150 ON THE CHEMISTRY AND TOXICOLOGY OF FUNGI. 



occasional accidents ! In the analysis of a mushroom is made clear 

 the reason why of fungus eating. The wisest investigators of 

 Fungi have studied, not to deter people from eating material so 

 remarkably well adapted by Nature to the needs of the human 

 body, but to increase a knowledge of species, so as to lessen the 

 risk of mistakes and accidents, and to veiify means of rendering 

 noxious kinds harmless and wholesome. 



The name of Fungine has been applied to the solid matter of 

 Fungi, as apart from the water and soluble extractives contained 

 in them. This is the nutritive part, but it owes its alimentary 

 excellence cbiefly to the proteids. These belong to the same class 

 of matters as the gluten of wheat, the legumin of beans and lentils, 

 and the caseine of milk. Their composition is identical with that 

 of the constituents of blood, and hence they are flesh-and-blood- 

 making material. They exist in all species, but not in the same pro- 

 portions; consequently some kinds are more nourishing than others. 

 An analysis of the dry Fungine of certain well-known esculents 

 sliowed nitrogen to be present in the followiug proportions : — The 

 Pratelle {Agaricus campestris), 7'26 per cent. The Black Bolet 

 {Boletus oereus), 4" 70 per cent. The Kedmilk {Lactarius deliciosus), 

 4"68 per cent. The Bisotte (Russiila Jieterophylla), 4'25 per cent. 

 The Chantarelle {Cantliarellus cibarius), 3'22 per cent.^ 



Another chemist ^ found a less percentage in the Pratelle, but 

 ihe circumstance is attributable to his having employed the cul- 

 tivated variety {A. hortensis) , for analysis. And other reseai'ches 

 indicate that the Pratelle loses protein the wider the circumstances 

 of its growth depai't from the natural condition. As might be 

 safely supposed, too, it has been proved that the young mushroom 

 or "button" is far less nutritious than the mature plant. The 

 proportion of nitrogen in the dried Fungine of the various parts of 

 the Pratelle is given by the same analyst as follows : — Cap, 3'51 

 per cent. Gills and Spores, 2"10 per cent. Stem, "34 per cent. 



From the most recent analyses it would seem that the commonest 

 species of Truffle and Morel are the richest in proteinaceous 

 matter. The relative values are thus set forth, the percentage 

 being that of the proteids found in the diy Fungine : The Truffle 

 (Tuber cihariwrn), 35 per cent. The Morel (Morchella et>culenta) , 

 3G"25 per cent. The Lorchel {Gyroniitra enculeuta), 2G"31 per 

 ccnt.'^ 



' Hopping and Scblossberger. - Lcfort. 



^ Die brcdauar urztliche ZciUchriJ't; pro. 1882, Nr. 10, u. 17. 



