History and Use:

White Oak is a shrubby tree of the beech family that produce acorns.  It can be found all over the Americas, Europe, Asia, as well as Africa.  The acorns are commonly eaten as a food by many indigenous people where oak trees naturally grow.  The acorns can be roasted, cooked, and grounded into powder as a morning beverage (coffee substitute).

The white oak bark is used by herbalists to treat a variety of diseases such as menstrual problems, varicose veins, sore throat, fevers, and sinus congestion.  It has been traditionally used by many herbalists during "small-pox" epidemics as a preventative.  The bark is boiled and the body bathed with the liquid.  This is an important herb to add to one's diet during the threat of a small-pox attack.

Because of its high nutritional content, acorn porridge is effective in treating wasting diseases including TB.  It is also a useful food for AIDS patients.  The acorns should be shelled, leached in cool running water and then cooked to a porridge consistency.

White oak bark may be useful for dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea, and as an ointment for hemorrhoids, but not yet as popular for its medicinal properties.

Traditional formula:

Simmer one ounce of oak bark in one quart of water down to one pint.  Dosage is one wineglassful three times a day.  This decoction can be used internally or externally.