The Cabbage Controversy.

[bunnyjadwiga]

Parkinson, in the 1629 Paradisi in Sole, weighs in on the question of whether cabbage increases or decreases lactation:

It is thought, that the use of [Cabbages and Coleworts] doth hinder the milke in Nurses breasts, causing it to dry up quickly: but many women that have given sucke to my knowledge have denyed that assertion, affirming that they ahve often eaten them, and found no such effect. How it might prove in more delicate bodies than theirs that thus said, I cannot tell: but Matthiolus auetreth to increase milke in Nurses breastes; so differing are the opinions of many.

-- p. 504

I didn't see anything in Parkinson about the claim that cabbage leaves make a good poultice for breast engorgement, though the web gives the following citations:

Nikodem, V.C., Danziger, D., Gebka, N., Gulmezoglu, A.M., and Hofmeyr, G.J. (1993). Do cabbage leaves prevent breast engorgement? A randomized, controlled study. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care and Education 20(2), pp. 61-64.

Roberts, K.L. (1995). A comparison of chilled cabbage leaves and chilled gelpaks in reducing breast engorgement. Journal of Human Lactation 11(1), pp. 17-20.

Roberts, K.L., Reiter, M., and Schuster, D. (1995). A comparison of chilled and room temperature cabbage leaves in treating breast engorgement. Journal of Human Lactation 11(3), pp. 191-194.

What do you think, should I ILL these articles?

Comments

[anastasiav.livejournal.com]

I didn't see anything in Parkinson about the claim that cabbage leaves make a good poultice for breast engorgement, though the web gives the following citations:

Interesting. I have much anecdotal evidence that cold cabbage leaves stuffed into the bra will relieve brest engorgement within hours -- many, many, many friends who have used this with success.

I had no idea there were actual studies on it. I'd be interested to know what they found.

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

La Leche suggests it. I'd be interested in seeing if this is based on actual evidence, or on anecdotal "evidence".

[iasmin.livejournal.com]

Consider as well that ancient cabbage is not the same as modern cabbage. Several studies of the etymology of words (cf. John M. Riddle's work on Dioscorides) suggest that the plants have evolved from something slightly toxic to something not nearly as much, or that humans have evolved enough to cope with the toxin.