DOSE: As a tea 1 teaspoonful of the herb to 1 cupful of boiling water.
EXTERNALLY: Crushed violet bound as compress on inflamed tumors, sore throat, swollen breasts, to the
back of the neck for headache, or the cloth saturated in violet tea will often give surprising results, if
applied assiduously. Keep a supply of the dried leaves and flowers for out-of-season use.
HOMEOPATHIC CLINICAL: Tincture of fresh plant in flower for cancer, choroiditis, cough (spasmodic, by
day), hoarseness, hysteria, neuralgia (supraorbital), otorrhea (suppressed), rheumatism, seminal
emissions, styes, whooping cough, wrist (rheumatism of).
RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE: Fialka polevaya, violet is a popular all-year-round decoration, in the fields in the
summertime and as a house plant in winter. Tricolor violets are formally and tenderly called Anutini
glazki, “eyes of Annie,” but much sentiment is lost in the English translation. The country folk are less
revealing in speech, calling them Ivan and Mary, Ivan da Maria. Medical properties and uses are carried
over from ancient history (Vishaya Schkolla, Moscow, 1963). Folk medicine: Uses decoctions, tea,
nastoika (with vodka), internally and externally, as diuretic, diaphoretic, blood purifer. For diathesis,
coughs, eczema, tuberculosis of the skin, and other skin conditions (Byelorussia). Decoction for female
condition, toothache, chest pain of cold (Bello-Russ. Academy of Science, Minsk, 1965). Externally:
Decoction to drink and as poultices, or for complete bath immersion, for chronic and persisting skin
conditions, scrofula, eruptions, children’s eczema (Bello-Russ. Academy of Science, 1965). Clinically:
Special preparations of the whole plant are administered for lung and chest trouble, as expectorant in
chronic catarrhal accumulation (Atlas, Moscow, 1963).
INDIAN AND PAKISTANI EXPERIENCE: Known as banaf shah, the flowers are emollient, demulcent,
astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative. Used in cases of prolaps of the uterus and rectum, nervous
disorders, biliousness, epilepsy, inflamed swellings. For diaphoretic use when needed for colds, coughs,
kidney and bladder disorders. In large doses the flowers are emetic; 2 ounces of stem will act as
purgative, emetic; juice will cause nausea, vomiting, and nervous conditions. The underground stem is
emetic and purgative and is valuable if used instead of ipecac. Also used as antipyretic and febrifuge. In
Medical Plants of India (by J. F. Dastur, Bombay, India, 1962) credit is given for the control of cancer in
the following way: “The fresh leaves are a reputed drug for the treatment of Cancer: they relieve pain of
cancerous growths, especially in the throat; two and a half ounces of the fresh leaves are infused in a pint
of boiling water in a covered stone jar for 12 hours; the strained liquid is taken in the course of a day, in
doses of a wineglassful at a time; for treatment of cancer of the tongue only half the quantity is taken in a
day; the other half is used to foment the tongue; a liquid extract of the fresh leaves, in teaspoonful doses, is
equally efficacious. On cancerous growths either the hot infusion or an extract of the fresh leaves is
applied as a compress.” Dose: 1 part of flower to 100 parts of water or a syrup; 30–50 gram doses. As
emetic, dose 40–50 grains. Externally: For eczema.