r ataxy, and allied spinal
degradations leading to general physical failure. Just such a totality
of symptoms has been recorded by provers after taking the fungus
for some length of time in toxical quantities. The tincture should be
used of the third decimal strength, five drops for a dose twice or
three times a day with a spoonful of water; or the trituration of the
third decimal strength, for each dose as much of the powder as will
lie on the flat surface of [370] a sixpence. Chilblains may be
mitigated by taking the tincture of this Agaric, and by applying
some of the stronger tincture on cotton wool over the swollen and
itching parts alt night.

"Muscarin" is the leading active principle of the Fly Agaric, in
conjunction with agaricin, mycose, and mannite. It stimulates, when
swallowed in strong doses, certain nerves which tend to retard the
action of the heart. Both our Fly Agaric and the White Agaric of the
United States serve to relieve the night sweats of advanced
pulmonary consumption, and they have severally proved of supreme
palliative use against the cough, the sleeplessness, and the other
worst symptoms of this, wasting disease, as also for drying up the
milk in weaning. Each of these fungi when taken by mistake will
salivate profusely, and provoke both immoderate, and untimely
laughter. When the action of the heart is laboured and feeble
through lack of nervous power, muscarin, or the tincture of Fly
Agaric, in a much diluted potency will relieve this trouble. The dose
of Muscarin, or Agaricin, is from a sixth to half a grain in a pill.
These medicines increase the secretion of tears, saliva, bile, and
sweating, but they materially lessen the quantity of urine.
Belladonna is found to be the best antidote. From the Oak Agaric,
"touchwood," or "spunk,"--when cut into thin slices and beaten with
a hammer until soft,--is made "Amadou," or German tinder. This is
then soaked in a solution of nitre and dried; it afterwards forms an
excellent elastic astringent application for staying bleedings and for
bed sores. The Larch Agaric is powdered, and given in Germany as
a purgative, its dose being from twenty to sixty grains.

In Belgium the _Polyporus Officinalis_ is used medicinally [371] as
an aperient, and to check profuse sweating. By the Malays the
_Polyporus Sanguineus_ is used outwardly for leprosy.

Truffles (_Tuber cibarium_) may receive a passing notice whilst
treating of fungi, though they are really s