168 
is very small and when they are eliminated there are still many 
desirable fungi which are perfectly safe esculents 
So far we have mentioned only the prophylactic measures to 
be taken in eating wild mushrooms gathered in the fields, but 
there is a broader phase to be considered; this is the question of 
mushrooms in the public markets. If these markets are supplied 
by wild fungi gathered for the purpose it is necessary to see that 
no poisonous species become mixed with the others. In Euro- 
pean countries many of the public markets have an official mush- 
room inspector, whose duty it is to examine all lots of fungi before 
they are exposed for sale and to condemn all fungi not known to 
be entirely harmless to man. With the increasing taste for 
mushrooms in this country and the larger stocks carried during 
the season, it may become necessary for us to control our mush- 
room supply in a similar manner. Several deaths have been 
caused by poisonous fungi bought in our public markets. 
Even the use of cultivated mushrooms does not guarantee im- 
munity from trouble by poisoning since it is believed by several 
investigators that harmless fungi may become poisonous if kept 
too long before consumption (Kobert). This often happens in 
markets and restaurants where mushrooms become slightly 
akan before they can be sold. Another danger is that 
ooked mushrooms may develop toxic Properties after being 
unstable nitrogenous substances in edible fungi could easily be 
changed into toxic constituents by the action of microérganisms 
This is another matter that ought to be studied by chemical and 
pharmacological metot before we can feel at all satisfied with 
our present geof the rag of poisonous apa 
WILLIAM W. F AND Ernest D. Cia 
Jouns HopkINS UNIVERSITY, BALTIMORE, MD. 
BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY, WASHINGTON, D. C. 
