Kloss's Liniment

I recently got into some Sista Ivy. Other folks know her as Poison Ivy, but I'm seriously doing my best not to further piss her off plus I met a plant medicine woman once who told me to call her that. I do what I can. My coworker is a herbal woman (she might laugh at that reference) and told me about Kloss's Liniment.
A liniment is made in the same way as a tincture, but it's for external use only and made with either witch hazel or rubbing alcohol as the solvent.
I had remembered seeing the recipe in Rosemary Gladstar's book Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Heath. I thought it was an awesome idea to whip up a batch until I came to the part where it says to let sit for 4 weeks!! I didn't have four weeks, I needed it now. So I got all the ingredients together today. The recipe is pretty straightforward and easy. I bought all the herbs at the local co-op and they had a scale there so I measured everything out in the store.

So these are the supplies. The recipe from Rosemary Gladstar's book calls for:
1 ounce echinacea powder
1 ounce organically grown goldenseal powder (she suggests that if you can't find organic sub chaparral or Oregon grape root)
1 ounce myrrh powder
1/4 ounce cayenne powder
1 pint (16 ounces) rubbing alcohol

It's so easy!

That's it. Gladstar recommends leaving a good two inch margin above the herbs. Then sealing the jar with a lid and leaving it to sit for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks strain and bottle and don't forget to write FOR EXTERNAL USE ONLY!!!

I'll keep you posted on how it turns out. Hopefully there won't be a need but this recipe is supposed to be good for bug bites too, which are guaranteed. She also says it's good for inflamed muscles.


Props given to Dr. Jethro Kloss (I'd love to meet an herbalist named Jethro!! hells yes!!!) and to Rosemary Gladstar.

Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.