ABSTRACT
Eve's herbs worked better than physicians were long willing to admit, better than anything science had to offer for thousands of years'. 'Readers unconvinced by Riddle's original arguments will find little to change their minds here. One key weakness in particular becomes more rather than less apparent as the story progresses. Riddle never clearly demonstrates the validity of his suggestion that the historical medical literature on which he focuses can serve as a bridge between the findings of modern science and the everyday practices of the past. The story of Griffith's mixture is especially intriguing because of different views as to whether the key active ingredient was an iron salt or myrrh-an issue relevant to whether the mixture could be classed as an emmenagogue with potential abortifacient activity. At the time, the role of myrrh in Griffith's mixture was being indirectly challenged by Blaud's pills.
