No, it's safe to handle, and it doesn't need to be boiled.
*1) On the side that the spores will come from, cut out a rectangle the shape of an elastoplast. Lift a corner and the 'flap' will peel off. This makes a good padded elastoplast for blisters
and the inside surface is sterile.
*2) If you slice the fungus into thin strips it can be dried to be used as a knife strop.
*3) It can be chewed to ease hunger pangs...it's like chewing polystyrene
*4) You can set it alight and it will glow away merrily for ages, gives off a black oily smoke though.
*5) It will light from a ferro rod, but not a flint and steel, it needs to be a bit hotter to catch.
*6) If you create a small depression in one face of the fungus and put a glowing ember in it, the fungus will burn slowly for hours, until eaten entirely away and this will let you carry fire.
*7) Cut it up and boil it with wool in an iron pot, a soft, khaki green dye will colour the wool.
*8) Lay a 3 or 4mm thick slice from a fairly big one underneath the hearth off a firebow or drill. Use the fungus as the catchpan of the coal. This allows you to lift the coal to give it air and once it is itself glowing it wil give you even more time, and more chances, to develop the glowing ember into flame.
Enjoy,
Cheers,
Toddy
p.s. Any other uses gratefully appreciated.
M
