TOXINS FROM MUSHROOMS. 49 



ence of an elevated temperature, as are many of 

 the albuminoid substances, whereby their toxic 

 power is lost, phallin may be boiled for half an 

 hour with water without undergoing any noticeable 

 alteration. Pellegrini has observed that the dried 

 juice of Amanita Phalloides (Death-cup) preserves 

 its properties for more than a year. 



According to a recent paper by Gillot, the symp- 

 toms of poisoning by mushrooms must be ascribed 

 to albuminoids (phallin and albumose), alkaloids 

 (muscarine, choline, or betaine), or to resinoids 

 (cambogic and agaricic acids). 



The alkaloids found in mushrooms are : Muscari- 

 dine (an oxyneurine), which possesses considerable 

 toxicity, and of which 0.00005 Gm. suffices to kill 

 a frog; murine (trimethylethylammonium hydrox- 

 ide) ; choline (trimethyloxyethylammonium hydrox- 

 ide) ; mycetomuscarine; anhydromuscarine (an oxy- 

 neurine) ; and a whole series of various betaines. 



Symptomology. — It is quite natural to divide 

 this symptomology into three different periods; 

 that of incubation, that of manifestation of symp- 

 toms, and that of termination. 



The duration of the first period, that of incu- 

 bation, is exceedingly variable; it very rarely 

 lasts more than forty-eight hours, and becomes 

 general only a few hours after absorption. Certain 

 conditions influence the duration ; firstly the quan- 

 tity of mushrooms ingested, then the manner in 



