18S SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
THE EFFECT OF A SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION OF PANAEOLUS 
VENENOSUS 
Different quantities of Panaeolus venenosus infusion were in- 
jected subcutaneously into guinea pigs and rabbits. In all twelve 
tests were made and TABLE 2 gives the results of some of the more 
interesting ones. The early symptoms noted for intraperitoneal 
injections appeared in these experiments but the effects were not 
so pronounced. "There was the lethargic state, during which the 
animal did not feed and responded very poorly to external stimuli. 
These effects, however, wore off more or less quickly; the time of 
recovery varying with the individual animals. The sensory re- 
sponses became normal within 48 hours in the most poisoned 
animals. In all injected animals there was evidence of continued 
local irritation lasting a number of days after the injection. The 
animal persistently licked the skin where the injection was given. 
About a week after the injection, the skin in the region of the 
wound broke down and a lesion was formed covering an area of 
3to4cm. This sloughing off of the skin invariably occurred when 
a subcutaneous injection was given. The skin healed completely 
three to four weeks later. No death occurred as a result of a 
subcutaneous injection. 
It appears from the experiments that, unlike the intraperitoneal 
injections, the subcutaneous injection of Panaeolus venenosus in 
the quantities employed does not produce fatal results. However, 
temporary intoxication results and a sloughing off of the skin in 
the region of injection is sure to follow in both guinea pigs and 
rabbits. In this respect Panaeolus venenosus infusion behaves 
like the extract of Clitocybe multiceps reported by Ford (1911). 
Small quantities of the Panaeolus venenosus infusion are sufficient 
so to affect the skin (see experiment No. 3—TABLE 2). 
THE EFFECTS OF FEEDING PANAEOLUS VENENOSUS TO GUINEA 
PIGS 
Guinea pigs refuse the fresh pilei, but when these are crushed 
and mixed with lettuce leaves they will eat small quantities. 
When fed lightly with their customary food for twenty-four hours 
previously they take the Panaeolus more readily. In this way it 
was possible to feed them 5 gm. of the plants at one time. In- 
