ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

574

vies, ragouts, &c. 3dly. Tuber cibarium, fig. 79 (common truffle), a subterraneousfungus, used for seasoning. No less than thirty-three species are eaten in Russia (Dr.Lefevre, Loud. Med. Gaz. xxiii. 414).

2. Fungi occasionally used in Medicine.

Polyporus igniarus {Boletus igniarus, Ph. Ed.), commonly called agaric of the oak,touchwood, or spunk, is still retained in the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia. The internalportion, cut in thin slices, and beaten with a hammer until soft, has been applied, as astyptic, to restrain haemorrhages ; but its action is mechanical, like lint: that is, itabsorbs the blood, and promotes coagulation. Polyporus fomentarius (real Amadou) hasalso been used for similar purposes. The substance sold in the shops as Amadou, orGerman tinder, is prepared from both species, by cutting the fungus in slices, beating,and soaking it in a solution of nitre. Polyporus Lands (P. officinalis. Boletus purgans,or Larch agaric) was formerly used as a drastic purgative, in doses of from a scruple totwo drachms, and it is still kept by the herbalist. Mr. Butler, of Covent GardenMarket, informs me that it is imported from Germany , but that there is very little saleof it. The dust (sporidia) of Lycoperdon (Puffball) was formerly used as a styptic;the smoke is used for stupefying bees.

3. Fungi venenati.—Poisonous Fungi.

Fig. 80 .

Poisonous Indigenous Agarid of the section Amanita.

U Wj

SHH

a, Agaricus vernus , Bull. e, Agaricus nivalis, Grev.

b, „ phalloides, Fries. f,f, „ muscarius, Linn.

e i » porphyrius, Fries. g, „ pantherinus, Dec.

d, ,, vaginatus, Bull.

All poisonous fungi are called by the public toadstools. Those of the genus Agaric*'section Amanita, are the most important, because the most likely to be confounded witedible species (as with Agaricus campestris). The Russians , who eat no less thanspecies of Agaricus (Dr. Lefevre, Lond. Med. Gaz. xxiii. 414), never employ any belonging to the section Amanita. . j

The symptoms produced by poisonous fungi are those indicating gastro-intestinairritation (nausea, vomiting, purging, and abdominal pain), and a disordered COII lof the nervous system (delirium, stupor, blindness, convulsions, muscular t * e V. 1paralysis, drowsiness). In some cases, the power of the vascular system is remarksdepressed, the pulse being small and feeble, the extremities cold, and the body c° verwith a cold sweat. At one time, local irritation only ; at another, narcotism alone ^produced. (For illustrations of the effects of particular species, see p. 15work, and consult Phoebus, Deutschl. kryptog. Giftgew'achse, 1838; andLetellier,y°de Pharm. Aout 1837).

In some cases the active principle of poisonous fungi seems to he a volatile a (prindple in other instances it is a brown, uncrystallizable solid, called by Le eamanitin. . froii 1

No specific antidote is known. The first object, therefore, is to expel the poisonthe stomach and bowels. The subsequent treatment will depend on the nature o