als, kibed heels,
and such like; the dust or powder thereof is very dangerous for the
eyes, for it bath been observed that divers have been poreblind even
after when some small quantity thereof hath been blown into their
eyes." This fungus has been called Molly Puff, from its resemblance
to a powder puff; also Devil's Snuff Box, Fuss Balls, and Puck Fists
(from _feist, crepitus ani_, and _Puck_, the impish king of the
fairies). In Scotland the Puff Ball is the blind man's e'en, because
it has been believed that its dust will cause blindness; and in
Wales it is the "bag of smoke."

The Fly Agaric, or Bug Agaric (_Agaricus muscarius_) gives the
name of Mushroom to all the tribe of Fungi as used for the
destruction of flies (_mousches_). Albertus Magnus describes it as
_Vocatus fungus muscarum eo quidem lacte pulverisatus interficit
muscas_: and this seems to be the real source of the word, which
has by caprice become transmitted from a poisonous sort to the
wholesome kinds exclusively. The pileus of the Fly Agaric is broad,
convex, and of a rich orange scarlet [369] colour, with a striate
margin and white gills. It gets its name, as also that of Flybane,
from being used in milk to kill flies; and it is called Bug Agaric
from having been formerly employed to smear over bedsteads so as
to destroy bugs. It inhabits dry places, especially birchwoods, and
pinewoods, having a bright red upper surface studded with brown
warts; and when taken as a poisonous agent it causes intoxication,
delirium, and death through narcotism. It is more common in
Scotland than in England. This Mushroom is highly poisonous, and
therefore the remedial preparations are only to be given in a diluted
form. For medicinal purposes a tincture is made (H.) from the fresh
fungus: and a trituration of the dried fungus powdered and mixed
with inert sugar of milk also powdered. These preparations are kept
specially by the homoeopathic chemists: and the use of the Fly
Agaric has been adopted by the school which they represent for
curatively treating an irritable spinal cord, with soreness, twitching
of the limbs, dragging of the legs, unsteadiness of the head,
neuralgic pains in the arms and legs (as if caused by sharp ice),
some giddiness, a coating of yellow fur on the lining mucous
membranes, together with a crawling, or burning, and eruptive skin.
In fact for a lamentably depraved condition of all the bodily health,
such as characterises advanced locomoto