GREATER CELANDINE (Chelidonium majus)
Common names: Swallow Wort, Garden Celandine, Tetterwort, Felonwort.

 Greater Celandine is not related to the Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) and the only thing they have in common is the colour of their flowers. Greater Celandine grows to a height of 30 to 80 cm., is much branched and flowers from May until well into Autumn. Its much-divided leaves resemble oak-leaves and the roots and stems have an orange-yeliow juice. It grows in hedgerows, by walls and fences, on waste ground and favours south-facing edges of woods. The summer may be dry and the ground parched and the orange-yellow juice still flows freely when the stem is broken. Even in winter this plant can be found under the snow, if its position is known. The plant purifies and stimulates the blood and I would use it together with Stinging Nettle and Elder shoots in cases of leukaemia. But to be effective, at least 2 litres of tea made from the mixture have to be drunk daily. Greater Celandine is a reliable remedy for serious liver ailments when used in a homeopathic form. Because of its blood and liver-cleansing qualities it has a positive influence on the metabolism. This medicinal herb can be used effectively for gall bladder, kidney and liver diseases. Prepared with wine (30 g Greater Celandine including the roots should be placed in half a liter of white wine for one or two hours), it is a quick cure for jaundice. It can also be recommended for haemorrhoids accompanied by a burning sensation in the anus, for stinging pain and cramps while urinating, as well as for buzzing in the ears. In these cases 2-3 cups of tea (which should be scalded but not boiled) should be sipped throughout the day. Externally the juice is used for malignant skin disorders, corns, warts and incurable herpes. Cataract and spots on the cornea are caused to disappear gradually. The juice even helps in cases of a bleeding or detached retina. A leaf of the Celandine is washed and the stem of the leaf is rubbed between the wet thumb and index finger. The juice thus won is brushed gently over the closed eyes towards the corners. Although not rubbed into the eyes, they nevertheless benefit from it. This holds good for cataract and defective vision and is prophylactic for healthy but strained eyes. I, myself, when working until late at night finishing my correspondence feel its beneficial effect, when overtired, I fetch a leaf of Celandine from the garden and use it as described above. It is as if a mist is lifted from my eyes. A homoeopathic tincture of Celandine is used for the above mentioned disorders, in 10 to 15 drop doses, diluted in some water and taken two to three times daily. A few year ago, I was told of a farmer's wife who had a red growth, the size of a little finger tip, on the lower eyelid. The eye specialist from whom she wanted a prescription for glasses did not like the look of it - she had this growth for 7 to 8 years without it causing her any pain - and obtained a biopsy. It was cancer. For the young woman it was a terrible shock - as you can well imagine. Since the family belonged to our circle of acquaintances, I was able to bring Celandine to her notice. It was February and luckily a mild winter, Celandine stays green even in winter. I told her to dig out the plant and put it in a pot to have it handy. She had to dab the affected spot with the orange-yellow juice 5 to 6 times a day. Since the growth was on the lower eyelid I told her that it was harmless to the eye. I told her also to go to the X-ray treatment once a month as the physician had ordered, although the rays do not remove cancer-like growths, but in fact destroy still healthy skin and often also bones. Shortly before Christmas I had the pleasure to hear that the growth had disappeared. When the woman came to see me, she hugged me at the door. The eye specialist whom she had seen before had asked her in astonishment what she had done. To her answer: "I had the monthly X-ray treatment", he replied, "if the X-ray treatments have removed the growth, it is a miracle." She then told me that she would not have been able to cope with the faces (eaten to the bone) of the other patients whom she saw when waiting for her treatment, had I not given her a lot of hope, faith and belief in herself. Now my request to you all: Do help in similar cases and save your fellow human being from a terrible end. In the environment polluting times in which we live, there is an increase in cases of skin cancer developing out of red and suddenly enlarging warts. Facial hair and increased growth of hair on arms and legs of women points to kidney disorders. Celandine juice which is obtained with the juice extractor (the fresh juice will keep up to six months in the refrigerator) is dabbed on the affected places; it is allowed to penetrate for a few hours, then washed with a mild soap and the somewhat dried out skin is treated with Calendula ointment, Camomile oil or St. John's Wort oil (see "directions"). In addition a course of Stinging Nettle tea, at least 3 to 4 cups throughout the day, together with Horsetail sitz baths should be undertaken to better stimulate the kidneys (see under "Horsetail"). An acquaintance from the district of Mainz (Germany) used the Celandine juice as stated during his daily walks. An Alsatian dog, already on in years, was his faithful companion. As a joke he smeared the dogs eyes once with the juice which was apparently beneficial, as the dog from that time on sat begging in front of his master whenever he used the Celandine juice. In Upper Austria, where I gave a lecture in November, I got to know a sexton who wore glasses. When I came back in February the sexton no longer wore glasses. Asked for the reason, he told me that since November he had followed my advice on the Celandine treatment daily. He saw much better now than before with glasses. At this time he must have obtained the Celandine leaves from beneath the snow. I cite this to show that certain medicinal plants are found fresh in winter, when all the other plants appear to be dead.

DIRECTIONS

Infusion: 1/4 litre of boiling water is poured over 1 level teaspoon of herbs.
Fresh Juice: Leaves, stems and flowers are washed and, still wet, put into the juice extractor for external application.
Tincture: As an homoeopathic preparation bought at chemists.
Wine: 30 gm. Celandine together with roots macerated in 1 litre of white wine for 1 to 2 hours, then filter or strain and sipped.