2IO BRITISH EDIBLE FUNGI. 



individual concerned has most undoubted authority, 

 not merely descriptions in books upon which to 

 rely. 



Mushrooms of all kinds pass so rapidly into decay, 

 and consequently suffer rapid chemical change, so 

 that even innocuous species should always be eaten 

 as soon after they are gathered as conveniently may 

 be. Not even the common mushroom is so delicate, 

 or so excellent, at any other period as it is within an 

 hour or two of its being gathered. Certainly no 

 fungus should be cooked as food after it has exhibited 

 any symptoms of decay. 



We have known individuals who can at no time 

 eat the ordinary mushroom without inconvenience, and 

 we remember one instance in which only a small 

 fragment of mushroom, eaten accidentally, always pro- 

 duced symptoms of poisoning. This case, and cases 

 of a similar nature, are quite independent of the 

 wholesome nature of the fungus. It is a constitu- 

 tional idiosyncrasy in the individual which should not 

 condemn the immediate cause. Cases of fungus 

 poisoning are now much more under medical control 

 than formerly, since the method of hypodermic injec- 

 tion of antidotes has been practised, and we have the 

 authority of a physician for stating that he has found 

 it so effectual that he is always prepared to resort to 

 it at once. 



Is it true that mushrooms which are under ordinary 

 conditions perfectly good, such as the cultivated 



