Merchandise and Food Shortages in a National Crisis

[Ninurta]

Years ago, when I lived with may parents, there was a weeping willow tree and having known that aspirin can from willow bark, I tried it.

I got some of the inner bark and boiled it in water. It turned dark blood red and when I tried a drop on my tongue, it numbed it like novocaine. It was quite powerful, high potency stuff, just like cocaine with it's numbing effects.

The problem is, there is no way to know doses when cooking it up on the stove. I've never tried that since, but I think I may get a willow tree for near the house or try the ditch willows around here.

Try Black Willow (salix nigra) instead of weeping willow, and see how that works for you. I think Black Willow has more salicin. 1 tsp. of dried and crushed inner bark to a cup of hot water, steeped rather than boiled. Put the bark in the cup, then pour the boliling water over it and let it steep for 10 or 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and filter the crunchies out when it's done, or keep 'em if you want a little roughage. it can be sweetened with a little honey if you like.

Rather than peeling the bark off in sheets or strips, remove the outer bark, then scrape off the inner bark with a knife held at about 90 degrees to the wood. That will shave it off into fine little curlicues about like cigarette tobacco for easier steeping.

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