110 MARSH-MALLOW. 



Mallow, but it is generically distinct by its three-leaved exte- 

 rior calyx. It grows abundantly by every road-side, and its 

 large purple flowers appear in profusion from May to Septem- 

 ber, and are followed by its curious fruit, called by children 

 cheeses. It has similar though somewhat inferior properties to 

 the Marsh-Mallow ; being a much more common plant, how- 

 ever, and more easily procured, it affords a convenient substitute. 



Qualities — The root of Marsh. Mallow is about the thickness of thefin- 

 ger, covered with a greyish epidermis, white internally : inodorous, sweetish 

 and very mucilaginous when masticated. It contains more than half its 

 weight of sweet and viscous mucilage, which is also found in the other parts 

 of the plant, but in much less quantity. This mucilage is easily obtained 

 by decoction in water, and it precipitates on cooling into a semi-transparent 

 trembling yellowish jelly. Leo Meyer found in the dried root, mucilage 

 with malic acid and several salts, sweet extractive matter, starch, inulin, 

 and woody fibre. The supposed principle named Althein proves to be 

 Asparagin, which exists in the root in small quantity. 



Medicinal Properties and Uses. — The earliest medical au- 

 thorities highly extol the virtues of this plant. Dioscorides * re- 

 commends it in many of the diseases against which it is employed 

 in the present day. Pliny f states, that Hippocrates adminis- 

 tered the decoction of the root to those labouring under loss 

 of blood, asthma, or dysentery, and that he also applied it to 

 contusions and lacerations of the muscles, nerves, &c. It has 

 been considered emollient, demulcent, lubricating, and anodyne, 

 and has consequently been employed for allaying heat and 

 irritation, and to diminish the pain of inflamed parts. The in- 

 fusion or decoction has been specially recommended in the first 

 stage of acute phlegmasia, in active hemorrhages, pulmonary 

 catarrhs, hoarseness, pleurisy, diarrhoea, dysentery, nephritis, 

 blenorrhagia, &c. ; also, for relieving the strangury occasioned 

 by cantharides or calculi, and in cases of poisoning by acrid or 

 corrosive substances. Externally it is employed in numerous 

 affections; in decoction as a fomentation for the eyes in acute 

 ophthalmia, in external abrasions and in cutaneous eruptions 

 accompanied with a sharp ichorous discharge ; as a gargle in 

 affections of the gums, aphthae, and sore throat. In the form 

 of lavement it is very useful in dysentery, diarrhoea, peritonitis, 



* Mat. Med. lib. iii. c. 163. 

 f Hist. lib. 20. c. 21. 



