On Pnewnatic Medicine. 69 
ought to be rescued from obscurity, as a resource furnished 
by nature in every climate, and which has not been hitherto 
known. I hope the botanists of Paris will cultivate this 
plant. Upon tasting it, you will find it an excellent pulse. 
I think I have seen it formerly at Vincennes, and in the 
Bois de Boulogne. ; 
One pound of dry lichen yields three pounds of boiled 
herb very well tasted, which may be eaten with oil, beer, or 
in various other ways. We have already eaten it six times 
in our family, and all my friends were highly pleased with 
it. Its tissue is purely membranous; it contains neither 
wood nor thready substance; this renders it very pleasant 
to the teeth. It is extremely probable that in the numerous 
kinds of mosses there may be several others equally nutritive, 
and perhaps still better. Although very elastic after boiling, 
there is nothing of an animal nature in the lichen, as its 
products are like those of sugar; and this surprised me most 
of all. One pound of this lichen furnished about eight 
pounds of soup, which became jellied like meat broth. It 
is a little bitter, but not more so than endive water. I sea- 
soned it with sweet and bitter almonds, citron bark, and 
sugar; and I produced a very pleasant mess. Its mucilage 
is gelatinous, very different from gum: it is the same, I 
think, as that of fruit. I am now about to occupy myself 
with other researches on the subject, to ascertain if this 
plant would furnish any thing useful in dyeing. In the 
mean time nature does not furnish any matter more nou- 
rishing than this vegetable. 
XI. ‘Thirty-second Communication from Dr. Tuornron, 
relative to Pneumatic Medicine. 
To Mr. Tilioch. 
October 21, 1805. 
DEAR SIR, No.1, Hinde-street, Manchest¢r-square. 
He following is an extremely interesting case, as the 
disease cured is considered very dangerous ; and it was ac- 
complished chiefly by means of the vital air alone. 
KE 3 Case 
