Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-02-05
DE DLY MUSHROOMS
THE BEAUTIFUL BUT wEhsnMDus
q AAdArliTA FANNY. NJ

THE BEAUTIFUL BUT wEnsnMDus
AlAAhiTA FAaail 5.s33
Beneath the PIeasinE Eszasraur n 81
This RrilIiant FnnE1s 4.nrlxs II =
& vicious Poison That IL Fataa 10 the
Lives Of Men and Cattse.
In the dark shade Of lofty pine trees
and under spreading oaks lii more
open woods mushroom lis foHnd so
remarkable In color and graceful in
form that its beauty has excited adj
miration for hundreds Of years, The
rolor Of its bright orange cap and its
ehalk white stem and gills is height
ened by the surrounding darkness of
the woods and presents a contrast as
singular as it is beautiful. s 33
But beneath the pleasing exterior Of
this brilliant fungus poison turks SO
fatal to the lives of men and cattle
that it is called the deadly amanfta,
and in different countries mothers eau
ton their children to beware Of its
charms. 4&$ ls5,s ": 4B: rs 81
Amanita muscaria. the deadly, or
ay. amanita, is completely incased In.
a fieece-like covering during the early
stages Of its growth, which makes 1t
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 a,
sheathing to the cup at the base Of the
stem. ~ &, II .5;s a
Another inner covering breaks away
in its 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, tleecy coverings
are pronounced characteristic which
are most helpful in distinguishing this
dangerous fungus from the other varie-
ties OF mushrooms. M; IS
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
or reddish in the center and light vel
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. AZ 3
This mushroom is more generally
known than any Of the other poison
GUS species. It has long been used ais
a fly poison in Europe, and 1t takes Its
name, muscaria, from the Latin word
for fly. Its poisonous effect upon hu-:
man beings begins a few hours after
1t has been eaten. The symptoms are
nausea and faintness, with cold per-
SEPARATION and stupor, followed in Sc
we're cases by death from q gradual
weakening Of the heart
J A strong emetic should be given at
once, and in all cases physician
should be called. Sulphate OF atropin
Is the only known chemical antidotes
for this poison, and to save the patient
It must be promptly administered BY
hypodermic injections. Il
"a sAlS sHOiG1OA 44Ady uASO NC CDcUAONu
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-
tons in a warm room.
IL poisonous mushrooms are packed
In the same box with edible ones the
virus from the poisonous fungi is abb
sorbed by the harmless mushrooms,
and they become as dangerous to eat
as the original Offenders. Us 4
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 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. a small amount swallowed
whole is enough to produce d days in
toxication. n RI 81.
Another fatally dangerous member
Of the amanita family Is the death
cup {Amanita phalloides), a beautiful
mushroom which also grows Ia the
woods, especially in pine forests. II Is
not SO highly colored as the deadly
amanita, and, unlike that mushroom,
| It has smooth, satiny cap. It is usu.
| ally white or straw colored, but speci.
mems are found which are light brown
green, yellow and spotted. The stem
| II uhite ana nea rlv smooth aaad the
cup at the base Of the stem Is nvaria