Simples Formula 18

By tjohnson , 14 June, 2026

Simples Formula 18

Tradition: Household Still-room | Preparation Type: Historical Simples | Risk Level: LOW

Plain-English Summary

This is a low-risk historical historical simples originating from the Household Still-room tradition. Historically, it was primarily utilized for household issues. It relies heavily on Botanical ingredients to achieve its intended effect. This is an archival document intended for educational and farm-history purposes, not medical advice.

Important Safety Disclaimer

This entry is an archival record of historical medical practices. Do not use, ingest, inject, apply, dose, or substitute this preparation for modern medical care.

Historical Background (Who, What, Where, When, Why)

  • Who Used It: Homesteaders, rural practitioners, and families following the Household Still-room tradition.
  • What It Is: A historical simples formulation utilizing locally sourced or apothecarial Botanical ingredients.
  • Where It Was Documented: Found in the authoritative text A Book of Simples.
  • When It Was Relevant: Published and practiced heavily around 1750.
  • Why It Was Used: Served as a primary intervention for household when modern pharmaceuticals and professional veterinary/medical care were entirely unavailable.

The Five Whys of this Formula

  1. Why this specific remedy? Because it addressed household using materials that were familiar and accessible to the era's rural communities.
  2. Why these ingredients? Botanical ingredients was historically observed (or believed through prevailing medical theory) to trigger physiological responses related to this condition.
  3. Why this preparation method? Processing it as a historical simples was the most effective known way to extract, preserve, or apply the active compounds without modern lab equipment.
  4. Why did it fall out of use? It was eventually superseded by modern clinical science, which offered standardized dosing, verified efficacy, and vastly reduced toxicity risks.
  5. Why preserve it in the codex? Documenting this formula is essential for understanding the evolution of agrarian self-reliance, the history of farm botany, and the stark realities of survival before modern medicine.

Source Verification & Integrity

Historical Recipe And Preparation Record

Historical Formula Card — Modern-Readable Version

Status: Complete Formula Verified Original Formula Name: Simples Formula 18 Ingredients: Original Measurements: Take the peels of 8 lemons or oranges and pare of the white very clean from them then put them into a quart of brandy, then take one pound of double r...

Measurement Normalization Table

Original Term Modern Approximation Confidence Notes
quart ~946 mL exact Simples measure.
pound ~453g exact Simples measure.

Assembly Process

Take the peels of 8 lemons or oranges and pare of the white very clean from them then put them into a quart of brandy, then take one pound of double refined Sugar or other loafe Sugar and put it into a quart of water and let it stand 24 hours then mix the water and brandy together and strain them through a double flanin bag so bottle it up for use. Some steep y^e peel 3 days before and after y^e water is added sweeten it with white Sugar Candy & hang a grain of musk & ambergreese in the glass. 20. Cowslip Wine aproved.

Botanical and Ingredient Context

For a deeper understanding of the plants and materials used in this formula, explore the Triple 5 Plant Codex and our historical ingredient profiles:

How to Master the Process

Historical recipes often assume the reader already knows the basics of homestead processing. To understand the practical, step-by-step skills required to create a preparation of this type, review our dedicated process guides: - Master the Historical Simples Process

Storage, Labeling, And Shelf-Life

Pantry storage.

External Quality Checks — Not Human Or Animal Testing

These checks help describe identity, cleanliness, strength consistency, spoilage, or physical quality historically. They do not prove medical effectiveness. - Visual.

What Replaced This In Modern Care

Modern grocery/care.

Veterinary, Livestock, And Farm Relevance

Farm still-room.

Historical Source Citation

Source: A Book of Simples by Henry William Lewer (1750) - 📖 Read Source Page in Local Reader - 🏛️ Open Book Landing Page

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