1803-] eu, S99 ee. xe um 
MONTHLY BOTANICAL REPORT. ea get 
ROM the indisposition of the Botanical Reporter, the usual critique on the monthly plibe.:, 
Jications is necessarily deferred till the next month. We are enabled, however; frou: «>, 
ag 
another suurce, to supply the deficiency, with some observations on the unfortunate -case of 
the fatal effects of eating a kind of Fungus, which was mistaken for the Agaricus pratensis: >. 
of Hudson, or true Champignon, as this sort is now usually called; though formerly, and .-\ 
even at present, in scientific books, as may be seen by Ray’s Synopsis, and Martyn’s Miller’s 
Dictionary, the common eatable mushroom, the Champignon of the French, was anderstood 
by this name ; a circumstance which, if not attended to, may occasion much confusion in con- 
tulting books on the subject of Champignons. 
It has been stated in all the public papers, that William Atwood, of Mitcham, in Surry, 
his wife, and four children, all ate of some stew, supposed to be made of Champignons, on 
Monday, the 10th instant; that in a few minutes they became exhilarated, soon after which 
they fell intoa stupor, from which they were roused by racking pains in the bowels and head, 
accompanied with vomiting and purging. These symptoms continued in spite of the medical 
assistance afforded, till Friday morning, when two of the children expired in convulsions, 
as did the youngest onthe following day. ‘The second daughter, aged eleven, who, not lilc- 
ing the flavour of the dish, ate only a few spoonfuls, and the man and woman fecovered with 
difieulty. 
So many fatal accidents have occurred from eating mushrooms, that it becomes of the ut- 
mast importance that the deleterious species should be pointed out and distinguished from the 
eatable kinds. And we cannot sufficiently applaud the zeal of Mr. Wheeler, Botanical 
Pemonstrator to the Apothecaries Company, and Apothecary to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, 
who, upon hearing of the accident, immediately repaired to the spot, where finding the man’ 
that had assisted William Atwood in gathering the fatal repast, he accompanied him on the 
Common, that he might point out the kind of Fungithey had collected. Two kinds were ga- 
thered under the directions of this man, neither of which were the trae Champignon, and 
these were shewn to William Atwood and his wife, then confined to their beds, bo'h of whom 
fixed upon one sort, which they were positive to have been the same as a part, at least, of 
what they had eaten, as one of the children had compared it to an umbrella with the knob at 
top. This was probably the deleterious article, as it was precisely the same species that 
eight years ago had nearly proved fatal to a poor family in Piccadilly, consisting of a man and’ 
four children, who had eaten between them a small saucer full, before breakfast. An accu- 
rate account of the symptoms which followed was published at the time in the Medical Jour- 
mal (vol. III. p. 44.), by Mr. Brande, Apothecary tu the Royal Family. In these symptoms, 
the same exhilaration of spirits is observable in the first instance, soon succeeded by stupor. 
But the vomiting and purging, terminating in fatal convulsions, were fortunately prevented, 
either by the smaller dose taken, or the more speedy resort to suitable remedies. ' 
r. Sowerby soon after published a figure of this species of agaric, in his coloured figures 
of English mushrooms, (Tab. 2143, f. 1,2, and 3,) considering it as only a variety of Cur- 
tis’s Agaricus glutinosus. From this last, hoWever, it appears to us to be very distinct, and 
may be readily known by its regular conical form, terminated at top in a nipple-like point. 
The stem is several times longer than the cap, and always crooked. ‘This fungus dots not 
seem to be likely to be mistaken for Champignons by any one in the least acquiinted with 
the forms of these plants, being so much smaller, taller, and tenderer: it is therefore proba- 
bly very seldom gathered by those who are used to collect Champignons for the warket. 
Besides this species, which we suppose to have been the one chat occisioned the mischief, 
another sort was pointed out by the man who accompanied Mr. Wheeler, and was also’ 
certainly eaten, as a part of one was found in the residue of the soup. This kind more re- 
sembled the Champignon, but had a fatter cap, with a hollow in the middle, and a thick,° 
short, flattened stem. Mr. Wheeler has not yet determined to what species this belongs 3° 
but we trust that he will pursue the subject till he has rendered it so luminous, that the 
levers of Catchup and the dangerous dict:of mushrooms may indulge their appetites without 
fear of being poisoned. 
There are however those who believe that the most esculent kinds may become noxious 
by the soil they grow if and the circumstances of weather, shade, &c. ‘Experiments are 
wanting to decide if it be really soor not. In the mean time, we must regard the whole race * 
of fiyngi or mashrooms as suspicious fuod, not to be indulged in but with the greatest caution. ’ 
The true Champignon, more properly called Scotch-bonnets, usually grows in the circies_ 
which are known by the name of Fairy-rings, and is of rather a leathery texture. There ~ 
' are, however, other kinds, which afect the same kind of circular'growth, and something of 
it may be seen in the deleterious species, the fatal effects of which have been here related. 
Whilst the writer of this Report was engaged in procuring the above information from Mr.* 
Wheeler, he was informed of a young lad, a patient of Mr. Hurlock’s, ia St. Paul’s church 
ard, who was supposed to be poisoned by eatiny some berries, which he had gathered in a 
edge. He was periectly well and lively when he Jeft home, but returned with his lips and 
south much swoln, and in an almost insensible state, so that his companion had much diffi- 
Mon tut¥ Mac, No. 177. SE culty 
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