Whenever I teach a text I like to have an activity to go along with it. For St. Hildegard’s Physica I realized that there was great fun to be had making the actual medicines. Some would require artistic license, but still lots of fun. St. Hildegard often uses very simple preparations like combining herbs and butter, heating them together, straining out the herb and using the resultant flavored ghee as a salve. I plan to demonstrate how to make a slightly more sophisticated unguent, and then give them the week to explore Physica and invent recipes. Many of the recipes could be quite edible.
In any case, making a salve is surprisingly easy. Make an infused oil. I might use tarragon, Hildegard doesn’t mention it, but it is one of my favorites. You can let the herbs and oil sit around for six weeks or you can gently heat the herbs and oil. Strain out the herbs. Add one ounce of beeswax to one cup of the oil. Heat until the wax is completely melted. Immediately pour the mixture into a container. That’s it.
I might have to splurge on some modern herbalism books. It looks like good fun.
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