14 



pupils, salivation and sweating. In case of death, which is caused by 

 suffocation or a suspension of heart action, the lungs are found to be 

 filled with air, and there is a transfusion of blood in the alimentary canal. 



Pi'of. R. Robert, in a lecture delivered before the University of Dorpat in 

 1891, states that inuscarin is found equally in the Fly mushroom (A. mus- 

 caria), the Panther mushroom (A. pantherinus). Boletus luridus, and in 

 varyiug quantities in Russula emetica. He states also that though 

 highly poisonous to vertebrates, muscarin is not so to flies, and that the 

 noxious principle in A. muscaria which kills the flies is not as yet deter- 

 mined. 



It has been shown that the lower animals, such as sheep and geese, as 

 well as man, have been severely poisoned by feeding on the "Fly mush- 

 room,"" and that in the case of the horse, experiments have demonstrated 

 that even 0.04 of a gramme, 0.62 of a grain, have caused marked symp- 

 toms of poisoning. 



For muscarin as for neuri7i poisoning the antidote is atropin adminis- 

 tered internally or by subcutaneous injection. 



Phallin. 



The toxic alkaloid of Amanita phalloides Fries (Amanita bulbosa) 

 was examined by Boudier, who named it '■'■biilhosin,'" and by Ore, who 

 named it ^' phalloidin^'' but their examinations, it is claimed, proved little 

 beyond the fact that it seemed to be in the nature of an alkaloid, identi- 

 cal neither with inuscarin nor htlvellic acid. 



Ore affirmed that the phalloidin of the Amanita phalloides was very 

 nearly related to, and perhaps identical with, strychnine. From this view 

 Kobert and others dissent. 



The poisonous principle of Amanita phalloides has recently been sub- 

 jected to very careful analysis by Prof. Kobert. As a result of a large 

 number of experiments and post-mortem examinations held on persons 

 poisoned by A. phalloides, Kobert states that the symptoms can be ex- 

 plained uniformly by the action of a poison, to which he gives the pro- 

 visional name of '■'■ phallin^ This is an albuminous substance which dis- 

 solves the corpuscles of the blood, resembling in this and other respects 

 in a remarkable degree the action of helvellic acid. 



According to 'Kohevi p>hallin has so far only been found in Amanita phal- 

 loides and in its varieties verna, mappa, etc. He finds also in this mush- 

 room muscarin and an atropin-like alkaloid. 



The symptoms of the phalloides poisoning are complex. Vomiting is 

 accompanied by diarrhcea, cold sweats, fainting at times, convulsions, end- 

 ing in coma. There is also fever and a quickening of the pulse. All these 

 symptoms, which follow in succession, according to one author, are depend- 

 ent on two different poisonous substances. The first may be an acrid and 

 fixed poison, for it is found after repeated dryings, as well in the aqueous 

 as in the alcoholic extract. The second acts by absorption, and is purely 

 narcotic. 



