Comfrey
COMFREY ( Symphytum officinale ) Digging through my grandmother’s attic after she died, I discovered a veritable treasure trove of information locked away in a trunk. Apparently my own interest in herbal medicine has a long history in my family, beginning with a great grandmother so many generations removed, I’ve no idea of how many "greats" would go in there. Angelika Schraeder kept journals on parchment paper, which look like stories she might have told to young apprentices or even her own children. They’re rather fascinating in herbal lore, although missing some of the scientific details of the herbs that we know today to have rather more dangerous properties. For example, here is her entry on comfrey, an herb valued for its demulcent qualities. The internal use today is cautioned against strongly because of the potential for liver damage. I’ll let you read her entry, and then supplement it with the current warnings for use. I first began learning of herbs and thei