Fungi. 
54 f 
fungi similarly situated.” Linn. Trans. vol, viii. p- 
262. “ 
» The odour of some of the fungi, particularly the Aga-: 
ricus pratensis, would dispose us to expect to find prus- 
sie acid a8 a part of its composition; but ‘the experi- 
ment has never been tried. We recommend it, how- 
ever, to those who have leisure and favourable oppor- 
tunities. 
Few of the mushrooms have been subjected to a re- 
gular chemical analysis. Dr Lister, so far back as 
1672, published in the Philosophical Transactions, an 
account of his experiments on the Agaricus piperatus. 
He found it to yield a milky juice with a taste hotter 
than pepper, not discoloured by exposure to theair, nor 
by the blade of a knife. This juice speedily coagulated 
when kept in a glass vessel, but did not lose its hot 
taste. Trommsdorf (Ann. de Chim. vol. xxii.) afterwards 
examined the same plant, and besides the atrid matter 
which Lister had observed, and which is well known, 
he found it to yield a considerable quantity of albumen. 
It also yielded by distillation a considerable quantity of 
carbonate of ammonia. 
It is to Buillon la Grange that we are indebted for 
the most accurate set of experiments on three kinds of 
mushrooms, whicl: may serve to give us a correct idea 
of the composition of the tribe. . 
The Tuber cibarium, which we have described above, 
well known in Britain by the name of truffles, was gra- 
ted down small, and then washed with water upon 4 
searce, till the liquid ceased to carry off any thing. A 
blackish fibrous matter remained upon the searce. The 
liquid let fall a brown coloured matter when left at 
rest. It produced’ no effect upon vegetable blues. The 
brown deposite does not resemble starch in ‘its proper- 
ties. Water produces but little effect upon truffles. 
Warm water, however, dissolves a portion, which pos- 
sesses the characters of albumen. 
When the plant was treated with nitric acid, a solu- 
tion was accomplished ; nitrous gas, carbonic acid, and 
azotic gas were disengaged ; and the solution by distil- 
lation, yielded a liquor containing prussic acid. The 
residual liquid yielded bitter principle, an oily matter, 
and small crystals, which Buillon la Grange considered 
as a combination of oxalic acid and bitter principle, He 
ito also. the presence of malic acid. 
Icohel dissolves a small portion of a brownish bit- 
ter matter, which a 
posure to the atmosp' 
uires the pr ies of resin by ex- 
ere. When truffles are left inthe 
state of a ead with water, they acquire the smell of 
cheese. When mixed with sugar and. water, they un- 
dergo férmentation, carbonic acid is disen |, and’ 
alcohol formed. 
When distilled, truffles are found to yield an acid li- 
quid, a black oil, carbonate of ammonia, carbonic acid, 
and carbonated hydrogen. The charcoal contains mag- 
nesia, phosphate of lime, iron and silica, See Ann. de 
Chim. vol. xlvi. : 
Boletus laricis. This plant in a dry state is used on 
the continent as a medicine, and sold under the name of 
Agaric. It is in pieces which are-white, light and fri- 
able. The outer skin is leathery, and dark coloured. 
Its taste is at first sweetish, but leaves a bitter and acrid 
impression in the mouth. When steeped in water, it 
eommunicates a yellowish colour and a'sweetish taste to 
the liquid. The infusion reddens vegetable blues ; and 
holds in solution a of potash, sulphate of lime, 
and muriate of : 
When this substance is boiled in water, the liquid ac« 
quires a gelatinous form as it cools. Evaporated to 
dryness, and treated with lime, the odour of ammonia 
FUNGI. 
becomes perceptible. Alcohol boiled upon the boletus 
os red colour, and when mixed with water lets 
fall a copious precipitate, which exhibits the rties 
ofa resin. This resin hasa yellow colour, is brittle, se- 
mitransparent, and has a sour and bitter taste. .When 
treated with lime, and the solution afterwards decom- 
posed with muriatic acid, a quantity of benzoic acid is 
obtained from it. From these experiments, it is evi« 
dent that this substance contains resin, benzoic acid, 
different salts, some extractive, and some animal mat- 
ter, to which the gelatinous form of the decoction must 
be ascribed. 
Sulphuric acid dissolves and rapidly chars the bole- 
tus. Nitric acid acts with energy, nitrous gas is disens 
gaged, and the boletus becomes brown. By continu« 
ing the action of the acid, crystals of oxalic acid are ob« 
tained ; malic acid is likewise formed, her with 
some resin, and a substance which app 3 the na« 
ture of wax in its properties. The fixed alkalies give it 
a red colour, render it gelatinous, and a t qual 
of ammonia is disengaged. See Ann. de Chim. vol. li. 
Boletus igniarius of British authors, is not uncom- 
mon in this country on the trunks of trees. When 
boiled in water, the liquid acquires a deep brown cos 
lour, and a slightly ore taste. It holds in solu 
tion sulphate of lime and muriate of potash. When 
evaporated to dryness, it leaves a brown coloured ex 
tract, which attracts moisture from the § 
This substance when incinerated left a white ash, con- 
taining a considerable portion of potash ; and when dis« 
solved in water, exhibited by re-agents the presence of 
lime and of muriatic and sulphuricacids. The residual 
portion of the boletus being calcined, was found to cone 
tain of lime and magnesia, and some iron. 
Alcohol has scarcely any action on this boletus ; but 
when assisted by heat, it dissolves a small portion: of 
resin. Nitric acid dissolves it readily ; malic and oxas 
lie acids are formed, and probably also a portion of bits 
ter principle, while carbonic acid: and’ nitrous. gas are 
disengaged. Alkaline leys dissolve it with difficulty 
forming however a wrt! liquid, and separating asmall 
portion of ammonia. From these experiments we learn, 
that this boletus differs in many respects from the pres 
ceding. It contains much less resin, and a much small« 
er proportion of animal matter, and yields no traces of 
benzoic acid. See Ann. de Chim. vol. liv. | . : 
Little more was done by chemists towards per | 
into notice the ition of mushrooms, un 4 
Braconnot directed His attention to this curious tribe of 
plants, and succeeded’ in making us acquainted with 
the p' ies of two new combinations; to the one he 
gave the name of ftngin, and the other he called bole« 
tic acid. The one is represented by the solid'matter of 
the plants, the other constitutes the chief ingredient of 
its juices. 
ungin may be obtained pure, by boiling itin a weak 
ataline solution. In that sate . is mae ert: — 
id, possesses little elasticity, and readily yields to 
teeth Tt would appear, that fungin thus purified may 
be used as an atticke of food, from what mushroom so- 
ever it has been obtained. The poisonous qualities of 
mushrooms it would seem reside in the juices, not in 
the fungin. This substance when dried burns with 
considerable splendour, emitting an odour similar to 
that of burning bread, and leaving behind it a white 
ash. Dried fungin, when distilled in a retort, yields 
about half its weight of a liquid product, consisting 
partly of a brown oil, and partly of water, holding a 
deal of ammonia in solution. It yields no acid, 
which distinguishes it very much from wood. The char- 
