PROPERTIES OF CRYPTOGAMIC PLANTS. 73 



drowsiness gi-adually went oif, and next day lie complained 

 merely of languor and weakness. On Poisons, p. 705. The case 

 would be more instructive if we could rely upon the identity of 

 the plant ; for the A. canipcm. of Schoeflf. is also synonymous with 

 the A, hypnorum of Schrank., while that of "With, is identical 

 with the A. striahcs, Bull. ; the latter, however, is oftenest found 

 growing in meadows. 



Roques considers A. campan. Pers. a variety. He says, they 

 are eatable, but care should be taken not to confound them with 

 the emetic agaric. The edible can easily be distinguished by the 

 possession of gills which are always white, while the poisonous 

 have yellow. Hist, des Champs. Yen. 175. 



Orfila cites the A. campanulatus, in general terms, as poison- 

 ous. 



Common-gilled Agaric. Yery 



Agaricus emeticus, Schoeff. 

 " jpectinaceus, Bull. 



common — woods ; July and De- 

 cember ; S. C, H. W. R. ; all 

 the varieties are poisonous. 



A case of poisoning by this species, is related in the Journ. 

 de Chim. Med. x. 241. Three persons died from eating it 

 gathered in the woods at Yincennes. The A. hulbosus could, 

 however, be gathered in the same neighborhood. M. & De 

 Lens' Diet, de M. M. Supplem. 1846, 16. 



When taken into the throat it imparts a burning sensation, 

 which lasts for some time, but which is dissipated by gargles of 

 fresh water. Krapf has made experiments upon himself with 

 the A. emeticus of Pers., by which he ran great risk ; escaping 

 with his life only by means of an emetic and the use of fresh, 

 w^ater. According to this naturalist, oil and vinegar augmented 

 its acridity. 



The experiments, made by Paidet upon animals, were very 

 contradictory, as many of these plants have no sensible eifects. 

 M. Roques, in order to ascertain positively what power the plant 

 possesses, so that he selected the one best known. After ascer- 

 taining its acridity by tasting, he swallowed a bit tlie size of a five- 

 franc piece, — having first prepared four grains of tartar emetic, 

 in two parcels. After an hour he commenced to experience 

 pains in the stomach, followed by some nausea. Upon taking a 

 cupful of water they became sharper, and the nausea was also 

 increased ; but, the bit of mushroom not being large, he hoped to 

 avoid taking the emetic, trying to excite vomiting by placing 



