64 EDIBLE MUSHROOMS 



beautiful toadstools growing abundantly under trees, among which 

 the chestnut predominated. 



Attracted by their appearance, and supposing them to be edi- 

 ble, they gathered a large quantity, with the anticipation of hav- 

 ing a delicious dish for their Sunday evening 



Amanita ™eal. 



poisoning Various other kinds were growing in the same 



symptoms locality, but this particular variety impressed 



them as being the most inviting. A correct 



specimen of the fungus they had collected having been sent 



you, I will leave its botanical description to your pen. 



At about nine o'clock, five hours after gathering them, Mrs. F. 

 cooked three pints of the toadstools, stewing them in milk, and 

 seasoning with butter, pepper, and salt. 



They had dinner at a very early hour on this day, and by the 

 time they had supper all felt exceedingly hungry, in consequence 

 of which they ate quite heartily. Mrs. F. and her brother vied 

 with each other as to the quantity they could eat. In addition 

 to this dish, bread and butter and coiifee were served. 



Soon after supper the family retired. None experienced the 

 least discomfort until towards daybreak, when considerable dis- 

 tress in the abdominal organs and cerebral disturbance manifested 

 themselves. Prominent among the initial symptoms were foul 

 breath, coated tongue, pain in the stomach, nausea, and a peculiar 

 sickening sensation in the epigastrium. These symptoms gradual- 

 ly increased in severity, and in twelve hours after the ingestion 

 of the poison, when I made my first visit, the condition of the 

 victims involved great danger. Intense vomiting was present in 

 four, while in Mrs. R.'s case a violent retching seemed to persist. 



Gastro-intestinal irritation, followed by a relaxed condition of 

 the bowels, showed itself in about thirty hours after the onset of 

 the more active symptoms. With the appearance of this trouble 

 an insufferable tenesmus developed, producing paroxysms of 

 severe agony. This was particularly true in the case of Mrs. R., 

 whose suffering was so great that it became a formidable symptom 

 to combat. Upon the subsidence of the more severe symptoms, 

 the patients fell into a state of extreme prostration, accompanied 

 by stupor and cold extremities. In the mother, son, and daughter 

 this was profoundly marked. They were completely indifferent 



