Puffballs for healing

[Biddlesby]

Does anybody know anything, or can confirm anything, about the use of puffballs as a wound dressing? Just wondering since I found a very large one yesterday and thought I could experiment (short of wounding myself purposefully).

[Marts]

I know they've been used as a styptic and there's talk that they may also have anti-microbial properties.
Personally though i'd just fry it up and eat it :)

[Stew]

...or chop the top of, hollow it out, fry the innards with mince, onion and garlic then stuff it back in, put the top on and bake. :D

As for the healing part, I know RM had it on a tracks episode once...

[Tony]

Some use it instead of lint, especially when it's dried out and spored (is that a word :D). It's easy to change as it doesn't stick to the wound.

I've not used it myself but I know a couple of people that have and that's what they say.

This is the giant one I'm talking about, there are other puffballs and I presume that you're not talking about them, although they may be usable, no idea...

[Fred]

Hi all

I remember from my archaeology days that some puffball remains were found at the 5000 year-old stone-built village complex Skara Brae in Orkney. Although these were NOT giant puffballs (Langermannia gigantea) they may have similar properties. They were the smaller puffballs, and as the tough outers were found in abundance they were probably using the inner cotton-wool-like sponge medicinally. I reckon all that sitting on stone might have caused piles - puffballs are ideal for treating them! :eek:

The species Lycoperdon bovista now renamed Calvatia utriformis (to keep the mycologists in a job) is defined as an astringent & haemostatic as infusion or powdered, and used before it is ripe. I've also read that these when dried can be kept for emergency nosebleeds when the spores can be 'puffed' up the nose direct from the mushroom to stem the bleeding! I carried some for a while but never had a nosebleed...

See http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5703.asp as a starting point for this species id. He's just released a smaller volume (still huge!) after 25 years in print, Roger Phillips decided to update it!

Again, sorry for not being specific with the giant puffball, but I hope this helps for future reference...

Fred

[spamel]

I was taught to puff the spores onto an open wound to stem the flow of blood and start the old scab forming. I must add though, I've never needed to do this, or if I have, I haven't ran around the woods looking for a puffball whilst my lifes' blood drains away!!!

[falling rain]

I beleive blacksmiths used to keep common puffballs hung up in their workshops to use if they injured themselves by squeezing the spores onto the wound as Spamel says

[Biddlesby]

Thanks for all your replies.

This site (http://www.naturallist.com/medmushr.htm) seems to suggest they are more than just a sterile styptic.