ON THE CHEMISTRY AND TOXICOLOGY OF FUNGI. 153 



have been under the impression that the poisonous element in all 

 kinds of Fungi must necessarily be identical, both as to its charac- 

 ter and as to its effects. Nothinar could be farther fi"om the truth. 

 The poisonous essences of different Fungi are radically diverse. In 

 species of the same genus or sub-genus, where there is close alliance, 

 the poisonous essences preserve a certain family resemblance as 

 to their action, generally, though not invariably. But those of 

 different genera often manifest entirely vai-ious characters. There 

 are fungus poisons belonging to each of the three gi-and classes : 

 narcotic, narcotico-acrid, and irritant or caustic. Some of these 

 have specific action, influencing some particular organ or organs 

 of the body. A prominent example of these is Ergotine, which 

 is a principle found in Glaviceps purpurea, a kind of bunt parasitic 

 in the ear of rye and some other cereals. Its peculiar action is 

 well known, and has caused it to be largely employed in medicine. 

 Among the larger Fungi, the objects of our present inquiry, one 

 or two specific principles have also been found. But researches 

 into these particulars have been so limited that a vast field still 

 lies open to the explorer. It is the more to be regretted that 

 inquiry is practically forbidden here, by that singular enactment 

 of ignorant philanthropy, which makes it an offence to conduct 

 experiments on animals. For that is, of course, the only way in 

 which satisfactory knowledge of the actions of these principles 

 could be obtained. We Britons must look to foreign sources for 

 more light. 



The great genus Agaricus contains a number of poisonous 

 species. The principles of these have severally a widely diverse 

 action. But where more than one species in a sub-genus are 

 permeated by a noxious constituent, then these essences are found 

 to be of similar character, though not perhaps actually identical. 

 Those of which most is known are the poisonous species of the 

 sub-genus Amanita. This sub-genus contains some entirely whole- 

 some and esculent species, and six which have been demonstrated 

 to be poisonous ; besides some others whose qualities have not yet 

 been determined. The order of their relative noxiousness may be 

 stated as follows: — The worst is Am. phalloides ; then come ^7?i. 

 mappa and Am. verna ; then Am.^ muscaria ; and lastly. Aim. excelsa 

 and A'm. pantherina. Whether the poisons of these Amanites are 

 identical or not, when they are extracted, is yet uncertain. But there 

 is no doubt that the plants are not equally virulent. To eat but a 

 portion of one mature specimen of Am. phalloides is almost certain 



