Sores, wounds, tumours, erysipelas and other inflammations

Plantain, herva de Santa Maria, amor de burro and erva gigante are applied boiled or crushed to external inflammations, and henbane (meimendro), generally known as meiomento (popular name for henbane), is used in the same way. The blood drawn from a freshly cut cockscomb is said to be useful in treating erysipelas, and it is also said that ground lupin seeds applied to the inflamed part of the body give good results.

The juice of balsamo de canudo, of inhame de lagartixa and of formigueira is used to heal wounds, and rubbing with the crushed leaves of dwarf elder (engos) is recommended for injuries caused by wounds or blows. The ointment known as the unguento das Aires, useful in many inflammations, is made with olive oil and the crushed leaves of erva de Santa Maria and plantain.

Decoctions of mallow, chá bravo, amoricos or agrimony, elder (the flowers), diabelha and other plants are widely used for washes, baths, gargles, eyewashes, etc. The infusion of chamomile (macela), besides being very useful for stomach upsets, is an effective remedy for inflammations of the eyes. Styes are treated by applying the soft inside of a loaf of bread to the inflamed part.

To treat whitlows, Madeirans use crushed oak shoots; and to help bring phlegmons to suppuration, they use poultices of linseed, potato (Madeiran semilha), banana and carrot.