30 EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 



2. The cause of violent digestive or other func- 

 tional disturbance, but not necessarily fatal. 



3. The occasion of more or less serious physical 

 derangement through mere indigestibility. 



4. Productive of similar disorders through the em- 

 ployment of decayed or wormy specimens of perfectly 

 esculent species. 



5. These same esculent species, even in their fresh 

 condition, may become highly noxious by contact or 

 confinement with specimens of the Amanita by the 

 absorption of its volatile poison, as further described 

 on p. 69. 



And lastly comes the question of idiosyncrasy, a 

 consideration which is of course not taken into ac- 

 count in our recommendation of cer- 

 Concerning tain well-established food varieties. 

 idiosyncrasy " One man's food another man's poi- 

 son." The scent of the rose is some- 

 times a serious affliction, and even the delicious straw- 

 berry has repeatedly proven a poison. Even the 

 most whplesome mushroom will occasionally require 

 to be discriminated against, as certain 

 Decaying individuals find it necessary to exclude 

 mushrooms cabbage, milk, onions, and other com- 

 mon food from their diet. When we 

 reflect, moreover, that in its essential chemical affin- 

 ities the fungus simulates animal flesh, and many 

 of the larger and more solid varieties 

 Fresii are similarly subject to speedy decom- 

 specimens position, it is obviously important that 

 all fu7igi procured for the table should 

 be collected in their prime, arid prepared and served as 



