Please note: this blog is from an article I wrote a few years ago that originally appeared in the Winter 2004 edition of The Herb Quarterly magazine. The copyright has reverted back to me and I have updated and added additional content to this post on The Creative Cottage. This post on the doctrine of signatures is a wonderful companion piece to another blog I wrote on the language of flowers.
“Every herb must tell to man by its form or leaves, stem or flowers, of what use it might be in curing his ills.”
Helen Noyes Webster, Herbs
More than 400 years ago, one theory informed a generation of herbalists. Though arguably quaint by today’s standards, it marked a significant step along the path of botanical knowledge.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, an age when the capacities of herbal healing extended to the physical as well as the spiritual and mental realms, a metaphysical theory called the Doctrine of Signatures served as a crucial and lifesaving guide. The basic premise behind the theory – ‘like cures like’ – placed emphasis on clues and signals given off by a plant. Simply put, a plant’s physical characteristics revealed its uses for healing.
The idea behind the Doctrine was refreshingly simple: Herbalists would observe the physical form of a plant to construe the types of illnesses it could help to cure. By noting aspects such as the color of a plant’s roots, the shape of its leaves, or the area in which it grew, they would attempt to determine how to use it. The fact that daisies, for instance, resembled eyes meant that they could treat eye complaints. Plants with red roots or flowers were thought to help cure blood disorders; herbs with yellow flowers or roots could alleviate the problems associated with jaundice.
These days, our more modern reliance on clinical proof and double-blind trials might lead us to view this theory as quaint at best, misguided at worst. But for those interested in the roots of Western herbal medicine, the Doctrine of Signatures remains a continuing source of intrigue – particularly in light of the fact that, in some cases, it led to correct applications of life-saving herbs.
Students of Nature
“We see in Paracelsus not only a pioneer in the domains of chemical medicine but also in those of an empirical psychological healing science.”
Carl Jung
Paracelsus
The Doctrine of Signatures had several key champions. One of the first, Paracelsus, born Phillipus Auroleus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, lived from 1493-1541. A Swiss occultist, healer, alchemist, astrologist, writer, philosopher, physician, and a father of modern chemistry, Paracelsus laid the theoretical groundwork for what would later be known as the Doctrine of Signatures. He ascribed to the idea that ‘similar cured similar,’ and observed a pharmacological relationship between the human anatomy and the shape, color, and texture of various plant materials.
According to modern-day horticultural writer Deni Bown, black hellebore (Helleborus niger) was “an ingredient of Paracelsus’s Elixir of Life and remained popular in medicine until the 18th century.“ Black hellebore AKA Christmas rose blooms during the cold days of winter and as such may have been prescribed by Paracelsus as a general tonic to be utilized during the cold winter month
Unfortunately for Paracelsus, various factions within academia at the time tried to suppress many of his teachings and theories. So, although he first came up with the basic theories associated with the Doctrine of Signatures, it was actually Jacob Boehme who is credited with popularizing the theory.
“We men discover everything that lies hidden in the mountains by external signs and correspondences, and thus also do we find all the properties of herbs and everything that is in the stones.”
Paracelsus
Jacob Boehme
Boehme, who lived from 1575-1624, was a shoemaker in Germany. He had no formal medical or botanical training but came to an understanding of plants through a mystical vision. He said that God laid out a theory before him, which he wrote about in his book, Signatura Rerum, or ‘The Signature of All Things,” published in the seventeenth century. Boehme borrowed some of his material from the relatively obscure writings of Paracelsus, then expounded on them with insight from his vision.
Boehme believed that God provided visual aids for determining how best to utilize every plant, animal, rock, and other phenomenon that appeared in nature. Despite the original spiritual nature of the book, many throughout the medical community soon adapted and applied this publication to their daily work.
William Coles
William Coles (1626-1662) was also profoundly influenced by the earlier writings of Paracelsus. Coles described his version of the Doctrine of Signatures in his book The Art of Simpling, which he published in 1656. “Though sin and sathan have plunged mankinde into an ocean of infirmaties,” he wrote, “yet the mercy of God, which is over all His workes, maketh grasse to grow upon the mountaines, and herbes for the use of men, and hath not only stamped upon them a distinct forme, but also given them particular Signatures, whereby a man may read, even in legible characters, the use of them.”
Regarding the plant hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata), for instance, Coles wrote, “It is found by good experience, that if cloathes and spunges be wet in the said water and applyed to any place whereinto thrones, splinters etc. have entered and be there abiding, it will notably draw forth, so that the thorn gives a medicine for its own prickling.” With its specific examples, The Art of Simpling proved a very popular work in its day. A 629-page follow-up volume Coles published in 1657, entitled Adam in Eden, or Nature’s Paradise, added more herbal information, including the signatures of individual plants.
Even the famed English Renaissance botanist and apothecary Nicholas Culpeper drew upon some of the theories of the Doctrine of Signatures in his writings, such as Judgment of Diseases, and his classic work The English Physician, first published in 1651. Clearly, the theory influenced a generation of plant observers, scientists, and healers who shared the goal of gaining access to the secret gifts plants harbored for healing.
The Language of Plants
“The leaves, flowers and seeds stamped, and put into a glass with oile olive, and set in the hot sunne for certaine weeks together and then strained from those herbes, and the like quantity of new put in, and sunned in like manner, doth make an oile of the colour of blood, which is a most precious remedy for deep wounds.”
John Gerard, commenting on St. John’s Wort in The Herbal, 1633
Examples of herbs whose purported benefits, AKA the language of plants, reflected the theory of ‘like cures like’ is fascinating – even for the modern herb user who may now know the plant for strikingly different indications. More interesting still: A few plants have had their Doctrine of Signatures indications proven by recent scientific research.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
The blood-red color of this plant’s rhizomes made it the herb of choice to use for all blood disorders. In the modern-day, it has been found that excessive use of this herb depresses the central nervous system which can eventually lead to death.
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
AKA fever wort or sweating plant. This herb was used to treat break-bone fever. Break bone fever, also known as dengue fever, was a type of flu that caused severe body aches and pains. The stems of this plant appear to be growing directly through the leaves of the plant which could be indicative that the plant could be used to help set bones.
However, it was the aches and pains of the body associated with severe fevers that were helped by the use of this plant. Boneset was never actually used to set bones. Modern-day herbalists prescribe caution when utilizing this plant as an overdose may cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly liver disease.
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)
AKA clear-eyes, verbena sage, or wild sage. The seeds, when soaked in water, produce a mucilaginous coating. This plant was used for treating all diseases of the eye. The seeds of this plant were used to clear one’s eyesight. The seeds were used to make a mucilaginous gel that helped clear obstructions from the eyes.
Today the essential oil is used to help improve eyesight and protect against age-related loss of vision. Soak a cloth in warm water with a few drops of clary sage oil added to it. Wring out the excess liquid then place the cloth over your eyes for up to ten minutes to provide relief to tired and strained eyes.
Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
Because the flowers resemble a diseased and bloodshot eye, this plant was thought to be cable of alleviating all problems of the eye. Although this herb is occasionally used today excess use can cause mental confusion, along with a variety of eye problems such as itching, swelling, and redness.
Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides)
AKA scorpion grass, the buds of this flower developed in a spiral pattern thought to look similar to a scorpion’s tail. This plant was believed to be a remedy for serpent bites.
Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale)
The stoney seeds were thought to be capable of dissolving gravel, that is kidney and bladder stones. This herb can be used as a tonic to clear toxins from the body and may help treat hepatitis and other liver ailments.
Heart’s Ease (Viola tricolor)
The upper portion of the flowers was thought to resemble the upper lobes of the heart, making it the go-to herb for all problems related to the heart. Alternative names for this plant include Johnny Jump Up, Jack Jump Up and Kiss Me, Heart’s Delight, and Love-in-Idleness. Heartsease was once prescribed for use as a general heart tonic and to help ease the emotional pain of a broken heart.
Liverwort (Hepatica nobilis)
The leaves vaguely resemble the shape and color of the liver thus this plant was utilized to treat liver ailments. Although it is not often prescribed in the modern-day, liverwort is occasionally used as a general liver and digestive tonic.
Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis)
The spots on the leaves of this plant resembled diseased lung tissue thus indicating that this herb could be used to help cure lung ailments. An infusion of lungwort is often prescribed by modern herbal practitioners to help in cases of bronchitis and asthma.
Maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris)
The Latin name for this plant, Capillus veneris, means Venus’s hair which may have accounted for this plant being thought capable of promoting healthy hair growth. Various concoctions containing maidenhair fern are available to use today. This herb can help treat bald spots that are caused by ringworm.
Pilewort (Ranunculus ficaria)
The tubers of this plant were thought to resemble a bad case of the piles. Pilewort, also known as figwort, are still used today as one of the ingredients in a lotion, which can help shrink painful hemorrhoids.
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Common names for this plant included Carpenter’s herb and hook heal. The flower corolla was shaped like a hook so according to the doctrine, self-heal was used to treat and heal wounds resulting from sharp-edged tools. Modern herbalists use an external infusion of the herb to help stop bleeding and reduce the swelling from bug bites.
Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria)
Snakeroot has many long, slender roots giving rise to the common name snakeroot. The plant was once used to cure snake bites and the bites of mad dogs. This plant was found to be poisonous, causing injury of the nervous system, and even death in higher doses.
Toothwort (formerly Dentaria laciniata, now Cardamine concatenata)
This plant has ivory-colored rhizomes, covered with many small knows, which resembles a jaw filled with teeth. The plant was used to treat toothache and other dental problems.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
According to Nicholas Culpeper, the yellow color of this spice indicated the following uses “…opens obstructions, is profitable against the yellow jaundice, and cold distemper of the liver and spleen…” This is one of the few herbs mentioned in this blog that lives up to its uses as outlined in the doctrine of signatures. Turmeric rhizomes can be used internally for jaundice and liver disease and are reputed to lower cholesterol levels.
Viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare)
William Coles thought the small seeds or nutlets of this plant looked like a viper’s head and the speckled stem looked like snakeskin. Viper’s bugloss was used to treat snakebites and scorpion stings.
Walnuts (Juglans regia)
The convoluted surface of walnuts was thought to resemble the brain thus walnuts could be used for all ailments associated with the head and brain. Modern herbalists use all parts of the walnut for a variety of medicinal purposes. An infusion of the leaves can be used for constipation, coughs, and urinary stones while the oil from the nuts can be used for dry skin conditions, eczema, and hair loss.
Willow (Salix species)
Herbalists of the past observed that the willow tree grew in damp and moist environments. Thus, according to the Doctrine of Signatures, willow bark was recommended for anyone suffering from rheumatic complaints, which were often aggravated by damp conditions. Later in the timeline of history, the inner bark of the willow tree was found to contain salicylic acid. Salicylic acid was first synthesized in 1838 as the basis of our modern-day aspirin tablets.
In Conclusion
The Doctrine of Signatures laid the groundwork for the use of many other herbs, making it a true sourcebook of its day. Thanks to visionaries such as Jacob Boehme and William Coles, the teachings that began with Paracelsus were not lost to future generations.
Even as late as the 19th-century country doctors were still prescribing to the tenants of the Doctrine of Signatures. Dr. O. Phelps Brown in his book The Complete Herbalist, self-published in 1868, makes the following remark: “From long experience and observation, I have found that any plant bearing any resemblance to any portion of the human frame, is specific for the diseases of the member or organ to which it resembles.”
Modern-day Doctrine of Signatures proponents still exist, although they may not assign a specific name to their methods. Traditional Chinese Medicine classified herbs by the correlation of human organs to particular plant features. For example, Chinese herbalists use a variety of phallic-shaped herbs, such as rhinoceros horn or deer antlers, to cure impotence and enhance male virility.
Herbal Medicine Disclaimer
This blog is meant for entertainment purposes only. Many of the herbs with reputed therapeutic value as promoted along with the doctrine of signatures have not been proven to have many medicinal benefits by modern-day herbal practitioners. And many of the herbs mentioned can actually be harmful to one’s health.
Doctrine of Signatures Resources
The Doctrine of Signatures is a quaint look into the healing beliefs of our ancestors. The following sources were consulted for research purposes.
- Boehme, Jacob. The Signature of All Things. Reissued by Kessinger Publishing Co., 1997.
- Bown, Deni. The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses. London and New York: DK Publishing, 2001.
- Clarkson, Rosetta E. Green Enchantment; The Magic Spell of Gardens. New York, NY: The Macmillan Company, 1940.
- Coles, William. The Art of Simpling. Reissued by Kessinger Publishing Co., 2004.
- Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper’s Complete Herbal and English Physician Enlarged. London: Richard Evans, 1814.
- Kowalchik, Claire and William Hylton (editors). Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1987.
- Smythe, Lynn. “The Doctrine of Signatures.” The Herb Quarterly, Winter 2004, pages 36-39.
- Webster, Helen Noyes. Herbs; How to Know Them and How to Use Them. MA: Hale, Cushman and Flint, 1939.
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