Product Quality or Purity

[Edward E. WaldenStudent]

Let’s start with olive oil (not Popeye’s girlfriend).

There is virgin, extra virgin, cheap, expensive, glass bottle, plastic bottle….

Does the quality matter?

Are the “Franken Oil” mixtures where the label reads “…A blend of oils from Italy, France, USA, Communist China, Mexico, Cuba and Africa…” OK?

Does it matter what the bottles are made of?

Vodka

Same question. Premium brands from Russia vs. rotgut? Glass vs. Plastic?

What do I say when the Bishop sees Terri walking out of the liquor store? I would go myself, but I have an image to maintain. 😀

Ed

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

Since oil preparations are used topically and have a fairly short shelf life anyway, I don’t worry too much about the quality of the oil. I do make sure it’s only oil (no additives etc…).

On the other hand, Since tinctures have very long shelf lives, I don’t worry about the quality of the hooch (I’m nothing if not consistent). 😀

From a chemical standpoint, alcohol is alcohol. Higher price equates to flavor, smoothness, brand notoriety and a number of other things that make no difference whatsoever for tincturing. I use cheap booze in plastic bottles. My tinctures seem to work fine.

As to the bishop question, when I was branch president I used to go to the grocery store early in the morning and called ahead so they would have my eight or ten cases of hooch all ready to go.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[IdahoHerbalist]

Doc Jones wrote: From a chemical standpoint, alcohol is alcohol.

as long as you are not talking about denatured alcohol. That can ONLY be used for external purposes. I am still not clear on this since the alcohol still absorbs into the body, but there is something different.

[Edward E. WaldenStudentTopic Author]

IdahoHerbalist wrote:

From a chemical standpoint, alcohol is alcohol.

as long as you are not talking about denatured alcohol. That can ONLY be used for external purposes.

I don’t think denatured alcohol is even good for topical applications. They can put some really nasty stuff in it. Their goal is to poison it so that it can’t be used for anything other than cleaning, degreasing or burning in an alcohol stove. I would stick to ethyl alcohol (grain alcohol) for anything used for a treatment.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

I should have said booze is booze.

It has to be alcohol for drinking (vodka, ever clear, whiskey etc…) it doesn’t matter what kind if it’s the proof you’re looking for. People use vodka mostly because it’s cheap and a useful proof.

Rubbing alcohol, isopropyl, wood alcohol (methanol) etc…will all kill you.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

[IdahoHerbalist]

Please address why some of the alcohols that will kill you if taken internally will NOT kill you when used externally. Please also address which should NOT even be used externally.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

IdahoHerbalist wrote: Please address why some of the alcohols that will kill you if taken internally will NOT kill you when used externally. Please also address which should NOT even be used externally.

The liver is better equipped to process some poisons than others.

Booze and isopropyl alcohol are the only ones I’d use externally. Methanol (aka wood alcohol) is usually found in industrial processes or Sterno fuel. The hobos in the depression used to squeeze Sterno fuel and get the alcohol out but it would do terrifically bad things to their brains and livers.

Doc

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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