It Will Do No Harm to Try It by Jim Long (2003) Perfect Paperback

The home remedies diary of Elias Slagle was begun in 1859 and records herb and plant formulas for folk remedies throughout the Civil War and to the end of the 1800s. Slagle lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania, serving in the Navy during the Civil War, then moved West to Texas and Kansas. His formulas were recorded verbatim from doctors and folk healers of the day and give a fascinating look into life and lifestyles in the 1800s. From a "sure cure" for rattlesnake bite to pimples on children (using beef tallow and tar!) this is a fascinating look into plants and remedies of the early frontier. Jim Long has edited the original diary and added information about the plants and materials, making this a intriguing book for historians, herb and plant people and Civil War buffs.