Nasturtium
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
This 1930s encyclopedia article describes Nasturtium officinale (watercress) and Nasturtium amphibium (great yellow cress), members of the Cruciferae family. It details their occurrence in damp places across Europe and the USSR, chemical constituents such as the glucoside gluconasturtiin and iodine, and traditional uses as a salad green, spice, and antiscorbutic remedy.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
NASTURTIUM, Nasturtium officinale, watercress, and N. amphibium, great yellow cress, family Cruciferae, is a herbaceous plant distributed in Europe and almost throughout the USSR in damp places and near water. According to Gadamer, it contains the glucoside gluconasturtiin. Iodine is found in the plant's ash. The leaves are used as a salad, and the seeds as a spice. In folk medicine, it is used for scurvy.
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Cite this page
“Nasturtium.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/nasturtium/