difference between a salve and a tincture, could you explain the difference between a see saw and a teeter totter? Thank you.

By: Sabra Briere

Sabra Briere — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:32:37 +0000

In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e.g. of leaves or other plant material) or solution of a non-volatile substance; (e.g. of iodine, mercurochrome). To qualify as a tincture, the alcoholic extract is to have an ethanol percentage of at least 40-60% (sometimes a 90% percent pure liquid is even achieved). [1] Solutions of volatile substances were called spirits, although that name was also given to several other materials obtained by distillation, even when they did not include alcohol. In chemistry, a tincture is a solution that has alcohol as the solvent.

(My source is Wikipedia, but it matches in essence all other sources.)