The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-05

~ TI77IlL 1IT VE|l oLls
1.

49, V .
Thi- BrlEiiaat EuREas Larl-s. .
Elelsas Feisan Thae Il Fatal 10 the
Lfves 81 aIeh ana Cattle.
In the dark shade OF lofty pine trass
and under spreading oaks In more
open woods a mushroom Is found 80
I remarkable In color and gracefnI Ia
FORM thar its beauty has excited ad-
< mlrati1n for hundreds OF years. The
color OF its bright orange cap and It's
/ chalk white stem and giils Is height
I ened by the surrounding darkness OF
] the woods and presents contrast as
| singular as It IS beautiful
But beneath the pleasing exterior OF
| this brilliant fungus poison turks 50
| fatal to the lives of men and cattle
that It is called the deadly amanita.
aud in different countries mothers eau
tfon their children to beware Of its
charms.
Amanita muscaria, the deadly. or
dy, amanIta. Is completely lncased in
heece-like coverings during the early
stages of its growth, which makes It
decidedly egg shaped In form. As
The stem lengthens this covering either
adheres in loose patches to the top OF
the cap OF it slips away and forms a
sheathing to the cup at the base OF the
stem.
Another inner covering breaSs away
In It's turn from the cap as the mush-
room expands and forms a conspicuous
collar about the upper part of the
STEM The dubious base OF the stem
and these ruptured. heecy coverings
are pronounced characteristics which
are most helpful In distinguishing this
dangerous fungus from the other varie-
ties of mushrooms.
It is strong. free from pests and
grows to a height from four to sixteen
inches. In color the CAP is sometimes
bright scarlet, again orange or yellow
Dr. reddish in the center and light yell
low toward the edges, and 1t has mo-
ticeable wartIike patches spread over
the top. On old plants the color fades
out, and late in the season particularly
forms of the deadly amnnfta are found
which are almost white The stem Is
easily separated from the cup at its
base.
This mushroom Is more generally
known than any of the other poison
ous species. 1t has long been used as
1 fly poison in Europe. and it takes its
name, muscaria, from the Latin word
for a fly. It's poisonous effect upon hui
man beings begins a few hours after
If has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and fIintness. with cold per-
spiration and stupor, followed in Sc
we're cases by death from gradual
weakening of the heart.
a strong emetic should be given at
once, and IN all cases n physician
should be called. Sulphate of atropin
IS the only known chemical nntidOte
for this poison. and to save the patient
t must be promptly administered by |
injections.
The poison may also be absorbed |
through the pores of the skin. and bad |
.ases of poisoning have been produced |
)y simply holding an amanita in the |
,losed hand or breathing its eXhala-
ions in warm room.
Il poisonous mushrooms are packed |
n the same box with edible ones the |
-irUs from the poisonous fungi Is as- |
;orbed by the harmless mushrooms, I
ind they become Us dangerous to eat
IS the original offenders.
In certain countries the deadly anna |
lita seems to lose some Of its vlrulen- |
y, and in the north OF Russia and
,arts of northeastern Asia 1t is used In
he same manner as wine for Its In
oxIcating effects. The mushrooms are
in hot weather and are hung
lp in the air to dry or they are some
ines picked fresh and put into soup
r sauces. A small amount swallowed
Whole is enough to produce a days In
oxfcation.
another fatally dangerous member
{ the amanita family is the death II
up CAmanItn phnlloides). bedhtiful 4
mushroom which also grows In the
ToOds, especially in pine forests. 1t Is
OF so highly colored as the deadly
mauita. and. unlike that mushroom.
. has n smooth, satiny cap. 1t Is usu-
lily white or straw coIored, but speci-
lens are found which are light brown,
reen. yellow and spotted. The stem
white and nearly smooth. and the
up ut the base of the stem is lnvaria-
Iy present
The death cup is even more poison
us than the deadly amanita and
lands first among all noxious fungi
Or its poisonous qualities. 1t grows (;
! the eastern and middle states and
particularly large quantities near
he city OF Washington.
Another Gmanitn (Amanita vernus).
ound In the woods in spring, Is also .
cry poisonous and may be told by
5 color. which IS a creamy white !
lrouEhOut.
Although it is said that the amOnitas &
re the only mushrooms which have S
roved fatal to human life, there are
Their varieties which cause such acute !
lstress that it Is we'll to guard against :
itInG them.
The boleti for instance. have several /
lrieties which are nonedlble. although /
any kinds, on the other hand, make +
,IlcInlls fnnl I,hn hnleN nre dIatln- E