Irish Cures for Rheumatism

Synopsis

A fascinating analysis of herbal folk remedies used for arthritic conditions in Ireland

In the twentieth century, 'rheumatism' was the common term for the aches and pains of old age — stiff, swollen, and often painful joints, muscles, and tendons. Noticing both the prevalence of the condition in her native West Cork and the wealth of traditional remedies passed down through local communities, herbalist Rosarie Kingston embarked on a journey discover whether the same rich body of folk knowledge existed across the rest of Ireland.

Drawing on the National Folklore Schools Collection, Irish Cures for Rheumatism offers a comprehensive analysis of more than one thousand accounts of rheumatism recorded in the survey. In doing so, it paints a vivid picture of everyday life in early twentieth-century Ireland while uncovering a remarkable body of traditional knowledge that continues to offer valuable insights for modern herbal practice.

Alongside common medicinal plants such as Yarrow, Dandelion and Nettle, the book explores others which might not be as familiar to the modern herbalist, such as Ash, Celery, and Broom. Expertly weaving the original source material with pertinent modern analysis, Kingston also examines specific formulae that were recorded and used, as well as topical applications. The book concludes by reviewing non-plant remedies such as sweathouses, oils, holy wells, and a brief materia medica of the less commonly mentioned herbs.

Bridging an essential gap between ancestral healing traditions and contemporary herbal practice, Irish Cures for Rheumatism is both an invaluable resource for herbalists and a fascinating window into the traditions, folklore, and everyday life of twentieth-century Ireland.