& 
probably will persist in it as long as they can be obtained. To 
diminish the number of such accidents by cultivating a better 
general knowledge of the subject is one of the purposes of the 
writer. It is true that there are some poisonous species, dan- 
gerous to eat; but the number of such species is often greatly 
overestimated. Probably the proportion of dangerously poison- 
ous species is no greater among fungi than among flowering 
plants. In this State only three or four species have been found 
that may be classed as actually known to be fatally poisonous. 
There are many that are of such a character as toproduce nausea, 
vomiting and derangement of the digestive organs, but they are 
not to be classed as really dangerous to life. They are unwhole- 
some because of their persistently bitter, acid or otherwise dis- 
agreeable flavor, or because of toughness of texture, or the pos- 
session of some quality repugnant to the stomach, but not neces- 
sarily causing death, for if such are eaten, the irritation produced 
generally induces their speedy rejection from the system, and 
then the normal condition of the victim is soon restored. 
On the other hand the dangerously poisonous species appear to 
cause no irritation or unpleasant symptoms until after the lapse 
of several hours after eating, usually from eight to fifteen. The 
poisonous property, which has received the names amanitine, bul- 
bosine, or muscarine, according to the kind of fungus from which | 
it was obtained, appears to enter into the circulation and to at- 
tack the nervous system. Then the symptoms begin to manifest 
themselves. The face exhibits an ashy paleness; there is distress 
in the region of the stomach; nausea, vomiting and relaxation 
of the bowels follow, the extremities become cold, the pulse 
feeble, the eyesight is affected, and finally stupor and death fol- 
low if relief is not obtained. Atropine has been found to be an 
antidote to this kind of poisoning. It has been administered in 
‘doses of 1-60 to 1-3 of a grain according to the severity of the 
case, and the dose may be repeated if necessary. It may be ad- 
ministered in subcutaneous injections. In other cases the symp- 
toms appear much sooner, and relief may be hastened by the 
administration of some simple emetic. 
It is the fear of being poisoned that prevents many from using 
mushrooms. They are unable to distinguish the good from the 
bad, and therefore wisely avoid both. The erroneous opinion is 
often entertained that the poisonous species are about as numer- 
ous as the edible. Many also suppose that some simple test may 
be employed which will reveal the character of the mushrooms 
and show whether they are hurtful or harmless. Hence the oft- 
7 
