MUSCARINE. 
§§ 535 - 538 .] 
439 
which a boy had eaten a piece of the pileus, death occurred on the 
fourth day. 
§ 535. The post-mortem appearances observed in Maschka’s seven 
cases were—absence of cadaveric rigidity, dilatation of the pupil, a dark- 
red fluid condition of the blood, numerous ecchymoses in the pleura, in 
the substance of the lungs, the pericardium, the substance of the heart, 
the liver, kidneys, and spleen. The mucous membrane of the digestive 
canal presented nothing characteristic. In two cases there were a few 
ecchymoses, and in one the mucous membrane of the stomach was 
softened, red, and easily detached. In one case only were any remnants 
of the fungus found, by which the nature of the substance eaten could 
be determined. The bladder in each case was full. In three cases a 
fatty degeneration of the liver had commenced. The same appearance 
was met with in some of the older cases related by Orfila. 
§ 536. The Agaricus pantherinus is said to be poisonous, although 
Hertwig found it to have no action when given to dogs. 
The Agaricus ruber, a bright-hued fungus, growing profusely on 
the Hampshire coast, of a purple-red colour—the colouring-matter 
not only covering the pileus, but also extending down the stipe—is 
poisonous, and has been chemically investigated by Phipson, 1 who has 
identified a colouring-matter ruberine, and an alkaloid agarythrine. 
Agarythrine is separated by macerating the fungus (from which the 
skin containing the colouring-matter has been removed) as completely as 
possible in water acidulated with 8 per cent, of hydrochloric acid. The 
filtered solution is neutralised by sodic carbonate, and the alkaloid 
shaken up with ether. On evaporation the ether leaves a white, some¬ 
what greasy-looking substance, having a bitter, burning taste, and easily 
fusible into yellow globules, giving forth an odour like quinoleine ; it 
is soluble in alcohol and ether. From Phipson’s observations it would 
appear probable that the red colouring-matter is derived from a decom¬ 
position of this alkaloidal substance. A rose-red colour is produced by 
the action of nitric acid, and chlorinated lime first reddens and then 
bleaches it. Buchwald 2 has recorded three cases of poisoning by this 
fungus ; the patients were labourers, who, after eating the fungus, 
suffered from vomiting, thirst, a “ drunken ” condition, cramp, albu¬ 
minuria, and disturbance of the sensory functions. The fungus causes 
in cats myosis, but is said not to affect rabbits. 
§ 537. The Boletus satanas, or luridus (Lenz), is poisonous ; very 
small quantities of the uncooked fungus caused in Lenz, who experi¬ 
mented upon its properties, violent vomiting. In cases in which this 
fungus has been eaten accidentally, the symptoms have been very similar 
to those of cholera. 
§ 538. The Common Morelle seems under certain conditions to be 
1 Chem. News, p. 199, 1882. 2 Industr. Bl., 1876. 
