reviews

      This book by Kathy Abascal is a lucid survey of the nature of influenza, of current efforts to
develop flu vaccines and antiviral drugs that would be efficacious in both seasonal epidemics and
pandemics as well as strategies for decreasing transmission of the virus. But Abascal goes far beyond
this in presenting a unique and well documented review of the use of herbal treatments in France
and in the United States. In fact, by far the greater part of the book deals with these herbal remedies
and their use not only in the 1918 pandemic but also in regular practice. Of necessity, with the
notable exception of data from a French hospital study in 1918, the evidence for the efficacy of herbal
treatments is largely anecdotal. Authors of published reports were primarily adherents of the so-called
Eclectic school of physicians who, in addition to having a knowledge of herbal medicines, appear to
have been unusually aware of the variety of symptoms and sensitive to their progression in each
patient.
      This is a book worth reading and pondering. The references alone are worth the price.
                                                                               Maurice Griffel, PhD chemistry & public health, ret.

     I thoroughly enjoyed Herbs & Influenza. It was content rich with an excellent perspective on the use
and efficacy of herbs by Eclectic physicians. It was very easy to read and presented in a very organized
and readable manner (I finished reading the entire book in 2 sittings). The additional information on
how Michael Moore would dose the herbs provided additional helpful perspectives on the use of the
herbs presented.
     I also appreciated the well articulated contribution to the ongoing debate of evidence-based versus
anecdotal protocols. The superiority of natural versus conventional protocol and the foundational basis
for both were deftly, yet clearly and factually presented.
     This book would be useful for both personal and professional use for anyone interested in an
excellent perspective on the clinical basis for pursuing herbal protocols. It’s clearly going to be one of
the books we will reference and highly recommend to our distance learning students (our school is the
International Institute of Original Medicine, a natural health institute of higher learning offering
certificates in nutrition and herbology and degrees at the Bachelor, Master’s and Doctorate levels).
     The one recommendation I would make for any future editions is perhaps a chapter emphasizing
the top ten herbs based on the author’s extensive background and scholarship which includes both the
herbal protocols used by the electives and those that have appeared more recently on the scene to bring
the Eclectic experience into the 21st century. While the book focused primarily on the Eclectics use of
herbs such a chapter would further validate their efforts with a 21st century facelift.
     Thanks for the content, quality and scholarship for this timely and important topic.


Author's comment: Many of the herbs used during the 1918 pandemic are no longer widely used. And, of course, there
are presently no practitioners with hands on experience treating pandemic influenza. The information on current uses
of these plants, and where available, studies on their use are covered in the book.

This book gives vital, potentially life-saving information on the next
pandemic inevitably waiting for us in the US and worldwide. It names,
describes, and shows the usability of dozens of herbs that were proven
effective in the last pandemic to hit the US (with additional information
from previous experiences as well). It clearly identifies which herbs are
usable by the general population and which need expert supervision,
and otherwise gives a well-rounded history of the medicinal use of
herbs and how they were shoved aside by the medical establishment in
favor of unproven and even dangerous allopathic alternatives.
Moreover, the book makes a good read on top of its persuasiveness as to
the efficacy of the cures it promotes. Thought-provoking, useful and
well-written: a nice combination. Good Xmas stocking stuffer as well.
-- John Starbuck

With the specter of a major influenza pandemic on the horizon, this book is a timely review and
update on therapeutics for this sometimes-lethal disease. Even if today's Bird Flu does not evolve into
a major killer as feared, seasonally epidemic influenza remains a serious disease throughout the
world. Abascal's book looks back to the 1918 epidemic, the worst influenza epidemic in recent history,
which killed millions of people worldwide. During that epidemic in the U.S., both homeopaths and
herbalists claimed a better survival rate
than that achieved by physicians of the day. Abascal's review of Eclectic herbal materia medica goes
beyond the standard Felter and Ellingwood texts, and includes dozens of references to articles in the
Eclectic Medical Journal. A primary source for the book is a survey of Eclectic remedies used during
the 1918 Epidemic – the survey was done by the Lloyd brothers pharmaceutical company in 1919. She
also includes historical and contemporary naturopathic and herbal sources. The fifteen most
commonly-used Eclectic remedies are described in detail. About half of these, including four of the
five top herbs, are Class IV low-dose toxic botanicals or other strong herbs generally not available to the
non-physician herbalist. She also covers twenty more herbs covered in somewhat less details.
Relevance of this book for the clinical practitioner if four stars out of four. It is sure to broaden your
thinking about materia medica and tailoring treatments to the presenting symptoms in the various
stages of flu, including fever, muscle pain, headache, and respiratory complications.
Paul Bergner, RH (AHG) review in Medical Herbalism Journal

"This book is a great, relatively quick read. After a brief overview of influenza itself, including
interesting thoughts about cytokine storms and herbs, Abascal launches into the fascinating
history of the Eclectic physicians and their experience during the 1918 influenza pandemic. The
fascinating history of the period and the surprising data on efficacy of herbs for this deadly
epidemic are well worth reviewing. The details discussions of the herbs are excellently done,
brief, too the point, yet fascinating and looking at sides of these herbs largely lost and ignored.
This is not another book heralding the same tired herbs for influenza discussed in the current
literature. This is a powerful, fascinating review, useful to patients and clinicians alike. I learned
a lot from it and believe many others will also." Dr. Eric Yarnell, ND, RH (AHG)