Mullein, [360] and with signal success as
regards palliating the cough, staying the expectoration, and
increasing the weight.

Mullein leaves have a weak, sleepy sort of smell, and rather a bitter
taste. In Queen Elizabeth's time they were carried about the person
to prevent the falling sickness; and distilled water from the flowers
was said to be curative of gout.

The leaves and flowers contain mucilage, with a yellowish volatile
oil, a fatty substance, and sugar, together with some colouring
matter. Fish will become stupefied by eating the seeds. Gerard says
"Figs do not putrifie at all that are wrapped in the leaves of Mullein.
If worn under the feet day and night in the manner of a sock they
bring down in young maidens their desired sicknesse."

The plant bears also the name of Hedge Taper, and used to be called
Torch, because the stalks were dipped in suet, and burnt for giving
light at funerals and other gatherings. "It is a plant," says the
_Grete Herball_, "whereof is made a manner of lynke if it be tallowed."

According to Dodoeus the Mullein was called "Candela." _Folia
siquidem habet mollia hirsuta ad lucernarum funiculos apta_. "It
was named of the Latines, _Candela Regia_ and _Candelaria_." The
modern Romans style it the "Plant of the Lord," Other popular
English names of the plant are "Adam's flannel," "Blanket,"
"Shepherd's club," "Aaron's rod," "Cuddie's lungs"; and in
Anglo-Saxon, "Feldwode." Gower says of Medea:--

"Tho' toke she feldwode, and verveine,
Of herbes ben nought better tweine."

The name _Verbascum_ is an altered form of the Latin _barbascum_,
from _barba_, "a beard," in allusion to the dense woolly
hairs on both sides of the leaves; and the [361] appellation,
Mullein, is got from the French _molene_, signifying the "scab" in
cattle, and for curing which disease the plant is famous. It has also
been termed Cow's Lung Wort, Hare's Beard, Jupiter's Staff, Ladies'
Foxglove, and Velvet Dock from its large soft leaves. The Mullein
bears the title "Bullock's lung wort," because of its supposed
curative powers in lung diseases of this animal, on the doctrine of
signatures, because its leaf resembles a dewlap; and the term
"Malandre" was formerly applied to the lung maladies of cattle.
Also the "Malanders" meant leprosy, whence it came about that the
epithet "Malandrin" was attached to a brigand, who, like the leper,
was driven from society and forced to lead a lawless life.

An