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^■.\ 0. E. FISCHER, \I. It.* 



N'n one who has no1 followed the development of the studj of 

 mycology in its scientific or popular fields during the lasl twenty 

 years can realize its development and the changes in our vh 

 tli.it have taken place. Within this time a number of popular 

 works have appeared, keeping pace with the great volume of 

 general nature literature. Mycological and toadstool clubs have 

 been organized in many cities in order to interesl people in this 

 fascinating branch of botany. Such clubs have easily won the 

 interesl of people a1 large because of their appeal on the Bcore of 

 mycophagy, the eating of fungi. In the purely botanical and 

 technical field, colleges, universities and state herbaria have given 

 more and more attention to the scientific and economic aspects of 

 mycological study and have broughl about the publication of jour* 

 nals devoted exclusively to studies made in these specialties. For 

 centuries almosl every community has had its enthusiastic amateur 

 botanist who has collected and sought to name— to classify the 

 higher plants of liis hunting ground. Now cometh also the humble 

 collector of toadstools and mushrooms who finds thai his hobby 

 meets with sympathy and interest. Thus "The Spectator" in Out- 

 look (January !•".. L915) gives ;i charming account of his initiation 

 into the accuracies and delights of mycology. 



Tr has been the purpose of Dr. Kauffman to Bupplj in these vol- 

 umes a manual for the use of both the amateur and advanced Btudenl 

 of the Agaricaceae or gilled fungi of Michigan. It is similarly the 

 purpose of this chapter on mushroom poisoning to place before \a\ 

 man, mycologist, mycophagist and physician an account of the prew 

 ent state of our knowledge of the subject. Having in mind such ;i 

 varied class of readers, the author must include matter which will 

 seem hopelessly technical to the one. and matter thai may seem 

 Buperfiuously simple to the other. It is nol the purpose of tin 4 

 paper to presenl much thai is either ne* or original bul it d 



be author would acknowledge his thanks to t 1 :. 



Michigan and t" the Wayne C'ountj M< 

 KaufTman and to numerous i>r 



iti the preparation <>f this paper <»nr knowledge "f • 

 plete and furtluT aid from any source will he welcon 

 Detroit, Michigai 



