98 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



gills, and stout, short stem. But two others {Bussula emetica and 

 Itussula rosacea) resemble it so closely that, to this day, as I wash 

 them, I invariably put a little piece of the stem of each into my mouth, 

 in order to avoid all possibility of mistake. 



I am in hopes to establish the truth of this theory: namely, that 

 no fungus which, unspiced, being plainly cooked with dry heat, com- 

 mends itself to the taste, can be dangerous to human life. 



I advance this proposition with hesitation, because many people 

 have so little sense in such matters. Mushrooms are mixed with 

 gravies, fried in batter, simmered in fat, seasoned with black pepper 

 or parsley-leaves, and their delicate flavor destroyed by compounding 

 them with other food. The cook, thereby, disguises the very alarm 

 which Nature has placed at the gateway. One of the most common 

 signs of hurtful fungus is a stinging sensation affecting the tongue 

 but little, the throat and tonsils more, and probably having the most 

 effect upon the stomach and bowels. Let the mushroom absorb fat 

 enough to cover this, or disguise the taste either by spice or by mixing 

 one variety with another, and you may easily eat enough of a poison- 

 ous funo-us to cause death. 



Julie and I have tested perhaps forty varieties of toadstools ; of 

 these, we eat regularly, whenever found, considerably more than one- 

 half, and are daily making additions to our bill of fare. Yet, I would 

 not have the reader infer that we act carelessly. In whatever cause, 

 reckless disregard of consequences is not bi'avery, although no two 

 elements are oftener confounded. After tracing a specimen to its 

 family, we broil it with the addition of salt and butter (no pepper), 

 and eat a small piece on an empty stomach. We then increase the 

 quantity in successive experiments until we feel perfectly safe, or 

 experience unpleasant sensations. Usually, the non-edible fungus 

 discloses its character over the charcoal: nauseous slime w^eeps from 

 the stem, a grassy and disagreeable odor arises as it heats, or, on 

 being tasted, there is no desire to take another mouthful. TJie intui- 

 tion of woman, the cleverness with which the feminine mind grasps 

 at an idea over which the stronger sex will reason mentally for hours, 

 is nowhere more valuable than in the pursuit of this study. 



We have never yet been deceived into making a meal of poisonous 

 fungus. From the sparkling coprinus ( Coprinus micaceus), a little 

 toadstool very common about old stumps, and one or two other kinds, 

 we have received evidence that condemned them as esculents. But 

 we were once poisoned by some common mushroqpis contaminated 

 by being sent in a box containing a large number of another kind. 

 The latter ( Coprinus deliquescens) were in a state of decomposition. 

 They eventually turn to ink, independent of contact with any fluid 

 substance. In passing, I would say that the manuscript of this arti- 

 cle is written with the result of such deliquescence. We had scarcely 

 swallowed the edible ones before we felt the effects of the poison. 



