Northeast Methodist Hospital in Live Oak, Texas is providing ways to create smiles from beyond the kitchen doors. Utilizing other means of effective non-verbal communication, while providing warm and humble bedside manners making sure Texas hospitality never loses it’s value. So how is it that a hospital is creating smiles from beyond the kitchen? A simple approach really, one that often goes unnoticed, and sits with a meal tray, consisting of soil, water, sunlight, and nutrients. Its an orchid, a beautifully colored yet small flower with more to offer than what it seems. As curiosity struck, we began to look into this just a little more by briefly conversing with local staff. While some stated they really didn’t pay any attention to it, others had their own ideas.
A dietary worker was able to shed some light into this mystery stating that “the flower is used as a garnishment, but more importantly, it’s to help the patient feel better by making them smile when they see it.” Despite not having any further information we were able to do a little more research and what we discovered, was astonishing, it’s also edible.
It’s a flower called the Dendrobium Bigibbum, Cooketown Orchid which has many uses, aside from creating lasting smiles, it also includes medicinal purposes such as, anticancer properties, anti-inflammatory and much more. An article posted by the MJA (Medicine Journal of Australia), states that Orchid extracts such as vanilla (from Vanilla planifolia) and salep (from Orchis mascula and Orchis militaria) are used commercially in ice-cream, confectionery and medicinal flavouring agents.
Crawley root preparations (from Corallorhiza odontorhiza) are used in folk medicine for their diaphoretic and antipyretic properties. In Australia, orchid preparations have been and continue to be used by Indigenous healers to treat diarrhea and skin infections. Lieutenant (not yet Captain) James Cook used powdered orchid root as part of his method for preserving the health of his crew (Pearn, 2013). Another great mystery solved, leaving Methodist Hospital in Live Oak, Texas to continue exceptional care and smiles from beyond the kitchen doors.
Reference
Pearn, J. 2013. Australian orchids and the doctors they commemorate. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/198/1/australian-orchids-and-doctors-they-commemorate
