154 ON THE CHEMISTEY AND TOXICOLOGY OF FUNGI. 



death, and the two next are but little less dangerous. Am. muscaria, 

 whose scarlet cap with white warts is so often seen, enjoys a worse 

 reputation in England than it deserves. It has rarely proved 

 fatal, though eaten in large quantity. The remaining two are 

 even less deleterious. Am. muscaria is the poisonous mushroom 

 best known in England. This is partly because it is conspicuous 

 and common, and partly because a decoction of it is an old-fashioned 

 means of exterminating flies. Great cajoital has also been made of 

 the story that it is used as an intoxicant by the natives of Kam- 

 stchatka. This tale, so often repeated, decidedly wants sifting. 

 No doubt there is some substratum of truth in it. But the eifects 

 produced by this species of fungus, or by its active principle 

 ]\Iuscarine, differ altogether from the kind of intoxication the 

 Kamstchatdales are said to derive from it. But these circum- 

 stances have drawn much attention to the species. Muscarine, or 

 an extract so called, has been introduced into medicine as a 

 sialogogue, which it is in small doses, and as a remedy for epilepsy, 

 which it cei'tainly is not. The plant is eaten both in North 

 Russia and in Southern France, but of course after being boiled 

 and washed to carry off the Muscarine. 



The Anianitines, as we may term the various extractive essences 

 of these Amanites, are narcotico-acrid. If the mushrooms are 

 eaten, they are wholly digested before symptoms appear, so that 

 evacuation is impossible or useless. Often twenty-four hours 

 elapse between ingestion and the commencement of morbid symp- 

 toms. Tliese are principally of a nervous character, though there 

 is some irritation of the digestive canal as well. Progress is 

 speedy ; delirium, narcotism, coraa, death ; or in fortunate cases, 

 very slow and j^ainful recovery. Am,, phalloides kills in a few 

 hours after the first symptoms appear. The poison, in this species, 

 resides most largely in the bulb of the stem. If any of these 

 plants are brought in contact with scratches or abrasions on the 

 hand or elsewhere, the poison will be absorbed and produce its 

 ordinary effects ; but no local inflammation is set up. 



In 1854, Frederic Gerard proved, in a somewhat dramatic 

 manner, that the Amanitines could be easily separated, and the 

 plants rendered fit for food. He demonstrated this before a com- 

 mission appointed by the Conseil de Salubrite of Paris. The 

 method adopted was this. Gerard put three spoonfuls of A-incgar, 

 or two of grey salt, in a litre of water. He took 500 gi-m. of 

 Am. phalloides, Am, 'muscaria, and other Amanites, cut them in 



