History of German Chamomile

German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is marketed in Europe to treat several ailments. It has been used for centuries to settle an upset stomach, to soothe aches and pains, and to heal bruises.

Its name originated form the Greek ‘chamos’ (ground) and ‘melos’ (apple), alluding to its growing low on the ground and to the applelike scent of the fresh flowers.

The therapeutic uses of chamomile blossoms are recorded in the works of physicians such as Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Galen and Asclepius.

Chamomile was recommended by Dioscorides as a cure for fevers as early as 900 BC and was known to the ancient Egyptians who praised it for its ability to cure “ague”.

Wise men of Egypt consecrated chamomile as a sacred herb of the sun and considered it the only remedy for intermittent fevers.

It was one of the nine sacred herbs of Anglo-Saxons who used it as a calming remedy and to treat stomach problems. Chamomile has been used effectively both internally and externally for its anti-inflammatory, anti spasmodic, and antibacterial properties.

It has been so long in domestic use as to have made familiar to all German housewife,, and considerable demand has been created for it in sections of American where Germans have settled.
History of German Chamomile