2i6 Transactions of the [Sess. 



is known that species which are wholesome in the morning may- 

 become deleterious by the evening. We see examples of the 

 ignorance displayed in discriminating good from bad species nearly 

 every season, and unfortunately often attended by most disastrous 

 results. No later than 7th October last the 'Times' correspon- 

 dent at Boulogne wrote thus : — 



" The cook at a school in the Gironde having gathered a quantity of Mush- 

 rooms in the vicinity, served them to the boys, thirteen in number, for 

 breakfast. The whole of them were seized with most violent pains. Several 

 doctors attended them, but in vain. Eleven of the children have died, and 

 the rest, with the usher, are lying in a critical condition. In cooking this 

 treacherous food, it is generally believed that if a silver coin placed in the 

 same pan is not discoloured, the Mushrooms are wholesome. The test was 

 resorted to on this occasion, but signally failed. Two little girls were 

 poisoned at Arras through a similar misadventure ; and a further case took 

 place near Lyons, when a whole family were attacked — father, mother, and 

 five children. Two of the children have died, and the remaining sufferers 

 are in a precarious condition." 



Dr Badham proved the silver-spoon test to be useless, as the 

 kitchen-fire will sometimes extract the deleterious property. A 

 more general knowledge, therefore, of the esculent Fungi is most 

 important, and would tend not only to prevent such accidents in 

 the future, but to increase a substantial food-supply. In many 

 countries of Europe they are the only food-supply of the peasants 

 during a part of the year ; and in Terra del Fuego, and some dis- 

 tricts of Australia, they are the staple food of the natives.^ Mush- 

 rooms have also a place in Materia medica. The Polypori are used 

 in the cure of phthisis and consumption, and as styptics ; and also 

 as a moxa by the Laplanders, whose dandies perfume themselves 

 with the scent of Agaricus odorus. In semi-barbarous countries 

 they are still believed to act as aphrodisiacs. In the industrial 

 arts they claim some attention. Prussian blue and prussic acid 

 are obtained from Mushrooms ; Polyporus sulphureus is used for 

 dyeing ; Agaricus atramentarius for making ink ; Polyporus fomen- 

 tarius in the manufacture of amadou or German tinder, which, 

 before water-beds were invented, had superseded the chamois- 

 leather as a more elastic mattress for invalids. It is still manu- 



1 



The following are the chief constituents of Mushrooms 



100.0 16 



