Important: Safety Warning
This page describes preparations historically taken to end pregnancy or "bring on the menses." These substances do not work as claimed and are seriously toxic; their use has caused poisoning and death.
In addition, this page prescribes plants as medicine according to pre-modern medical theory. Several of the plants named are toxic, correct identification is difficult, and the doses given have no scientific basis. Do not ingest or apply any preparation described here.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Pennypacker
SAMUEL WHIT- AKER. Born 1843 at Phoenixville, Pa. died Sept. 2, 1916. After graduating at Gettysburg University in 1863 he took up the practice of law, becoming in 1889 judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia. From 1896-1902 he was president-judge of the same court.
In 1903 he was elected governor of Pennsylvania. Governor Pennypacker was later a member of important railroad and historical commissions of the State, and for many years was president of the Pennsylvania Historical Society.
PENNYROYAL (Mentha pulegium), a species of mint, a native of Europe and western Asia, abundant in England and in some parts of Ireland, not found wild in Scotland, though sometimes grown there in gardens for its reputed medicinal qualities. It enjoys a high popular reputation as an emmenagogue, but no dependence may be placed in its efficacy. The name pennyroyal is given in North America to a small plant, hedeoma pulegioides, allied to the mints, and having, like them, a pleasant aromatic smell and a warm pungent taste. It is much in use in domestic medicine, in perspiration and as an emmenagogue.