Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-10-10
DEADLY MUSHROOMS.
The BEAUTIFUL BUT vENoMoUs
AMANITA FAMILY.

fschons Poison That Il Fatal TO the
Lives OF Men and Cattle.
In the dark shade Of lofty pine trees
end under spreading oaks I'm more
open woods a mushroom is found 60
remarkable i'm color and graceful In
form that its beauty has excited al.
mlration for hundreds OF years The
color OF its bright orange cap and It's
chalk white stem and gllls IS height.
ened by the surrounding darkness Of
the woods and presents a contrast as
singular as II Is beautiful.
But beneath the pleasing exterior ~
this brilliant fungus poison Turks so
fatal 70 the lives OF men and cattle
that il Is called the deadly amanlta.
and III different countries mothers eau.
ton their children 70 beware Of II,
charms
Ananita muscaria. the deadly. OF
fly, amanita. Is completely incased In
heece-like covering during the early
stages Of IT'S growth. which makes n
decidedly egg shaped in form. As
the stem lengtheus this covering eitber
adheres in loose patches TO the top Of
the cap or 1t slips away and forms a
sheathing 10 the cup Mt the base Of the
stem.
Another inner covering breaks away
IN its turn from the cap rs the mush.
room expands and forms n conspicnors
collar about the upper part Of the
stem. The dubious base OF the stem
and these ruptured. fieecy coverings
are pronounced characteristics which
are most helpful In distinguishing this
dangerous fungus from the other varie.
ties OF mushrooms
IL Is strong. free from pests and
grows TO a height from four TO sixteen
inches. I'm color the cap is sometimes
bright scarlet again orange or yellow
or reddish IN the center and light vel
low toward the edges. and it has no
uceahle wartlike patches spread over
the top. ON old plants the color fades
out. and late In the season particularly
forms OF the deadly amanita are found
which are almost white. The stem is
easily separated from the cup Mt It's
base
This mushroom Is more generally
known than any Of the other poison
GUS species. u has long been used Is
q Ly poison i'm Europe, ana it takes its
name. muscar.a. from the Latin word
Tor q ty. Its poisonous effect upon hui
man beings begins few hours after
IL has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and faiutuess. with cold per-
SEPARATION and stupor. followed In Sc
we're cases hy death from a gradual
weakening Of the heart.
y strong emctic should be given at
once. and In all cases physician
should Dee called. Sulphate Of atrop.n
is the only known chemical antdote
Tor this poison. and q save the patient
IL must DE promptly administered by
F hypodcrmic injections.
The poison may also be absorbed
through the pores OF the skin. and bad
. cases OF poisoning have been produced
Toy simply holding an amauita IN the
closed hand or breathing its exhala-
tiOnS in a warm room.
II poisonous mushrooms are packed
in the same box with edible ones the
virus from the poisonous fungi Is alb
sorbed by the harmless mushrooms.
and they become as dangerous 10 eat
as the original offenders
In certain countries the deadly anna
nita seems 10 lose some OF its virulen-
cy, and in the north OF Russia and
parts of northeastern Asia Il is used in
the same manner as wine for its IN
toxlcatinS 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 q days IN
toXication.
Another fatally dangerous member
or the amanita family Is the death
cup lAman!ta plalloldesl. beautiful
mushroom which also grows in the
woods, especially IN pine forests. Ii IS
not SO highly colored rs the deadly
amauita. and. unlike that mushroom
it has smooth. Satiny cap. Ii is usu-
ally white or straw co,0vcI but speci-
mems are found which are light brown
green. yellow and spotted. The stem
IS white and nearly smooth. and the
cup NJ the base Of the stem IS invaria-
bly, present
The death cup is even more poison
Gus than the deadly amauita and
stands first among al uoxious fungi!
for its poisonous qualities. Ii grows
in the eastern and middle states and
in particularly large quantities near
/ the city of Washington.
Another aman.ta (Amuulta vernusl.
found in the woods in spring. is also
very poisonous and may be told by
/ It's color, which is n creamy white
throughout.
Although it is said that the alnoDft9S