Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1906-12-28
DEADLY MUSHROOMS.
THE BEAUTIFUL BUT VENoMoUS
AMANlTA FAMILY.


In the dark shade of lofty pine trees
and under spreading oaks in more
open woods n mushroom is found so
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 its
chalk white stem and gills is height
ened by the surrounding darkness of
the woods and presents a contrast as
singular as it is beautiful.
But beneath the pleasing exterior Of
this brilliant fungus n poison turks so
fatal to the lives of men and cattle
that it is called the deadly amanita,
and in different countries mothers eau
tion their children to beware of its
charms.
Amanita muscaria, the deadly, or
| fly, amanita, Is completely incased in
fleece-like covering 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 or it slips away and forms
sheathing 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 conspicuous
collar about the upper part of the
stem. The Dubious base of the stem
and these ruptureG fleecy coverings
| are pronounced characteristics which
are most helpful in distinguishing this
| dangerous fungus from the other varie-
| ties Of mushrooms.
1t 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 yel-
low toward the edges, and it has no
ticeable 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 at its
base.
This mushroom is more generally
known than any of the other poison
q fly poison in Europe, and it takes its
name, muscaria, from the Latin word
for fly. Its poisonous effect upon hu-
man beings begins few hours after
it has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and faintness, with cold per-
spiration and stupor, followed in Sc
we're cases by death from a gradual
weakening of the heart.
A strong emetic should be given at
once, and in all cases q physician
should be called. Sulphate of atropin
Is the only known chemical antidote
for this poison, and to save the patient
it must be promptly administered by
hypodermic injections.
The poison may also be absorbed
through the pores of the skin, and bad
cases of poisoning have been produced
by simply holding an amanita in the
closed hand or breathing its exhala-
tions in warm room.
If 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 to eat
as 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 it is used in
the same manner as wine for its 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. A small amount swallowed
whole is enough to produce days in
toxication.
Another fatally dangerous member
Of the amanita family is the death
cup (Amanita phalloides), beautiful
mushroom which also grows in the
woods, especially in pine forests. 1t Is
not so highly colored as the deadly
amanita, and, unlike that mushroom,
1t has smooth, satiny cap. 1t is usu-
ally white or straw colored, but speci-
mems are found which are light brown,
green, yellow and spotted. The stem
is white and nearly smooth, and the
cup at the base of the stem is invaria-
bly, present
The death cup is even more poison
GUS than the deadly amanita and
stands first among all noXious fungi
for its poisonous qualities. 1t grows
in the eastern and middle states and
in particularly large quantities near
the city of Washington.
Another amanita (Amanita vernus)
found in the woods in spring, is also
very poisonous and may be told by
, its color, which is creamy white
throughout.
Although it is said that the amanitas
are the only mushrooms which have
proved fatal to human life, there are
other varieties which cause such acute
distress that 1t is well to guard agains
eating them.
The boletl, for instance, have severa
varieties which are nonedible, although
many kinds, on the other hand, maxi
n IAAt t-4t