( 160 ) 
admitting of a polith by rubbing; marked with concentric bands or 
ridges, each broad ridge indicating a year’s growth, and three or four 
{mall ones that of the different feafons of the year, varying extremely 
in colour. Fie/b fibrous. Bulliard. ; 
It grows on the trunks of trees, and varies in fize from two to 
feven or eight inches in diameter. 
This fungus has been {pecifically named Igniarius, from being ufed 
in fome places as tinder. For this purpofe the Germans boil it in 
ftrong lye, dry it, and boil it again in a folution of faltpetre.* 
This Agaric has been much ufed by furgeons as an external ftyptics 
and that produced on the oak has been generally preferred. Its ufe 
was firft borrowed from the French; and it was fucceflively recom- 
mended by Broflard, Morand, Bouquot, Faget, Rochard, De Mey, 
who employed it not only to reftcain the bleedings 1 in wounds, but to 
prevent hemorrhages after amputations, which it is reported to have 
done as effectually as the ligature. Several Englifh furgeons have 
alfo publithed cafes in which the Agaric was fuccefsfully ufed, as 
Sharp, Warner, Gooch, and others. 
It muft not be concealed, however, that feveral others, foot after 
the introduétion of the ufe of the Agaric i in this country, declared it 
to be an ineffeCtual application ; and at this day, though it may be 
ufeful in certain cafes, yet in hemorrhages from the larger arteries, 
the ligature is the only remedy depended on both in France and 
England. 
To prepare the Agaric for furgical purpofes, the hard outer part is 
cut off, and the foft inner fubftance is divided into pieces of different 
- fizes, and beat with a hammer to render it ftill fofter. 
2 We are informed by Gleditch, that in Franconia they beat pieces of the inner 
fubftance of this fungus, fo as to refemble foft leather, and few them together to form 
ee 
_ APPENDIX 
