ON THE CHEMISTRY AND TOXICOLOGY OF FUNGI. 1-49 



to describe in set terms. But it will be seen from the two cata-- 

 logues that scent and taste afford no indication of the relative 

 wholesomeness or noxiousness of species generally. They do not 

 depend upon the same essences which exert an injurious influence 

 on our bodies. 



Lastly, we find that sundry species of Fungi are infiltrated by 

 extractive essences, some of which set up a peculiar moi'bid action 

 when taken into the bodies of men or animals. These essences 

 may be alkaloids, but none pf them have yet been isolated, or, at 

 least, have not been found to act as bases in the presence of acids 

 and to form salts with them. Until further examination of them 

 has been carried out, we must be content to call them active 

 principles, extractives, or essences. Some of these principles have 

 been to some extent examined, and have been named, such as 

 Agaricine, Amanitine, Bulbosine, Ergotine, Geine, Muscarine, 

 Mycetine, etc. But some of the names are indistinctive. It must 

 be borne in mind that these fungus essences vary exceedingly in 

 action and power of action. There is little community between 

 them. True, there is usually a similitude of action in the principles 

 found in different species of the same genus or sub-genus ; but 

 there is diametric difference between these and others. Nor are 

 we justified in supposing, for instance, that the Bulbosine of 

 Amanita phalloides is identical with the Muscarine of Amanita 

 muscaria, though both act similai-ly ; or that it is right to consider 

 these principles, together with those of other Amanites, nnder the 

 one title of Amanitine. Belladonna, Stramonium, and Henbane 

 are not considered identical, though their action is very similar ; 

 and neither ought the essences of the sundry Amanites to be 

 considered only one. The cases are strictly parallel. 



Passinof back to the common constituents, it is easv to under- 

 stand that every chemist who has analysed Fungi has been forcibly 

 struck by the amount of nutritive matter contained in them. In 

 this particular they absolutely surpass every other class of vege- 

 table. And observation of the effects produced by a prolonged 

 diet mainly composed of Fungi has established beyond doubt that 

 they afford an unusual amount of nourishment. There is, then, 

 scientific evidence to support the popular instinct which — in most 

 countries but our own — causes people to eat Fungi, to regard them 

 not merely as tasty adjuncts to a meal, but as the meal itself, and 

 to bestow on them such grateful names as "manna of the poor." 

 And this, too, despite risks of poisoning, despite the spectacle of 



