The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-09-19
SEPTEMBER 10. 1906.
DEADLY MUSHROOMS.
THE BEAUTIFUL BUT VENoMoUs
hMANlTA FAMILY

AMANITA FAMILY.
Henenth the Pleasing Exterior OF
This brilliant Fungus Turks "a
Vicious Poison That Is Fatal to the
Lives of Men and cattle.
In tue dark shade Of lofty pine trees
and under spreading oaks In more
apen woods mushroom is found 20
remarkable In color and graceful in
form that its beauty has excited ad.
miration for hundreds of years. The
color of its bright orange cap and lite
chalk white stem and gills Is height
encd by the surrounding darkness OF
the woods and presents contrast rs
singular as il is beautiful
But beneath the pleasing exterior Of
this brilliant fungus poison turks So
fatal to the lives Of men and cattle
and in different countries mothers eau
ton their children 10 beware Of its
charms
Amanita muscaria. the deadly. OF
lily, ananita. is completely incased in
Il teece=lllIe covering during the early
stages of its growth, which makes II
decidedly egg shaped In form. Az
the stem leHgthens this covering either
adheres in loose patches to the top OF
the cap ar it slips away and forms
sheathiug to the cup at the base of the
stem.
Another Inner covering breaks away
in It's turn from The cap us the mush
room expands ana 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.
II 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
or reddish IN the center and light vel
low toward the edges, and ii has no.
ticeablr waftIike patches spread over
the top On old plants the color fades
out aud late IN the season particularly
forms Of the deadly amanita nre found
which are almost white The stem IL
easily separated from The cup mt its
base
This mushroom Is more generally
known than any Of the other poison.
Gus species. It has long been used as
Il fly poison in Europe, and il takes It's
name, muscaria, from the Latin word
for II fly It's poisonous effect upon hu-
man beings begins IA few hours after
il has been eaten. The symptoms nre
nausea aud faintncss, with cold per.
o,,'~.,.t--,. -..-si 10y -. rane--,~i A..
we're eases by death from Il gradual
weakening Of the heart
\ strong emcttc should be given at
once. and Ia all eases n physician
should be called. Sulphate of ntropIn
is the only known chemical nntldote
for this poison and To save the patient
1t must be promptly administered by
hypodermc injections.
The poison may also he absorbed
through the pores of the skin and bad
cases Of poisoning have been produced
10y simply holding an amanta in the
closed hand or breathing Its exhala-
lions in Il warm room.
If poisonous mushrooms are packed
in the same box with edible ones the
virus from the poisonous fungi Is nh
sOrhed 10y the harmless mushrooms.
and they become ms dangerous to eat
IA the original offenders
In certain countries the deadly anna
nita seems to lose some of Its virulen
cy, and In the north of Russia and
parts Of northeastern Asia 1t is used In
the same manner MS wine for Its In.
toNieating effects The mushrooms are
gathered In hot weather and are hung
up IN the air 10 dry or they are some
times picked fresh and put into soup
or sauces y small amount swallowed
whole Is enough 10 produce II days In
toNlCation
Another fatally dangerous member
of The amanita family Is the death
cup tAmauitn phalloldesl. II beautiful
mushroom which also grows In the
woods. especially Ia pine forests, 1t Is
not 81 highly Volured MS the deadly
and. unlike that mushroom.
II has II smooth. satiny cap. 1t Is usu.
ally white on straw Volored, hut spcci. |
mems are found which are Hight brown.
green. yellow and spotted The stem
is white and nearly smooth, aud the
cup at the base Of the stem IS mvaria
bly, present
The death cup Is even more poison
GUS thun the deadly amanita and |
stands inst among all noNious fungi |
for its poisonous qualities 1t grows |
in the eastern and middle states and !
in particularly large quantities near
the city Of Washington.
Another amAuitu (Amanita Nernusl. |
found in the woods in spring, is also |
very puiSonuns and may he told by |
its color which is creamy white |
throughout
ALTHOUGH 1t Is said that the amauitas |
are the only mushrooms which have /
proved fatal 10 human life there are
other varieties which cause such acute |
distress that II Is well to guard against !
eating them
! ne ht''tt, iui ihNtlhNf, nave stNeEll
which are nouedihle, although |
many kinds on tie other hand. make |
fa4d The holet are distin-
guished by a sponge like surface OF
pores instead Of gills beneath the cap. |
fhe harmful varieties are bitter MS u
rule, and chang eo,or 10 blue or red |
when eut on broken The edible varie |
ties remain white Annie Cakes Hunt
ngton in Youths Companion
Pins.
An eNchan"e asks What becomes of !