Labeling and Records
Part of Herbal Medicine
Tracking herbal preparations, dosing information, and patient outcomes to build community medical knowledge.
Why This Matters
Memory is not a reliable medical record. Within months, you will forget which jar contains which herb, when it was harvested, how strong the preparation is, and what dose worked for which patient. Without records, the knowledge dies with the person who held it — or worse, the same mistakes repeat without anyone realizing it.
In a world rebuilding medical capability from scratch, written records are how institutional knowledge accumulates. A community that tracks which treatments worked, which failed, what doses caused side effects, and which plants grew best in the local environment is building something more valuable than any individual herbalist’s memory: a living medical reference tailored to local conditions.
Good labeling and record-keeping also prevents accidents. An unlabeled jar of brown powder containing dried root could be valerian (a sedative) or aconite (potentially lethal). Proper labeling prevents exactly this kind of catastrophic error.
Labeling Medicines
Minimum Label Content
Every container of herbal medicine must have, at minimum:
- Plant name — Common name plus botanical species (e.g., “Yarrow — Achillea millefolium”)
- Plant part — Leaf, root, flower, seed, bark
- Preparation type — Dried, tincture, infused oil, salve, powder
- Preparation date — Month and year
- Menstruum (if tincture) — What solvent was used (e.g., “70% alcohol, grain spirit”)
- Dose — Standard adult dose and frequency
- Indications — What it is used for (brief: “fever, wounds, diarrhea”)
- Contraindications — If applicable (“avoid in pregnancy”, “not for infants”)
- Harvest location — Wild or cultivated; if wild, general area
Label Materials
In conditions without printed labels:
Paper and waterproof ink: Protect with a thin coat of melted beeswax or pine resin. Attach with beeswax adhesive or tie with string.
Birch bark: Strips of birch bark inscribed with a sharp point or charcoal last for years in dry conditions.
Clay tablets: Small flattened clay discs inscribed before drying. Fired in a kiln, they last indefinitely. Attach to jars with wire or cord.
Carved wooden tags: Hardwood tags with engraved text, attached to jars or bundles. The inscription survives even if the surface gets wet.
Prioritize durability for long-stored items. A tincture stored for 5 years needs a label that lasts 5 years.
The Preparation Record Book
Maintain a dedicated notebook or ledger for herbal preparation records. Every batch prepared gets an entry.
Preparation Entry Format
Date: [date]
Herb: [name, species]
Part used: [leaf/root/flower/etc.]
Source: [garden, wild - location]
Harvest date: [if different from preparation date]
Amount harvested: [weight or volume]
Preparation method: [tea, tincture, salve, etc.]
Recipe/ratios: [specific amounts]
Menstruum: [if applicable - type and ratio]
Maceration time: [if applicable]
Yield: [how much prepared]
Storage: [container type, location]
Notes: [observations about plant quality, unusual characteristics]
Batch Numbering
Assign each preparation a unique batch number. Reference this number on the container label and in treatment records. When a treatment works (or fails), you can trace it back to the exact batch and preparation conditions.
Example numbering: YAR-2026-03 (Yarrow, year 2026, batch 3)
The Treatment Record
When herbal medicine is given to a patient, record it.
Minimum Treatment Entry
Date: [date]
Patient: [name or identifier]
Age/weight: [for dose calculation records]
Condition treated: [symptoms, severity]
Herb given: [name, batch number]
Dose given: [amount, frequency]
Duration of treatment: [how many days]
Response: [improvement, no change, worsening]
Side effects: [any adverse reactions]
Notes: [anything unusual]
Why Patient Records Matter
Over time, treatment records reveal patterns: which herbs work best for which conditions in your population; optimal doses for your region’s plant potency; which individuals have sensitivities to specific herbs. This is how traditional medicine systems accumulated their knowledge — through generations of recorded observation.
A community that maintains 10 years of treatment records can train new practitioners far more effectively than one that relies on memory and oral tradition alone.
The Botanical Reference Register
A separate record for knowledge about plants found in your area:
Plant name: [common + botanical]
Location found: [specific habitat description]
Identifying features: [key recognition features]
Season of availability: [when to find/harvest]
Part used: [what part is medicinal]
Medicinal uses: [confirmed uses for your region]
Preparation notes: [what works best]
Cautions: [known risks, look-alikes]
First recorded: [when you first found this plant]
Last checked: [when you last visited the site]
This becomes your community’s local herbalism reference — more valuable than a generic herb book because it reflects actual local plants and actual local conditions.
Organizing the Records System
Physical Organization
For a small operation (1-2 practitioners):
- One preparation ledger (chronological entries)
- One treatment log (chronological entries)
- One plant register (alphabetical by common name)
- Container labels tied directly to preparation ledger entries
For a community pharmacy serving many people:
- Preparation records by herb (one section per species)
- Patient files (one per patient, all treatment records together)
- Plant register (reference only)
- Inventory log (updated monthly — what is in stock, how much, expiry)
Protecting the Records
Records represent irreplaceable knowledge. Protect them:
- Keep the primary records in a dry, protected location
- Make a copy of the most critical reference information (plant identification, doses, emergency treatments)
- Store the copy in a separate location
- Review and update records regularly — knowledge that is not used atrophies
Succession Planning
Records are only useful if someone can read and interpret them. Train at least two people in record-keeping and one in reading historical records. When practitioners age or die, their knowledge lives in the records — but only if someone can retrieve it.
Periodic Review
Schedule quarterly reviews of your records:
- Inventory check: What medicines are running low? What needs to be replenished?
- Expiry review: Remove and replace any preparations past their shelf life.
- Efficacy review: Look at recent treatment records. Which herbs performed well? Which need replacement or supplementation?
- Knowledge gaps: What conditions have come up that your current medicine supply could not address? Plan to fill those gaps before they recur as emergencies.