Getting started : basic concepts for having success with herbal medicine -- Herbal preparations : understanding the many ways to prepare and use herbs -- Using fresh plants : harvesting, drying and using fresh herbs -- Dried herbs : bulk herbs, capsules and tablets -- Introduction to extractions : terms, equipment, solvents and calculations -- Making basic extracts : extracting herbs in water, alcohol, glycerin and vinegar -- Advanced extraction techniques : percolation extracts, fluid extracts and Soxhlet extracts -- Topical preparations : oil-based extractions, topical and local applications -- Other preparations : concentrates, lozenges and Chinese methods -- Aromatherapy and flower essences : two unique ways to extract and use herbs -- Formulas and dosages : designing herbal formulas and using herbs effectively -- Sample formulas : some of Steven Horne and Thomas Easley's favorite formulas -- Single herbs : instructions for preparing and using single herbs

"Provides detailed, easy-to-follow instructions for making and using approximately 250 herbal medicines at home, including practical tips and numerous effective formulas developed and tested by the authors, both expert herbalists with years of experience. Readers who appreciate the health-giving properties of herbal medicines but are discouraged by the high price of commercial products can now make their own preparations for a fraction of the cost. The authors tell you everything you need to know about harvesting, preparing, and administering herbs in many different forms, including fresh, bulk dried herbs, capsules, extracts in water, alcohol, glycerin, vinegar and oil, and even preparations like essential oils and flower essences. The book also covers topical applications of herbs as salves, lotions, poultices, tooth powders, ear drops, and more, and includes an extensive chapter on herbal hydrotherapy. The Modern Herbal Dispensary explains why different preparations of the same herb will obtain better results, demonstrating how capsules, teas, tinctures, or glycerites of the same plant will not have exactly the same effect on the body."--