the mind are first produced ; the countenance becomes flushed ; involuntary words and actions follow, and 
sometimes, at last, an entire loss of consciousness. It renders some remarkably active, and proves highly 
stimulant to muscular exertion : with too large a dose, violent spasmodic actions are produced. 
“ Poisoning by Mushrooms” says Professor Taylor, (on Poisons, p. 768) “is by no means unusual an i 
the result of accident. Modern writers on this subject have described no less than forty species, of which I 
only a few can be safely eaten in this country. Among them the Agaricus Campestris and Esculentus are j 
perhaps most commonly employed as articles of food. It is a curious fact, that the poisonous properties of 
mushrooms vary with climate, and probably with the season of the year at which they are gathered. Another 
circumstance deserving of notice is, that by idiosyncrasy, some individuals are liable to be seriously affected ! 
even by those species which are commonly regarded as innocent. Some species which are poisonous in this ! 
country, are used freely by the Russians ; although it appears they are in the habit of salting, boiling, and 
compressing them before they are eaten ; — this may in some instances suffice to account for their having no 
noxious effects. Dr. Badham states that the Agaricus Compestris or common mushroom, which is largely J 
eaten in England, is regarded as poisonous in Rome, and is accordingly rejected ; while many varieties, j 
which in this country would produce symptoms of poisoning, are eaten with impunity. There do not ap- ! 
pear to be any satisfactory rules for distinguishing the mushrooms which are wholesome from those which i 
are poisonous. The best test is that assigned by Dr. Christison — namely, that the poisonous vegetable has ] 
an astringent styptic taste, and perhaps also a disagreeable, but certainly a pungent odour. All mushrooms L 
that are highly coloured, or grow in dark and shady places, are generally poisonous. 
“The noxious species of mushrooms act sometimes as narcotics, at others as irritants. It would 
appear from the reports of several cases, that when the narcotic symptoms are excited, they come on 
soon after the meal at which the mushrooms have been eaten, and that they are chiefly manifested by ! 
giddiness, dimness of sight, and debility. The person appears as if intoxicated, and they are singular j 
illusions of sense. Spasms and convulsions have been occasionally witnessed among the symptoms where j 
the case has proved fatal. Dr. Peddie has related three cases of poisoning by mushrooms, in which the 1 
poison acted as a pure narcotic ; there was no pain in the abdomen, nor irritation in the alimentary 
canal. The narcotic symptoms began in half an hour with giddiness and stupor ; the first effect with one 
patient was, that every object appeared to him to be of a blue colour. The three patients recovered, two of 
them rapidly. When the drowsiness passes off, there is generally nausea and vomiting ; but sometimes U 
vomiting and diarrhoea precede the stupor. If the symptoms do not occur until many hours after the meal, 
they partake more of the characters of irritation ; — indicated by pain and swelling of the abdomen, vomiting, 
and purging. Several cases, in which the symptoms did not appear until after the lapse of fourteen hours, 
are reported in the Medical Gazette (vol. xxv. p. 110.) In some instances the symptoms of poisoning have 
not commenced until after the lapse of thirty hours, and in these narcotism followed the symptoms of irri- j 
tation. It might be supposed that these variable effects were due to different properties in the mushrooms, | 
but the same fungi have acted on members of the same family, in one case like irritants, and in another like 
narcotics. In most cases recovery takes place, especially if vomiting be early induced. In the few instances , 
which have proved fatal, there has been more or less inflammation in the stomach and bowels, with turges- 
cence of the vessels of the brain. Balardini states, that of sixty-eight cases of poisoning by mushrooms, h 
which occurred in the province of Brescia during a period of twenty years, twenty proved fatal. The prin- 
cipal symptoms were nausea, uneasiness in the abdomen, vertigo ; a state resembling intoxication ; vomiting ; 
and diarrhoea ; loss of power of locomotion, with convulsions. In six cases which occurred to Dr. Keber, 
in which the Helvetia esculenta had caused symptoms of poisoning, the patients became jaundiced as soon as 
the vomiting had ceased. The principal symptom was urgent vomiting, but one girl, age 18, fell into a state 
of coma, from which she did not recover for three days. It was probable that in this instance the noxious 
effects were due to season. The common truffle ( Morchella esculenta) has been known to give rise to severe 
symptoms of irritant poisoning. In some cases lately reported (Ed. Med. and Surg. Journ., Oct. 1845,530), ■ I 
it is probable that the truffles had undergone decomposition before they were eaten. 
“ Ketchup, a liquor made from mushrooms, has occasioned faintness, nausea, and severe pain in the 
abdomen, disappearing only after some hours. (Dub. Med. Press, Sep. 24, 1845, 195.) There are two 
ways of explaining this effect: 1st, either that the individual labours under an idiosyncrasy with respect to 
mushrooms in general; or 2ndly, that noxious, have been gathered by mistake for esculent mushrooms. A 
case is on record which shows that a medical jurist may be easily misled when any active poison is mixed 
with and administered in a dish of mushrooms. A servant-girl poisoned her mistress by mixing arseniG 
with mushrooms. This person died in twenty hours, after suffering severely from vomiting and colicky j 
pains. On dissection, the stomach and intestines were found inflamed. Death was ascribed to the effects I 
of the mushrooms, which were considered to have been unwholesome, and the fact of poisoning only came 
out many years afterwards, by the confession of the prisoner. This shows with what a watchful eye such 
cases should be examined ; in the absence of poison from the stomach, it would be extremely difficult to 
develope the truth. 
Analysis. — The discovery of portions of the fungus in the matter vomited, or the description of the 
food eaten, will commonly lead to a diagnosis of this form of poisoning. The poisonous principle contained ! 
in mushrooms is called Fungin; it appears to be of a volatile nature, and soluble in water, for some varieties j 
of noxious mushrooms may be eaten with impunity when they have been well boiled in water and afterwards 
pressed. One of the most poisonous in this country, Amanita muscaria, or Fly-mushroom, renders the 
water in which it is boiled so poisonous, that animals are killed by it, while the boiled fungus itself has no 
effect upon them. 
