Saffron is a colorful and very tasty gourmet spice, a mainstay of many mediterranean diets. The name saffron comes from the Arabic za'faran (yellow) - a sacred color in many traditions. Saffron is a unique, versatile spice, traditionally used with stews, fish, seafood, sweets and pastries. It is also a very strong spice, a little going a long way. Saffron is an ancient favorite in Central Asian and Northern Indian rice, meat and dessert dishes. Safrron mixes well with cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, star anis, peppermint, nutmeg or mace. Water-soluble Saffron is often soaked overnight in water or milk before being added to the recipe. Grieve's classic 'A Modern Herbal': 'Carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue. Used as a diaphoretic for children and for chronic haemorrhage of the uterus in adults.' 'Preparations: Powdered Saffron: Tincture, B.P., 5 to 15 drops.' King's 1898 Dispensatory: 'Emmenagogue and diaphoretic. It has been reputed of benefit in amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, chlorosis, hysteria, and in suppression of the lochial discharge. It arrests chronic discharges of blood from the uterus. In menorrhagia, with dark clotted losses, give 6 drops of specific crocus, or a teaspoonful of the infusion several times a day.' 'Saffron is not the important drug it was at one time. Like many of the old remedial agents, it is being supplanted by others that serve better the purpose. As a diaphoretic, it is used in febrile and exanthematous diseases, especially of children. In the latter it assists in producing the eruption, and is valuable in cases of retrocession of the same. Many consider this valuable agent as inert.' 'Dose of the powder, from 12 to 40 grains; of the tincture or syrup, from 1 to 2 fluid drachms; of the infusion (saffron, j; hot water, Oj.), from 1 to 3 fluid ounces. Saffron is recommended for coloring tinctures, etc., but it is too costly an article for this purpose.' American Materia Medica, 1919 (Ellingwood): 'Saffron tea was long in good repute among the grandmothers of our older men as an essential remedy to start new-born babes in normal health channels. It was thought necessary to encourage the action of the liver and to cleanse the intestinal canal and stomach. It was positively indicated, if the skin was yellow and infantile colic.' 'It has mild diaphoretic, stimulant, antispasmodic and tonic properties. It may be given in the early stages of fevers, and especially in eruptive fevers, in full doses if there is a retrocession of the eruption.' 'It checks mild cases of irregular uterine hemorrhage, menorrhagia or metrorrhagia, and encourages the lochial discharge when suppressed after confinement.'