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Atropine is an antidote to the poison of the “ fly amanita,” which 
paralyzes the nerves controlling the action of the heart. If the 
‘‘ deadly amanita;’’ which dissolves the blood corpuscles, has been 
eaten, the atropine will probably do no good, and death will surely 
follow if the amount eaten is sufficient. 
The ‘ deadly amanita,” shown in one of its forms in the accom- 
panying illustration (PI. 55, fig. 2), isa very conspicuous and beau- 
tiful object, occurring throughout the summer and autumn in open 
groves and along the edges of woods. Neither its odor nor its 
taste is disagreeable, asis the case with most inedible mushrooms, 
and it must be recognized by a careful study of its form and parts, 
which are, fortunately, very characteristic. 
most important part of the deadly amanita is the sheath at 
the base of the stem known as the ‘‘death-cup,”’ which is well 
shown in the illustration. This is what remains of the outer coat 
of the ‘“‘egg”’ after the cap has burst from it and has been carried 
upward by the growing stem. The ring on the stem is similar 
to that of the common mushroom, but the gills are white, both 
when young and old, those of the common mushroom being at 
first pink, then black. Nothing can be told from the color of the 
upper surface of the cap because it varies so much, being pure 
white, yellowish, brownish or blackish. Sometimes the surface 
is perfectly smooth and at other times it is adorned with pieces 
of the “death-cup,”’ which were caried up on it when the cap 
burst through the roof of the “ 
When gathering se ee it is exceedingly important to get 
all of the stem and not leave a portion of it in the ground, since 
the “death-cup”’ may thus be overlooked. Mushrooms shou 
not be gathered in the “button” stage unless mature specimens 
are growing in the same place, otherwise an “egg” of one of the 
poisonous kinds may be collected by mistake. 
The “fly amanita”’ is as beautiful as it is dangerous. The cap 
is usually bright scarlet, yellowish or orange, sometimes fading 
to nearly white, and covered with conspicuous warts, which are 
portions of the death-cup carried up from below. The rest of the 
cup will usually be found in fragments in the soil about the 
swollen base of the stem. The gills are white and remain so, 
