Wellcome uses cookies.
Read our policy
Close cookie notification
Skip to main content
Wellcome Collection homepage
Visit us
What’s on
Stories
Collections
Get involved
About us
Sign in to your library account
Search our stories, images, catalogue and events
Library account
Search our stories, images, catalogue and events
Search
Works search
Search the catalogue
Search
All
Stories
Images
Catalogue
Events
Formats
Digital Images (1)
Dates
From
to
Locations
Online (1)
Subjects
Countryside (1)
Garden (1)
Herbal remedies (1)
Petal (1)
Poison (1)
Red (1)
Types/Techniques
Contributors
Dr Henry Oakeley (1)
Languages
Submit
1 result
Search result sorting
Sort by:
Relevance
Production dates
Sort order:
Ascending
Descending
Submit
Page
1
of 1
Digital Images
Online
Gaultheria procumbens Kalm Ericaeae. Wintergreen, teaberry, boxberry, chickerberry. Distribution: North American forests. Named for French physician/botanist Jean Francois Gaultier (1708-1756). Physician to the French King, emigrated to Quebec in 1742. Researched flora of North America, died of typhus (Oakeley, 2012). Source of oil of wintergreen. Ten pounds of oil can be extracted from a ton of leaves. Toxic effects: Stupidity, swelling of the tongue, food craving, epigastric tenderness, vomiting, dyspnoea, hot skin, tachycardia, restlessness (MiIlspaugh, 1974). Active chemical is methyl salicylate. Used topically for musculo-skeletal conditions, it is converted to salicylic acid when absorbed. Excess use has caused a death. Salicylic acid is also used for warts and corns (first described by Dioscorides in 70CE)
Dr Henry Oakeley
Page
1
of 1