The earliest account we have of its use for the bite of a mad dog is in the Philosophical Transactions[118], from Mr. Dampier, in whose family it had been a secret for a number of years. It was communicated first to Sir Hans Sloane, as a kind of fungus, or Jew’s-ear; and, at the request of Dr. Mead, was some years afterwards received into the London dispensatory. Scarce any of the boasted specifics of former ages ever acquired so great reputation as this plant has done in modern times, for its prevalence against the bite of a mad dog; and the patronage of the late learned Dr. Mead made it sufficiently known throughout all the world. Happy would it be indeed, if it fully deserved the high encomiums, which have been bestowed upon it. A great and eminent physician[119] has doubted its efficacy at all in such cases; and it is well known, that Boerhaave even laughed at it. Dr. Mead had certainly an high opinion of it: he tells us it never failed, thro’ the course of thirty years experience, where it was duly given before the _hydrophobia_ came on[120]. Later instances have shewn, that it is not infallible; and Dr. Van Swieten’s supposition is but too likely to prove true. It must be confessed, that Dr. Mead’s exhibition of it seems too much complicated with other means to leave room for judging fully of its real efficacy; and it may really be questioned, whether bleeding, pepper, and cold-bathing, have not had more to do in the case than the lichen. The _muscus pulmonarius officinarum_[121], tree-lungwort, or oak-lungs, belongs to this order. It is found about old oaks, and upon rocks and stones overgrown with moss, in many of our thick woods in England; but not in any great plenty. Few, perhaps, of the antiquated simples were in more repute, in their day, than this plant. It was celebrated for ages, on account of its supposed prevalence in pulmonary complaints of almost all kinds; and yet, upon inquiry into the original of its use in such cases, it would probably appear, that it arose more from a fansied resemblance they found in the plant to the lungs themselves, than from any real and well-grounded proofs of its efficacy. As a gentle astringent, like most other species of the family, it would doubtless contribute to relieve in many cases where the lungs were affected, as in _hæmoptoës_, and some others: but it does not seem, by any means, to deserve that high character in medicine which has been given to it. The people in Herefordshire, where this moss is called _rags_, dye their stockings of a brown colour with it. This is done by a very strong but simple decoction in water, and the colour stands well[122].