212 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



in drying and lose much weight. The presence of so'much nitro- 

 genous material induces rapid decay and loathsome decomposition 

 in them. It should also teach moderation in their use as food. 

 A hearty meal on mushrooms alone would be about as reasonable 

 as a dinner on nothing but beefsteak, and might be expected to 

 be followed by similar ill consequences. Gormandizing is not 

 commendable under any circumstances nor with any kind of 

 food. But especially should it be avoided in mushroom eating, 

 for the human system demands but small quantities of the nitro- 

 genous elements which enter into its composition. An excessive 

 amount is sure to be hurtful, but eaten in moderate quantity it is 

 easily digestible, acceptable and beneficial. The digestive organs 

 of the writer are not strong by nature and are easily affected by 

 unfavorable treatment or indigestible substances, yet he has never 

 experienced any discomfort from eating mushrooms. He has 

 eaten them frequently, partaken of many different species, and 

 experimented with a considerable number of species not classified 

 as edible. The explanation is simple. They have always been 

 eaten in moderate quantity. In my opinion, cases of sickness 

 and digestive derangement that have been attributed to poison- 

 ous properties of mushrooms are sometimes really due to the 

 excessive use of species that otherwise are perfectly harmless. 

 In some countries where edible fungi are commonly and exten- 

 sively employed as food, even species which we regard as 

 unwholesome are utilized. They are soaked in vinegar or in salt 

 water for the purpose of destroying or rendering inert their 

 noxious properties. They are then carefully washed and thrown 

 into hot water for a short time, after which they are treated in 

 the usual way. This practice is not recommended. Aside from 

 the danger arising from tbe inefficiency of the treatment in some 

 cases, it is very improbable that any mushrooms so treated would 

 still retain a very agreeable flavor. There is, besides, no need of 

 running any risks with doubtful or suspected species, for the 

 number of those known to be good and safe is sufficiently great 

 to satisfy all reasonable demands. Possibly the time may yet 

 come when the noxious properties of poisonous mushrooms may 

 be utilized with advantage in medicine, but such species should 

 not be used as food. He who is too ignorant to recognize with 

 confidence the species known to be good, would better abstain 



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