On tlif otlier hand the poiscm of the Ainanites acts in some 

 cases by contact, and in others by a combination of contact and 

 narcotism. If the species of Amanites known as A. nmscan'a, 

 A. pantkerina, or A. aspera are treated chemically, a substance 

 called Amanitine is extracted, the effect of which has been 

 described by M. Letellier. He says that if a cat, or a rabbit, 

 is made to eat about 15 jirains of Amanitine, or if Amanitine is 

 injected under the skin of a rabbit or a fi'og, the invariable 

 results are loss of sensibility and of power of motion, difficulty 

 of breathing, and stoppage of the action of the heart. Death 

 results either quite quickly, or with slight convulsions, from 20 

 minutes to four hours after the employment of the poison. In 

 some eases the animal revives, apparently unhurt, after a period 

 of from six to twelve hours. Post mortem examination in these 

 cases discloses no internal lesions of any importance, shewing 

 that the poison acts upon the cerebro-spinal system by absorption, 

 and not by contact. 



Other Amanites, for instance, A. phalloides and viperina, 

 besides producing the same symptoms as Amanitine, give rise to 

 vomiting and a discharge of blood from the bowels, and cause 

 serious lesions in the alimentary canal, symptoms which are 

 attributed to the fact of these latter containing besides Amanitine 

 an acrid fixed substance. The existence of this substance in 

 addition to Amanitine adds materially to the poisonous power 

 of those species which possess both. It has been said that as 

 far as man is concerned death from the poison of A. muscaria is 

 extremely rare, wliilst tlie action of .4. phalloides is almost 

 always fatal. 



I will conclude with a few remarks upon fungi which grow 

 parasitically upon man and animals, or which, without being 

 directly poisonous, exercise an injurious influence. The dusty 

 spores of the Giant puff-ball appear to possess verj- irritating 

 qualities when inhaled in large quantities. A case is mentioned 

 by Mr. Cooke, of an Assistant in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens 

 who was confined to his room under medical attendance from 

 inhaling these spores in the process of preserving a specimen for 

 the herbarium. The spores of a species of a black rust, which 

 infests Arundo Phragmites, is known in this country to produce 

 violent headaches amongst the labourers who cut the reeds. 



