592 



MUSHROOMS AND TOADSTOOLS. 



ing at the base of the stem of the mature 

 specimen, as in the figure given below. The 

 last mentioned of these three marks is never 

 found in those edible mushrooms, in search of 

 which the gatherer is liable to be deceived by 

 the Amanitce. The latter are very common 

 during the autumn harvest of the pasture- 

 mushroom, not generally growing in the open 

 pasture, but on its border, near fences or woods. 

 In the button or half-open state the edible and 

 poisonous plants can not be distinguished from 

 each other by a superficial observer. 



ESCULENT TRUFFLE (Tuber (xstivum). 



The symptoms of poisoning by an Amanita 

 do not generally appear until after its diges- 

 tion. They are similar to those of an attack 

 of Asiatic cholera, and until recent years have 

 terminated fatally. The human system absorbs 

 the poisonous element of the fungue, so that 

 the latter may be expelled by the use of pur- 



POISONOUS AMANITA (Agaricus Amanita phalloides). 



gatives and emetics, and yet death to the pa- 

 tient be the inevitable result. The antidote is 

 found in subcutaneous injections of atropine, 

 or, if that drug can not be obtained, then in 



a like use, by an educated physician, of any 

 available preparation of the Atropa belladonna 

 or deadly night-shade. If no preparation of 

 belladonna can be procured, the medical at- 

 tendant should not neglect to try the other al- 

 kaloids from the family of the Solanacece, or 

 night-shades, such as daturine or nicotine. The 

 patient will die if treated for mineral or vege- 

 table poisons. A case of very slight poisoning 

 will yield to doses of whisky and sweet or olive 

 oil, equal parts, if this can be retained by the 

 stomach. It is possible that other mushrooms 

 and toadstools contain an equally dangerous 

 element; but none such has hitherto been 

 discovered, or defined with any degree of una- 

 nimity. Isolated cases of severe sickness occa- 

 sioned by different mushrooms are, however, 

 reported, but there is no harmony between 

 authors in this respect. Among the genera of 

 the gill-bearing fungi are the two large families 

 of the Russules and Lactarii, which contain 

 conspicuous examples of the second division of 

 noxious mushrooms ; those that are pleasant 

 to the taste being fit for food, while those not 

 edible are nauseous and acrid. 



The whole order of Polyporei or tube-bearing 

 fungi does not probably contain any members 

 dangerous to human life. But there are many 

 that are fibrous and ligneous, and not a few 

 that from their slimy or bitter elements are 

 unfit for food. Those having highly colored 

 or red tubes have been considered poisonous. 

 The mild-colored Boleti, having white, yellow, 

 or green tubes, if pleasant to the taste, are 

 safe and delicious food. Many of them turn 

 blue, and some change to red, when cut or 

 bruised. The cause of this is not known ; it 

 is certainly no indication whatever of quality, 

 nor does it warn against any poison. 



The Hydnei, Auriculani, and Clavariei may 

 be generally eaten or rejected, from taste ; the 

 non-edible members of these orders being either 

 ligneous, as in the case of the two first named, 

 or bitter, as in the case of the Clavariei. 



The Lycoperdaca or puff-balls are easily iden- 

 tified, and free from dangerous species. Some 

 wart-like fungi growing from wood, and others 

 with a pulp at first nearly white, soon chang- 

 ing- to yellow or black, may be mistaken for 

 puff-balls. But all varieties of fungi that ap- 

 pear in the open field after rains in round balls, 

 when hard and white in the center, may be 

 used with perfect safety. If they are soft, yel- 

 lowish, or black, decay has begun, and they 

 should be rejected^ 



The Elvellacei are not abundant ; they are 

 thus named because their surface resembles 

 that of a cabbage. The edible morel is easily 

 identified, and no dangerous fungus is to be 

 found resembling it. 



No certainty exists that the Tuberacei or truf- 

 fle family have any representatives in America. 



The Agaricini are subdivided into five class- 

 es or series, from the color of the spores, 

 white, rosy, brown, purple, and black, and 

 then into genera and sub-genera by other nat- 



