NovenibeT 17, :863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTtTRE Al^D COTTAGE GAPoDENEE. 



395 



Tie beds were beautifully filled, and the garden as a whole 

 a delightful spot, and quite large enough for the majority of 

 oixr readers. R. Fish. 



(To be continued.) 



A PEESONAL JSTAEHATI^VT: OF POISONING 



BY A NOXIOUS FLTNGllS. 



{Communicated to the Society cf Amatcvr Botanists.) 



Ord. 1.— AGARICINI. 

 Series 2, Htpobhodii. Svb-gescs 12, Ektoloma. 

 ilS. Jgaricus (Entoloma) fciulis. 

 Pileus emooth, pulvcrulento-squamulose, dry, fle by, obtuse ; stem 

 fibrilloee, Eub-?quamulose, somewhat bulcoas ; gills flesb-coloured, idnexed. 

 In woodB. Smell like toat of tresh meal, hlleus 4 mchea or more across, 

 of a pinkist-bulS. — {Berkeley^ & British Funyulogi/.) 



At the request of the President of this Society I beg to 

 lay before the Meeting a few particulars regarding the 

 poisoning of myself and family by a dangerous fungus found 

 in woods, and scientifically known as " Agaxicus fertiUs." 



The single specimen eaten was gathered in Bishop's 

 W ood at the close of September. I was there, seaj'chJTig 

 for fungi in general, with my friend and patron, Mr. M. C. 

 Cooke, when the specimens of Agaricus fertilis presented 

 themselves. I took one home, the smaller one, and Mr. 

 Cooke took the larger. 



Having constantly eaten a variety of species of fungi 

 without unpleasant results, I was not sufficiently cautious 

 over this one, and the consequences that foUowed the con- 

 sumption of this specimen were entirely owing to my own 

 caj-elessness in not comparing it carefully with published 

 descriptions. I had the same day seen a drawing of Aga- 

 ricus gigantevis, and I thought the species gathered was 

 certainly that, but I did not refer to Berkeley for a minute 

 description, or I should have seen my error at once, as I 

 did when too late. After breakfast I most foolishly prepared 



the upper part of it for luncheon, throwing away the stem 

 and even part of the pUeiis or top. 



At the time of eating it I thought it was all right, as there 

 was nothing at all unpleasant or acrid in the taste of it 

 either when raw or cooked. But I ought to say, injustice 

 to the fungus, that I kept it under a jjropagating-glass for 

 two days alter it was gathered. 



The fungus cooked in first-class style with butter, salt, 

 &c., in the recognised w-ay, I proceeded to test its gastro- 

 nomic qualities, which I found to be of a high order. There 

 was vea-y little of it when cooked — not more than half an 

 oimce at most ; of this I ate, perhaps, one-half or a quarter 

 of an ounce. Mrs. Smith, who is an amateur fungologist, 

 ate two or three very small pieces, and one of my chil- 

 dren, two yeai-s old, came round the table, and took one 

 or perhaps two very small pieces off the plate. As I thought 

 it was all right I did not prevent her. So the cloth was 

 cleared, and all appeared well. 



I shall now proceed to give an account of the effects of 

 this pai-ticular species ; and although it is not specified in 

 Berkeley as poisonous or suspicious, it will bo seen by the 

 sequel to be one of the most violent and dangerous in its 

 effects of the whole tribe. 



It so happened that morning that I had business in the 

 city, a very unusual thing for me, so I will naiTate my own 

 symptoms and experiences first, apart from my fa:iiiily. I 

 had to start by a train on the North London rauway for 

 Fenchurch Street about a quarter of an hour after I partook 

 of the fungus ; and I can well remember that while waiting 

 for the train, close by my own home, and within twenty 

 minutes of eating the species of fungus, I was overtaken by 

 a strange, nervous, gloomy, low-spii-ited feeling that was 

 quite new to me. I, however, thought nothing of the fungus. 

 By the time I reached Fenchurch Street this feeliag had 

 considerably increased, accompanied by a duU headache; 

 but I still thought nothing of the fungus. My business 

 took me through Billiter Street on my way to Devonshire 

 Square, and as I passed some of the warehouses I noticed 

 some men loading and unloading certain goods thr^t gave 

 forth a rj ost powerful and oppressive odour. I had no sooner 

 got out of BiUiter Street than I found my headache much 

 worse, accompanied by an unpleasant swimming sensation, 

 while two or three sharp pains shot through my stomach. 

 By some strange process of reasoning I now attributed my 

 indisposition to the stench in Billiter Street, an opinion I 

 retained till I got home. I soon transacted my business in 

 Devonshire Square (it only engaged me a minute), and then 

 I made the best of my way back to Fenchurch Street, my 

 illness increasing with every step. StiU the fungus never 

 entered my mind. "When I got to the station my head was 

 aching and my brain swimming to such an extent that I 

 could hardly walk ; while everything in the station appeared 

 to be moving with death-like stillness, either from side to 

 side, up and down, or round and round. This is no exagge- 

 ration whatever, and worse is to come yet ; and what ap- 

 pears so remai-kable to me is that such tenible effects were 

 produced by eating such a small quantity ; one would think 

 if five or sis had been eaten instead of one (minus stalk and 

 part of top), that instant death would have ensued. I will, 

 however, continue my account. I staggered into a carriage, 

 and reached, home in twenty minutes, so ill that I could 

 hardly place one foot before the other, with the overpower- 

 ing feeling of sickness increased to a degree that was un- 

 bearable, although I could not be sick. I knocked at my 

 door with the determination of going to bed directly I got 

 in, sending instantly for the doctor, and making up my mind 

 for a severe attack of brain or some other fever ; and I had 

 never all this time thought about the fungus we Lad for 

 luncheon. 



I must now for a few minutes revert to my little child and 

 her mother. On knocking at my door the fii-st thing that 

 called my attention was the delay in answering the knocks. 

 The door was opened, however, in a few minutes ty Mrs. 

 Smith, who could hardly walk to the door, and covld not 

 speak for crying. I wili here make another statement that 

 may appear somewhat apart fi-om the subject. We received 

 a letter from the coimtiy two or three days before this 

 occurrence, stating that a brother of >Ii-s. Smith's lay appa- 

 rently dying after a serious iHness, and no hopes were given 

 of his recovery. On seeing Mrs. Smith thus distressed I 



