"Picking from Mallows, sport to please,
The crumpled seed we called a cheese."
Both this plant and its twin sister, the Marsh Mallow (_Althoea
hibiscus_, from _altho_, to cure), possess medicinal virtues, which
entitle them to take rank as curative Herbal Simples. The Sussex
peasant knows the Common Mallow as "Maller," so that "aller and
maller" means with him Alehoof (Ground Ivy) and Mallow. Pliny
said: "Whosoever shall take a spoonful of the [323] Mallows shall
that day be free from all diseases that may come to him."
This plant is often named "Round Dock," and was formerly called
"Hock Herb": our Hollyhock being of the Mallow tribe, and first
brought to us from China. Pythagoras held _Malvoe folium
sanctissimum_; and we read of Epimenides in _Plato_, "at his
Mallows and Asphodels." The Romans esteemed the plant _in deliciis_
among their dainties, and placed it of old as the first dish at
their tables. The laxative properties of the Mallow, both as regards
its emollient leaves, and its _radix altheoe efficacior_, were told of
by Cicero and Horace.
The _Marsh Mallow_ grows wild abundantly in many parts of England,
especially in marshes near the sea coast. It gets its generic
name _althoea_, from the Greek _althos_, "a remedy," because
exercising so many curative virtues. Its old appellations were
_Vismalva_, _Bismalva_, _Malvaviscus_, being twice as medicinally
efficacious as the ordinary Mallow (_Sylvestris_).
Virgil in one of his eclogues teaches how to coax goats with the
Marsh Mallow:--
"Haedorumque gregem viridi compellere hibisco."
The root is sweet and very mucilaginous when chewed, containing
more than half its weight of saccharine viscous mucilage. It is,
therefore, emollient, demulcent, pain-soothing, and lubricating;
serving to subdue heat and irritation, whilst, if applied externally,
diminishing the painful soreness of inflamed parts. It is, for these
reasons, much employed in domestic poultices, and in decoction as
a medicine for pulmonary catarrhs, hoarseness, and irritative
diarrhoea or dysentery. Also the decoction acts well as a bland
soothing collyrium for [324] bathing inflamed eyes. Gerard says:
"The leaves be with good effect mixed with fomentations and
poultices against pains of the sides, of the stone, and of the bladder;
also in a bath they serve to take away any manner of pain."
The mucilaginous matter with which the Marsh Mallow abounds is
the medicinal part of the plant; the roots of the Common Mallow
being useless to yield it for such purposes, whilst those of the Marsh
Mallow are of singular efficacy. A decoction of Marsh Mallow is
made by adding five pints of water to a quarter-of-a-pound of the
dried root, then boiling down to three pints, and straining through
calico. Also Marsh Mallow ointment is a popular remedy, especially
for mollifying heat, and hence it was thought invaluable by those
who had to undergo the ordeal of holding red hot iron in their hands,
to rapidly test their moral integrity. The sap of the Marsh Mallow
was combined together with seeds of Fleabane, and the white of an
hen's egg, to make a paste which was so adhesive that the hands
when coated with it were safe from harm through holding for a few
moments the glowing iron.
French druggists prepare a famous medicinal sweet-meat, known as
_Pate de gimauve_ from the root of the Marsh Mallow. In Palestine,
the plant is employed by the poor to eke out their food; thus we read
in the book of Job (chap. xxx. ver. 4), "Who cut up Mallows by the
bushes, and juniper roots for their meat."
In France, the young tops and tender leaves of the Marsh Mallow
are added to spring salads, as stimulating the kidneys healthily, for
which purpose is likewise prepared a syrup of Marsh Mallows
(_Syrupus Althoeus_) from the roots with cold water, to which the
[325] sugar is afterwards added. The leaves, flowers, and roots, are
employed for making ptisans. In Devonshire, this plant is termed by
the farmers, "Meshmellish," also "Drunkards," because growing
close by the water; and in the West of England, "Bulls-eyes"; whilst
being known in Somerset as "Bull Flowers" (pool flowers). The root
of the Marsh Mallow contains starch, mucilage, pectin, oil, sugar,
asparagin, phosphate of lime, glutinous matter and cellulose. An
infusion made with cold water takes up the mucilage, sugar, and
asparagin, then the hot water dissolves the starch.
The flowers were used formerly on May-day by country people for
strewing before their doors, and weaving into garlands.
The Geranium is said to have been originally a Mallow. Mahomet
having washed his shirt while on a journey, hung it on a Mallow to
dry, and the plant became therefore promoted to be a Geranium.
Most probably, the modern French _Pate de gimauve_ contains
actually nothing of the plant or its constituents; but the root is
given in France to infants, on which they may try their teeth
during dentition, much as Orris root is used elsewhere.
The laxative quality of the common Mallow was mentioned by
Martial:--
"Exoneraturas ventrem mihi villica malvas
Attulit, et varias quas habet hortus opes."
The Musk Mallow (_Malva moschata_) is another common variety
of this plant, which emits from its leaves a faint musky odour,
especially in warm weather, or when they are drawn lightly through
the hand. Its virtues are similar in kind, but less powerful in
degree, to those of the Marsh Mallow.
[326] MARIGOLD.
In the _Grete Herball_ this plant was called Mary Gowles. Three
varieties of the Marigold exercise medicinal virtues which constitute
them Herbal Simples of a useful nature--the Corn Marigold
(_Chrysanthemum segetum_), found in our cornfields; the cultivated
garden Marigold (_Calendula officinalis_); and the Marsh
Marigold (_Caltha palustris_), growing in moist grass lands, and
popularly known as "Mareblobs."
The Corn Marigold, a Composite flower, called also Bigold, and the
Yellow Oxeye, grows freely, though locally, in English cornfields,
its brilliant yellow flowers contrasting handsomely with adjacent
Scarlet-hued Poppies and Bluebottles (_Centaurea cyanus_). It is
also named Buddle or Boodle, from _buidel_, a purse, because it
bears _gools_ or _goldins_, representing gold coins, in the form of
the flat, round, brightly yellow blossoms, which were formerly
known, too, as _Ruddes_ (red flowers). The botanical title of the
species, _Chrysanthemum segetum_, signifies "golden flower."
Hill named this Marigold, "the husbandman's dyall." In common
with the larger Oxeye Daisy (_Chrysanthemum leucanthemum_) it
has proved of late very successful in checking the night sweats of
pulmonary consumption. A tincture and an infusion of the herb have
been made; from five to ten drops of the former being given for a
dose, and from two to three tablespoonfuls of the latter.
The garden Marigold, often called African Marigold, came
originally from Southern France, and has been cultivated in England
since 1570. It is a Composite plant, and bears the name _Calendula_
from the Latin _calendoe_, the first days of each month, because it
flowers all the year round. Whittier styles it "the grateful and [327]
obsequious Marigold." The leaves are somewhat thick and sapid;
when chewed, they communicate straightway a viscid sweetness,
which is followed by a sharp, penetrating taste, very persistent in the
mouth, and not of the warm, aromatic kind, but of an acrid, saline
nature. This Marigold has always been grown, chiefly for its
flowers, which were esteemed of old as a cordial to cheer the spirits,
and when dried were put into broths as a condiment: Charles Lamb
(Elia) says, in his _Essay on Christ's Hospital_: "In lieu of our
half-pickled Sundays, or quite fresh boiled beef on Tuesdays (strong as
_caro equina_), with detestable Marigolds floating in the pail to
poison the broth." The strap-like florets of the rays are the parts of
the flowers used for such a purpose. They should be gathered on a
fine day when the blossoms are fully expanded, which having been
divested of their outer green leaves, should be next spread on a cloth
in an airy room to become dry. After having been turned frequently
for a few days, they may be put by in paper bags or in drawers.
Gerard says: "The yellow leaves of the flowers are dried and kept
throughout Dutch-land against winter, to put into broths and
physical potions, and for divers other purposes, in such quantity that
the stores of some grocers or spice-sellers contain barrels filled with
them, and to be retailed by the penny, more or less; insomuch, that
no broths are well made without dried Marigolds"; and, "The herb
drank after the coming forth from the bath of them that hath the
yellow jaundice doth in short time make them well coloured." (This
is probably conjectured on the doctrine of signatures.)
A decoction of the flowers is employed by country people as a
posset drink in measles and small-pox; and the expressed fresh juice
proves a useful remedy against [328] costiveness, as well as for
jaundice and suppression of the monthly flow--from one to two
tablespoonfuls being taken as a dose.
The plant has been considered also of service for scrofulous
children, when given to them as a salad. One of the flowers if
rubbed on any part recently stung by a bee or wasp, will quickly
relieve it.
Buttercups and Marigolds, when growing close to each other, are
called in Devonshire, "publicans and sinners." The active, bitter
principle of the Marigold is "callendulin," which is yellow and
tasteless, whilst swelling in water into a transparent jelly. Druggists
now make a medicinal tincture (H.) of the common Marigold, using
four ounces of the dried florets to a pint of proof spirit, the dose
being from half a teaspoonful to two teaspoonfuls in water, twice or
three times in the day. It is advised as a sudorific stimulant in low
fevers, and to relieve spasms. Also, the Marigold has been
employed both as a medicine and externally in treating cancer,
being thought to "dispose cancerous sores to heal." A saturated
tincture of the flowers when mixed with water, promotes the cure of
contusions, wounds, and simple sores or ulcers; also the extract will
allay chronic vomiting, if given in doses of two grains, several times
a day. One drop of the tincture with two grains of powdered borax
when sprayed into the ear, is very useful if a discharge has become
established therefrom.
The plant, especially its flowers, was used on a large scale by the
American surgeons, to treat wounds and injuries sustained during
the last civil war; and obtained their warmest commendation. It
quite prevented all exhausting suppurative discharges and drainings.
_Succus Calenduloe_ (the fresh juice) is the best form--say
American surgeons--in which the _Calendula_ [329] is obtainable
for ready practice. Just sufficient alcohol should be added to the
juice as will prevent fermentation. For these purposes as a
vulnerary, the _Calendula_ owes its introduction and first use
altogether to homoeopathic methods, as signally valuable for
healing wounds, ulcers, burns, and other breaches of the skin
surface. Dr. Hughes (Brighton) says: "The Marigold is a precious
vulnerary. You will find it invaluable in surgical practice."
On exposure to the sun the yellow colour of the garden Marigold
becomes bleached. Some writers spell the name "Marygold," as if it,
and its synonyms bore reference to the Virgin Mary; but this is a
mistake, though there is a fancied resemblance of the disc's florets
to rays of glory. It comes into blossom about March 25th (the
Annunciation of the Virgin Mary).
"What flower is this which bears the Virgin's name,
And richest metal joined with the same?"
In the chancel of Burynarbon Church, Devonshire, is an epitaph
containing a quaint allusion to this old idea respecting the
Marigold:--"To the pretious memory of Mary, ye dear, and only
daughter of George Westwood. January 31st, 1648."
"This Mary Gold, lo! here doth show
Mari's worth gold lies here below;
The Marigold in sunshine spread,
When cloudie closed doth bow the head."
Margaret of Orleans had for her device a Marigold turning towards
the sun, with the motto, "_je ne veux suivre que lui seul_."
Dairy women used to churn the petals of the Marigold with their
cream for giving to their butter a yellow colour.
The Marsh Marigold (_Caltha poetarum_) or the Marsh [330]
Horsegowl of old writers, grows commonly in our wet meadows,
and resembles a gigantic buttercup, being of the same order of
plants (_Ranunculaceoe_). The term, Marsh Marigold, is a
pleonasm for Marigold, which means of itself the Marsh Gowl or
Marsh Golden Flower, being an abbreviation of the old Saxon
_mear-gealla_. So that the term "Marsh" has become prefixed
unnecessarily. Presently, the name "Marigold," "Marsh Gowl," was
passed on to the _Calendula_ of the corn fields of Southern Europe,
and to the garden Marigold. Furthermore, the botanical title, Caltha,
of the Mare Blob, is got from _calathus_, a small round basket of
twigs or osiers made two thousand years and more ago, which the
concave golden bowl of the Marsh Marigold was thought to
resemble. Persephone was collecting wild flowers in a _Calathus_
when carried off by the admiring Pluto. The earliest use of the floral
name _Caltha_ occurs in Virgil's second Pastoral, "_Mollia luteola
pingit vaccinia Caltha_." The title Mare Blob comes from the
Anglo-Saxon, "_mere_" (a marsh), and "_bleb_" or "_blob_" (a
bladder). These flowers were the _flaventia lumina Calthoe_ of
Columella, described by Shakespeare in the _Winter's Tale_. They
are also known as "Bublicans," "Meadowbrights," "Crazies,"
"Christ's Eyes," "Bull's Eyes," "May Blobs," "Drunkards," "Water
Caltrops," and wild "Batchelor's Buttons." A tincture is made (H.)
from the whole plant when in flower, and may be given with
success for that form of bloodlessness with great impairment of the
whole health, known as pernicious anaemia. In toxic quantities the
marsh Marigold has produced in its provers, a pallid, yellow,
swollen state of the face, constant headache and giddiness, a
thickly-coated tongue, diarrhoea, a small rapid pulse sometimes
intermittent, heaviness of the limbs, and an [331] unhealthy,
eruptive state of the skin; so that the tincture of the plant in small,
well-diluted doses will slowly overcome this totality of symptoms,
and serve to establish a sound state of restored health. Five drops of
the tincture diluted to the third strength should be given three times
a day with water. Dr. Withering tells that on a large quantity of the
flowers being put in the bed-room of a girl subject to fits, the
attacks ceased; and an infusion of the flowers has been since given
with success for similar fits.
The Marsh Marigold has been called _Verrucaria_, because
efficacious in curing warts; also _Solsequia_, or _Solsequium_; and
Sponsa Solis, since the flower opens at the rising, and shuts at the
setting of the sun.