Herbs and Influenza

The threat of an imminent pandemic has society frantically searching for preventatives and treatments. At present, our ability to cope with a fast-moving, highly infectious, virulent form of a respiratory virus is very limited. This book covers an overlooked path: The use of herbs to ease the symptoms caused by a respiratory virus. A group of licensed physicians, the Eclectics, successfully used herbs to ease the severe aches and pains, fevers, and coughs as well as to prevent pulmonary complications that were common and often fatal in the 1918 flu pandemic. This book describes over 30 herbs actually used to treat influenza as well how physicians determined which herb to use and how to dose the plant. Because remedies were chosen to address specific symptoms, their descriptions enable us to chose herbs that might help address a current corona virus pandemic. The book also discusses the availability and development of antiviral drugs, vaccines, pandemic plans, and a way to potentially reduce the cytokine storm a pandemic virus can set off.