Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-11-22
DEADLY MUSHROOMS.
THE BEAUTIFUL BUT VENOMOu9
hMANITA FAMILY.

AMNNlTA FAMILY.
beneath thS Pleasing Exterior of
This Briut.,nt Fungus Turks n
Vicious Poison That Is Fatal to the
Lives of Men and cattle.
In the dark shade of lofty pine trees
and under spreading oaks in more
open woods a mushroom is found so
,amarkabIe IN color and graceful in
iorm that its beauty has excited ad-
miration for hundreds Of years The
rolor Of its bright orange cap and it's
rhall, white stem and gills is height
cued by the surrounding darkness of
the woods aud presents a contrast as
singular as if Is beautiful
But benra III the pleasing exterior of
this bril!lGu, fungus a poison turks so
fatal - thc lives of men and cattle
that il is called the deadly amanita,
and in different countries mothers eau
tion their children to beware of its
charms.
AmauitI muscaria. the deadly, or
fly, amanta, is completely incased In
a feecc-ljhe covering during the early
stages Of its growth. which makes 1t
decidedly c-g SNAPPED in form. As
the tenn lengthens this covering either
adher@s in loose patches to the top of
the cap or il slips away and forms a
sheathius TO the cup at the base Of the
stem.
Another inner covering breaks away
in its turn from the cap as the mush-
room expands and forms a conspicuous
collar about thc upper part of the
stem. The dubious base Of the stem
and t.asc rUptured, tleecy coverings
are r.5nounced characteristics which
are most helpful in distinguishing this
danga"ous fungus from the other varie-
ties vi mushrooms.
1t IS strong. free from pests and
grows to height from four to sixteen
inches In color the cap is sometimes
bright scarlet, again orange or yellow
or reddish in the center and light yel-
low toward the edges, and it has no
ticeable wartlke patches spread over
the top. On old plants the color fades
out, and late ia the season particularly
forms of the deadly amanita 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
Gus species. 1t has long been used as
fly poison in Europe, and it takes its
name. muscaria, from the Latin word
for Il fly lis poisonous effect upon hui
man beings begins a few hours after
it has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and faintness, with cold per-
spiration and stupor, followed In Sc
we're casos by death from a gradual
weakening Of the heart.
\ strong emetic should be given at
once. and in all cases a physician
should be called. Sulphate Of atropln
Is the only known chemical antidOte
for this poison, and to save the patient
1t must be promptly administered by
hypodermic injections.
The poison may also be absorbed
through the pores Of the skin, and bad
eases of poisoning have been produced
by simply holding an amanita in the
closed hand or breathing It's exhala-
tions in warm room.
II poisonous mushrooms are packed
In the same box with edible ones the
virus from the poisonous fungi is alb
solDed by the harmless mushrooms,
and they become as dangerous to eat
.s tI,o y.i..t,aI ofF.nIarc
In certain countries the deadly anna
nita seems 10 lose some of its yiruien-
q. and in tie north of Russia and
parts of northeastern Asia 1t is used in
the same manner as wine for It's in
toXicating effects The mushrooms are
gathered in hot weather and are hung
up in the air to dry or they are some
times picked fresh and put into soup
or sauces. \ small amount swallowed
whole is enough To produce a days in
tOXication.
Another fatally dangerous member
Of the amanita family is the death
cup tAmanita phalloideSl, beautiful
mushroom which also grows in the
woods. especially in pine forests 1t Is
no. So highly cOlored as the deadly
agu.fa and, unlike that mushroom,
il ha q smooth. satiny cap. 1t IS usu-
ally white Or straw colored, but spect-
u,n, are found which are light brown.
green yellow and spotted. The stem
J. white and nearly smooth, and the
cap 80 the base of the stem IS invaria-
h}y r.e.eat
me GeJth cup is even more poison
Gus han The deadly amanita and
#tanls g." among all noXious fungi
for its poisonous qualities. 1t grows
In tie eastern and middle states and
IN particularly large quantities near
the city Of Washington.
Another @mauita (Amanita Vernusl,
found in the woods in spring, is also
very poisonous and may be told by
its color which is a creamy white
throughout.
Although 1t is said that the amanitas
are the only mushrooms which have
proved fatal to human life, there are
other varieties which cause such acute
di tres tE3t it IS we'll to guard against
eating them.
The bolctI for instance have several