St. Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179), a German Benedictine abbess, polymath, and Doctor of the Church — one of only a few dozen saints the Church honors for the authority of their teaching — experienced visions from the age of three, which she described as coming from "the shadow of the living light." She also wrote two books on medicine and the natural world, detailing the properties and uses of various plants. Among her remedies is a powder of crane's-bill, pellitory, and nutmeg, which she prescribes for a runny nose, a cough, a sore throat, chest pain, and headache — the symptoms of a cold or flu — and which she calls the best powder for the health of the heart. In this post, we share her original recipe, translated directly from the Latin, alongside our modern adaptation.
Note: This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult a physician before using any herbal product, particularly if you are pregnant or on medications.
Hildegard's Original Recipe
The recipe appears in Physica, Hildegard's book of plants, animals, and minerals, in the chapter on crane's-bill. She gives proportions rather than measurements.
Ingredients
- Crane's-bill — the largest portion
- Pellitory root (Anacyclus pyrethrum) — less than the crane's-bill
- Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) — less than the pellitory
Hildegard names the plant only by its German name, Cranchsnabel, "crane's bill," a name shared by several related wildflowers. Her nineteenth-century Latin editor identified it as common stork's-bill (Erodium cicutarium); modern practitioners of Hildegard medicine use herb Robert (Geranium robertianum).
Hildegard's Instructions
Translated from the Latin of Physica, Book I, chapter 144:
"Crane's-bill is very warm, has a little moisture, and holds almost the strength of spices. Take crane's-bill, less pellitory than crane's-bill, and less nutmeg than pellitory; reduce them to a powder and mix them together. Whoever has pain in the heart should eat this powder with bread, or without bread, licking it from his hand, and he will be better, for it is the best powder for the health of the heart.
"Whoever has a runny nose should hold this powder to his nostrils and draw its scent deep inside; the runny nose will loosen more lightly and gently and soon pass, without danger to him.
"Whoever has a cough and tightness in the chest should make little cakes in a pan from flour and this powder, with lard or butter added, and eat them often, both fasting and after meals. It gently and softly loosens the cough and the sore in the chest and brings them to an end, and he will be better.
"Whoever has pain in the chest, so that his chest is stifled, or pain in the throat, so that his voice is taken away, should drink this powder in warm wine, and his chest and throat will be better.
"Whoever has pain in the head should add clear or roasted salt to this powder and eat it on bread or lick it from his hand, and he will be better."
Our Modern Adaptation
Doctors Gottfried Hertzka and Wighard Strehlow, who incorporated Hildegard's medicine into their practice for many years, popularized this powder for cold and flu season. Our version gives measured amounts and uses cranesbill root, which is widely sold dried — a North American relative of the wildflowers Hildegard may have meant.
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Ingredients
- 4 tsp cranesbill root (Geranium maculatum)
- 3 tsp pellitory root powder (Anacyclus pyrethrum, often sold as akarkara)
- 2 tsp nutmeg powder (Myristica fragrans)
Instructions
- If your cranesbill root is cut rather than powdered, grind it fine in a spice grinder and sift out any coarse pieces.
- Combine all three powders and mix well.
- Store in an airtight jar, away from light and heat.
Usage Recommendations
Doctors Strehlow and Hertzka wrote about their use of this powder and offer the following guidelines:
- At the onset of flu: Take two to three pinches of this powder daily for four weeks.
- During flu season: Take 1/2 teaspoon of this powder on salad or in soup as a preventative measure. (In our family, we especially enjoy the powder blended in banana smoothies, sprinkled on toast with butter and honey, and mixed with applesauce for the kiddos.)
In their experience, this remedy is a highly effective preventative measure, demonstrating that St. Hildegard's powder is more than just a historical remedy; it is a testament to the enduring wisdom of traditional herbal medicine. While modern science continues to reveal the benefits of herbal remedies, St. Hildegard's divine insights remain a valuable resource for those seeking natural ways to enhance their health and well-being.
Further reading
- Recipe: Immune-Boosting Smoothie à la St. Hildegard — another of her remedies, blending medieval ingredients into a modern immune-support smoothie
- Recipe: Simple Spelt Bread (Inspired by St Hildegard) — her recommendations on spelt as a foundational healing food
