578  Mullein  Oil.  { 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Dec,  1891. 
in  the  percentage  of  extractive,  probably  arose  to  a  large  extent, 
from  the  fact  that  the  pharmacopceial  injunctions  to  use  spring 
collected  couch  grass  was  not  observed. 
MULLEIN  OIL. 
By  George  M.  Beringer. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  Nov.  17. 
The  object  of  the  present  note  is  to  call  attention  to  some  of  the 
products  in  the  market  under  this  name.  The  pharmacopoeias  and  dis- 
pensatories of  a  century  ago  nearly  all  contained  formulas  for  Oleum 
Verbasci,  the  formula  given  in  the  Universal  Pharmacopoeia  direct- 
ing to  digest,  at  a  gentle  heat,  mullein  flowers  one  part,  in  olive  oil 
two  parts,  until  extracted,  and  then  express. 
The  National  Dispensatory  (p.  1601)  evidently  refers  to  a 
similar  preparation,  stating  that  olive  oil  saturated  with  mullein 
flowers  during  prolonged  -exposure  to  the  sun  or  fire  for  several 
days  in  a  corked  bottle  is  a  popular  remedy  in  Germany  for  bruises 
and  is  used  for  bleeding  piles.  Its  use  has  recently  been  revived 
in  this  country.  The  best  results  are  obtained  from  fresh  flowers. 
In  the  absence  of  these,  a  good  preparation  can  be  obtained  by  using 
the  commercial  dried  mullein  flowers,  which  are  imported  from 
Germany,  by  the  following  process  : 
Take  of  dried  mullein  flowers  one  part;  alcohol  one  part ;  macer- 
ate for  a  few  hours  and  then  add  olive  oil  four  parts,  digest  on  a 
water  bath  for  several  hours  until  the  alcohol  is  entirely  evaporated 
and  the  extraction  is  completed,  then  express. 
A  prominent  homoeopathic  pharmacy  has  recently  advertised 
mullein  oil  as  a  remedy  for  earache,  deafness,  difficult  urination, 
enuresis,  coughs,  and  as  an  application  to  inflamed  surfaces,  ulcers, 
piles  and  sore  eyes.  Their  article  was  advertised  in  y2  oz.  bottles 
at  60  cents;  1  oz.,  $1.00.  A  sample  of  this  "  valuable  product,"  in 
original  vial,  was  procured  by  the  writer.  It  was  a  thin  liquid  of  a 
brown  color,  with  the  pleasant  odor  characteristic  of  the  dried  Ger- 
man flowers.  It  had  an  acid  reaction  to  test  paper  and  showed  a 
specific  gravity  of -9815.  The  stain  on  bibulous  paper  was  neither 
oily  nor  resinous  in  character.  It  was  miscible  with  water,  the 
solution  becoming  but  slightly  opalescent.  It  formed  a  perfectly 
clear  solution  with  alcohol  and  diluted  alcohol.  It  was  not  misci- 
ble with  benzin,  ether  or  chloroform.    On  evaporation  on  the 
