Policy And Freedom

Throughout my career as a pharmacist, I’ve been fascinated by the evolution of medicines we use to treat people, and how so many “old-fashioned” medicines are still in use—and very useful—today.   I have a collection of pharmacy antiques and one of my most prized possessions is a Materia Medica—published in 1927 and containing many historical remedies.   Some interesting remedies from that book include using Scotch pine needles to reduce uric acid in gout, and prescribing tobacco for treating constipation due to the ability of nicotine to stimulate the large intestines to work more efficiently.   In the 1800s, it was common to find people taking cough syrup containing opium to treat coughs and cocaine for toothaches or any mouth pain. These medications work by suppressing cough with narcotics such as opium, and by the local anesthetic effect from cocaine.   Another unusual remedy was using mercury to treat venereal diseases, mainly syphilis. Mercury was effective in treating leprosy (H

Most of the time, we think about survival in terms of having a pack filled with equipment and supplies. That’s the ideal way to do it, but you can’t always count on the ideal. There’s just as good a chance that you’ll find yourself stuck in a situation where all you have is a pocket knife and a lighter. Survival in such a situation is much harder than with a well-filled backpack . Nevertheless, as long as it is possible, then it’s a good idea to know how to survive, using just what you can find around you. This is where the pine tree comes in handy. While a pine tree can’t do everything for you, it can do a lot. You can use a pine tree for food, medicine, shelter and fuel, covering a lot of your needs. Learning how to use pine trees, as well as other trees and plants you find in the wilderness, could keep you alive. 1. The Pine Tree as Shelter Pine trees make one of the easiest natural shelters you can find. The branches come out horizontally from the tree, and as the tree grows, the l