{"id":11921,"date":"2017-06-29T11:00:55","date_gmt":"2017-06-29T15:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/?p=11921"},"modified":"2022-06-16T10:22:17","modified_gmt":"2022-06-16T14:22:17","slug":"harry-potters-world-and-the-nlm-herb-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov\/2017\/06\/29\/harry-potters-world-and-the-nlm-herb-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Harry Potter\u2019s World and the NLM Herb Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Jill L. Newmark ~<\/em><\/p>\n

For centuries, people have used plants to cure illness and treat wounds.\u00a0 Medicinal properties of plants have been studied by scientists and scholars throughout time and the plants carefully and lovingly cultivated in gardens.\u00a0 Since 1976, the National Library of Medicine has maintained an herb garden<\/a> directly across from the library\u2019s main entrance.\u00a0 The garden showcases the healing power of nature through a wide variety of herbs and plants.\u00a0 From its first plantings of perennial hedges of boxwood, lavender and thyme, it has grown to include over 75 varieties of plants including columbine, feverfew, foxglove, goldenrod, lavender, yarrow and sage.<\/p>\n

“All that man needs for health and healing has been provided by God in nature, the challenge of science is to find it.”<\/em> \u00a0Paracelsus (1493\u20131541)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As the National Library of Medicine celebrates the 20th<\/sup> anniversary of the publication of the first book in the Harry Potter series, the Herb Garden provides a great place to explore and find similar medicinal plants to those mentioned in the popular book series.\u00a0 One of the required subjects for Harry Potter and his classmates at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is herbology<\/a>\u2014the study of plants and their medicinal uses.\u00a0 Although some plants studied by Harry Potter are fictional, several are real and were studied by Renaissance scientists and botanists.\u00a0 These early scientists recognized the medicinal value of plants and believed in their healing powers.\u00a0 Many are still used today for treating injuries, wounds and diseases.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
National Library of Medicine Herb Garden in Early Summer
Courtesy Claudia Quiros and Fran Sandridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Among the over 75 plants<\/a> in the NLM Herb Garden, you can find Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea<\/em>) and Lavender<\/a> (Lavandula angustifolia<\/em>).\u00a0 Similar to Mandrake, a real plant used in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets<\/em> to cure injured students, Goldenrod and Lavender can be used topically on the skin to aid in healing wounds and ulcers. Mandrake leaves have been used in ointments for external application to the skin to stimulate healing.\u00a0 Recognizing the Mandrake\u2019s medicinal value, historical physicians sometimes used a small dose of the plant as an anesthetic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Woodcut <\/a>
From Lafander and Spica, 1546 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Female <\/a>
Female Mandrake Root in Hortus Sanitatis, 1491 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Woodcut <\/a>
Goldernrod, Virga aurea, 1568 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Feverfew<\/a> (Chrysanthemum parthenium<\/em>) and Foxglove<\/a> (Digitalis purpurea<\/em>) are two other medicinal plants found in the Herb Garden.\u00a0 Feverfew is known as an effective treatment for headaches and fevers.\u00a0 In a similar way, Dittany (Dictamnus albus<\/em>), a plant found in the Harry Potter series, has been used in mixtures to treat migraines and fevers as well as for wound healing.\u00a0 In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows<\/em>, Hermione Grainger uses Essence of Dittany to treat Ron Weasley\u2019s injured arm.\u00a0 Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea<\/em>) is a medicinal used to strengthen contractions of the heart and regulate the heart\u2019s rhythm. The standard potion-making kit of every Hogwarts student including Harry Potter, contains Belladonna<\/a>, whose derivatives can be used to regulate heart rate.<\/p>\n

\"Colored <\/a>
Foxglove in Flora Londinensis by William Curtis, 1798 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Separate <\/a>
Of Feverfew in Herball or generall historie of plantes by John Gerard, 1597 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Illustration <\/a>
Digitalis in A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell, 1737 <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Many more plants and herbs can be found in the NLM Herb Garden<\/a>. Not only is it a wonderful source of study for students of botany and herbology like Harry Potter and his classmates, it is a peaceful place for contemplation and observation of the beauty of nature.\u00a0 We encourage you to explore this special place where the fictional world of Harry Potter meets the real world of natural medicinals.<\/p>\n

As part of a week-long celebration<\/a> of the 20th anniversary of the publication of<\/em> Harry Potter and the Philosopher\u2019s Stone<\/em>, the National Library of Medicine presents two special lectures. The celebration will also include a special display of the 15th, 16th, and 17th century books that influenced the Harry Potter series along with the six-banner traveling exhibition,<\/em> Harry Potter\u2019s World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine<\/em><\/a>. Visit this special exhibition in the History of Medicine Reading Room at NLM, June 26\u201330, 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n

The NLM Herb Garden is maintained by volunteers from the Montgomery Country (MD) Master Gardener Association<\/a>, and the Herb Society of America, Potomac (MD) Unit<\/a> who generously dedicate their time to this source for study by herbalists and botanists and center for peace, rest, and meditation, and a place to watch butterflies.<\/em><\/p>\n

Learn more about NLM\u2019s large and varied collection of herbals<\/a> dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century in the series Curious Herbals<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>Jill L. Newmark is an Exhibition Specialist for the Exhibition Program in the History of Medicine Division at the National Library of Medicine and co-curator of<\/em> Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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