THE HEALING POWERS OF BUSH MEDICINES

 

Herbal remedies featured prominently in Aboriginal healing methods and were often used to treat and relieve a variety of symptoms including but not limited to fever, headaches, digestive problems, skin sores, congestion, aching muscles, snake and insect bites.

Treatment protocols involved herbal drinks, washes, wound poultice methods and aroma therapies.

Throughout Australia, Aboriginal people created specialised healing products through a variety of processes including heating, smoking and infusion techniques.

Many plants and herbs were heated and used to massage swollen or aching body parts while the aroma of plants was often transferred to the patient through direct contact with steam and smoke.

The smoking process produced thermal by-products including Genifuranal. The treatment of wounds was often achieved successfully through techniques of infusing resources such as honey with specific herbal remedies to create effective antiviral/antibacterial products. Today, modern scientific techniques and studies are discovering the efficacy of these traditional healing resources.