Boletus. Boletus laricis.

Synonyms—White Agaric (Agaricus Albus), Larch Agaric, Purging Agaric, Fungus Agaric, Spunk.

CONSTITUENTS—

There is found an excess of resin, agaric acid, agaricol, cholesterin, and agaricin.

PREPARATIONS—

The tincture, dose from one to five drops.

Agaracin, from one-sixteenth to one-fourth of a grain.

Specific Boletus, from one-fourth of a drop to five drops.

Specific Symptomatology—Chilliness at regular intervals, followed by marked fever. Alternate chills and flushes of heat, with severe aching in the back, colliquative sweats, night sweats of phthisis.

Therapy—The remedy is applicable to all conditions of malarial origin. It is especially useful in those localities where malaria and the results of malaria prevail. The symptoms are languor, dullness, and general malaise, long continued, with the usual results, such as disordered digestion, lack of appetite, heavily coated tongue, pale mucous membranes. Usually there is a bitter taste in the mouth, often persistent, with constipation, and a dull, persistent headache. The temperature will be quite erratic. In some cases there is a little fever always present. In others, there is a marked intermission. The intermission, or remission, may be irregular, not only in time, but in amount.

The agent is astringent apparently, and overcomes all excessive secretion. The broncho-pulmonary secretion of incipient phthisis, or the night sweats of the protracted cases, are benefited by this remedy. It also controls the rapid circulation and seems to exercise a favorable influence over the hectic fever. It also favorably influences the diarrhea of this disease. It seems to allay the thirst and control the cough with many of these patients.

It will arrest the flow of milk, in the nursing woman, and will correct in many cases the tendency to passive hemorrhages. Some claim that it will check arterial hemorrhage, making the application of a ligature unnecessary.

Dr. Henderson uses boletus as a treatment for alcoholism. Those who are constantly under the influence of alcohol, trembling, weak with cold skin, he gives one or two drops of the specific medicine every two hours.

Agaricus acts upon the nerves of the skin, controlling involuntary twitching of the face and eyes. It is effective in night sweats and prostration. While agaracin, or agaric acid, is most commonly used in consumption, and the observations have been made from its influence, it is doubtful if it is superior to the specific boletus if the latter remedy is given in proper doses, and persisted in.

The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.