38 PASTORAL AND AGRICULTURAL BOTANY 



especially of the uterus and the blood vessels, belongs to this group. 



Group 2. Fungi containing a Hemolytic Substance. Gyromitra escu- 

 lenta, which has caused ten deaths in Europe within ten years, and 

 Amanita phalloides possess hemolytic powers. 



Group 3. Fungi producing G astro -enteritis. This class includes such 

 forms as Panus stipticus, Boletus sensibilis, Cantharellus aurantiacus, 

 Lepiota Morgani, Russula emetica, Lactarius torminosus, Stropharia, 

 Amanita muscaria and all peppery tasting Russulae and Lactarii. The 

 usefulness of these forms is doubtful, but if boiled in acidulated water 

 (i cup vinegar to a pint of water) for ten minutes, washed afterwards and 

 all liquids thrown away, this class may be cooked and eaten with safety. 



Group 4. Fungi affecting chiefly the Nervous System and the Gastro- 

 intestinal System. This group includes Boletus luridus, 'Amanita cothur- 

 nata, A. muscaria, A. pantherina, Clitocybe illudens, Inocybe infida and 

 perhaps Pholiota autumnalis. These poisons affect the brain and spinal 

 cord. Roch states that Amanita muscaria does not deserve its bad re- 

 putation and states emphatically that it does not kill. He recalls the 

 fact that in Russia it is eaten freely, if the cap is peeled and the fungus 

 soaked in acidulated water. In Siberia also the natives use the poison 

 of this plant in religious ceremonies to produce cerebral intoxication, 

 excitement and ectasy. He points to the fact that the poison is eliminated 

 from the body by the kidneys with great rapidity and that in order to 

 continue this cerebral debauch the dose is frequently repeated by drinking 

 the excretion. The lesser symptoms are like a real alcoholic, or cocaine, 

 intoxication; excited heart action, dizziness, laughing and crying, a desire 

 to jump and dance, to run and sing. The devotees of muscarin are 

 perfectly happy, they are in high spirits, experience religious ectasy and , 

 this is all increased by ocular hallucination, in which distances are greatly 

 increased, and size is distorted. They also have delightful visions of 

 singing birds, palaces and beautiful landscapes. Roch states, however, 

 that to meet death in this class the sufferer must have eaten Amanita 

 pantherina. He states that poisoning by Amanita muscaria results in 100 

 per cent, recovery. These statements are in direct contradiction of those 

 usually accepted (see ante) and should be carefully reinvestigated. 



Group 5.- Stimulating only the Nervous System. Panceolus cam- 

 panulatus, P. venenosus, P. retirugis and P. semiglobatus are included here. 



Group 6. Fungi causing Cell Destruction after a Prolonged Incubation. 

 The fungi of this group cause a destruction of certain cells of the body 

 after a prolonged period of unmanifested activity and are therefore 



