The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-16
.7USHR00MSMAY
CAUSE DEATH.
John Barrett Ate Them and His
Life Is Despaired of,
THREE PERSONS ARE I'LL
from Ptomaine Poison Found
in the Plant.
THREE PERSONS ARE I'LL

John Barrett, a young farmer living
three and one-half miles south of the
Masonic Home, is at the point of death.
and his wife and mother are very Ill,
caused. according to the physician's
Statement. from ptomaine poison from
eating mushrooms. Tuesday evening Mr..
Bafrett went TO his fathers farm, near
by and gathered a large basket OF u1ush-
rfooms. His wife and his father and
nhosher ate heartily OF them during the
fevening. Yesterday morning Mr.. and
i Mrs. Barrett and his mother arose quite
Sick. The two women vomited. and for
this reason the poison did not get in its
work. and last night they We're i'll, but
not seriously
With Mr. Barrett il is an entirely dit
ferent matter, and Dr.. Cave. the attend
ing physician. says it viii be a miracle
If he survives. The entire family were
taken very sick yesterday morning aid
they had no way to send for aid. Every
person in the house was too sick 20 go
TO neighbors except the two small
children, and they did not think the IL
ness was Of d very serious nature until
too late 10 send for aid. Late in the
morning a neishbor called and through
him doctor was summoned. All yes
terday afternoon John Barrett was I'M
conscious, and late in the afternoon con-
Vulsions set in. DR.. Cave did all he could
to relieve the mans suffering and TO
save his life. but It seemed in vain and
DR.. Cave stated 10 the Eagle last night
that it was almost impossible for Mr.
Barrett 10 live. Word was received early
this morning from the home saying that
DIR. Barrett was still alive but no i'm
prOvemeat had beer noticed.
Some people of this city who learned of
the case last night would not believe that
the poison came from the real mush
rooms. They claimed that many people
of this city were eating mushrooms every
day and no i'll effects were noticeable.
II was stated that these people must
have eaten the mushrooms with 4 black
lining under the cOnical top.
Dr.. Cave stated TO the Eagle last night
that Mr. and Mrs. Barrett ate the real
mushrooms but their illness was caused
by ptomaine poisoning. / saw the mush-
rooms piled in a basket at the home,
said DIR. Cave. and examined them, and
] Believe they were the same mushrooms
as are commonly eaten by the people OF
this city. They were white and the IN
der surface was folded as in the common
species used as food The illness was
caused from ptomaine poisoning. The
mushrooms contained small particles OF
decomposed vegetable matter. Mr.. Bar
rett did not exercise proper care in Sc
1ecting the plants he picked up. Some OF
them were old and possibly had COM
menced to decay, and this allowed the
virulent poison to form"
The mushroom is Of fungus growth and
comes to maturity in a very short time
There are many species used as food and
rs many species are poisonous in the nat
ural state. The mushrooms are very
plentiful this year, but those who eat
them should be very careful in the Sc
lection. Coming as they do from spores
left in decomposing matter it is very
easy fer particles Of this matter to be
come : part of the plant itself and from
decomposed vegetable matter a most
deadly poison is formed. The mHsh-
rooms the Barrett family ate were pluck
ed fresh. and DR.. Cave Is Of the opinion
that no harm would have resulted except
from the fact that the plant had matured
and commenced 10 decay, and the poison
was formed
"People would do well to leave mush
rooms alone unless they are picked by
an expert and carefully examined, said
xfe doctor last night. and even then
there is considerable danger. Ptomaine
poison forms very rapidly and it acts so
quickly that within a few hours after
eating anything containing it there Is al
most no hope Of saving a persons life.
Mushrooms are always dangerous and
those who eat them cannot exercise too
much care in getting them.