Dec. 1903] Poisoning by Lepiota Morgani Pk 
221 
by its free lamellae. The fleshy pileus is usually scaly in this 
genus. The stalk is firm. 
While this genus, in classification, falls somewhat near the 
deadly Amanitas, its members are usually considered wholesome, 
and several of them certainly are so. 
The one species in question, Lepiota Morgani Pk., is a large 
attractive form which with its abundance of clean, firm flesh is 
especially tempting. This species may be distinguished by its 
greenish spores. By some it is regarded as edible, while by 
others it is viewed with suspicion. 
The personal experience of the writer with this fungus, 
with an accurate account of symptoms written from notes made 
on the day of the experiment may be worthy of record in view 
of the somewhat indefinite position that the species occupies in 
the minds of mycophagists. 
About three cubic centimeters of the pileus in fresh condition 
were eaten raw on August 21st at 12:45 P. M. The taste was 
mild and pleasant with no specially marked characteristics. At 
one o’clock I ate a full dinner, consisting of no unusual foods, 
and after dinner worked a bit in the hot sun from 1130 to 2 :30. 
In the meantime symptoms of slight dizziness gradually de¬ 
veloped. The dizziness was so slight that it is perhaps proper 
to call it a lack of clearness, haziness or fogginess of the brain 
rather than real dizziness. This, at the time, was attributed to 
the intense heat of the afternoon. From 2:45 to 3 o’clock very 
slight gastric uneasiness, not nausea, merely disquiet, accompa¬ 
nied by slight tension of the muscles of the jaw, throat, and 
mouth was noticeable. At three o’clock, occurred, without an 
instant’s warning sudden violent vomiting. This was painless 
and without nausea. The stomach’s content was sour. This 
attack was immediately preceded by a few moments marked by 
cold sweat. The attack was repeated at 3 130, at 4 and at 4 *.40. 
Frequent sneezing, occasional slight chills and the foggy head 
occurred throughout this time. The symptoms were decidedly 
aggravated just prior to each attack of vomiting. The strength 
remained practically normal. 
The writer travelled from Raleigh to Goldsboro in the in¬ 
terval between 3 130 and 6 P. M., drinking copious supplies of 
water as a stomach wash after 4 P. M. About 4:30 diarrhoea 
began. There was full control of the rectal muscles but the dis¬ 
charge was extremely watery. The last vomiting occurred at 
4140. The diarrhoea continued until six or eight o’clock. 
Slight pain in the region of the stomach and intestine was felt 
from 4130 to 5 140. Mucus was abundant in the throat, coming 
probably from the stomach. After five o’clock there was rapid 
recovery to the normal. I ate a moderately large supper at 8 
P. M., slept well and awoke in normal health next morning. All 
of the symptoms excepting the severe vomiting and diarrhoea 
