Edible and poisonous mushrooms of Canada

MUSHROOM POISONING
poison of the Amanita. It is recommended that the stomachs of three rabbits
and the brains of seven be chopped up finely and made into a paste or pellets
and eaten raw by the patient. Sugar or jam can be added to make it more
palatable, and the sugar itself may be beneficial. This method has received
some pubhcity in the press but it is difficult to know whether or not it is really
effective.
The second type of poisoning is caused by species such as Amanita muscaria
and A. pantherina and is believed to be due to a substance called mycoatropine.
The symptoms usually appear soon after eating the mushrooms,
within one-half to four hours. The most characteristic symptoms are nervous
excitement, hallucinations and behavior suggesting alcohohc intoxication.
This may be followed by coma and sometimes death, although the percentage
of recovery from this type of poisoning is much greater than with the A. phal-
loides type. A. pantherina is considered to be more dangerous than A. muscaria.
Treatment consists in the administration of emetics and purgatives to
clean out the digestive tract and then in treating the delirium with chloral
hydrate or potassium bromide and providing a heart stimulant.
The third type of poisoning is due to the substance called muscarine and is
caused by some Inocybe species and Clitocybe dealbata. Amanita muscaria also
contains muscarine but its main effects are now befieved to be due to mycoa-
tropine. The symptoms of muscarine poisoning are profuse sweating, vomiting,
diarrhea, pains in the stomach, distortion of vision and slowing down of the
heart. Death rarely occurs in this type of poisoning and if it does it is due to the
effect on the heart. Atropine is an antidote for muscarine poisoning.
A fourth type of poisoning may be caused by Entoloma lividum and a few
other species. It is a violent gastrointestinal disturbance usually occurring
within one to two hours after the mushrooms have been eaten. The symptoms
include vomiting, diarrhea, acute pain and profuse perspiration. The symptoms
may persist for a long time and make the patient very weak. Not much
appears to be known about the poison involved.
The fifth type of poisoning is caused by some of the acrid species of
Russula and Lactarius. It has the effect of a very violent purgative and causes
vomiting and stomach pains. It is claimed that the poisonous substances can be
removed from these mushrooms by boiling them in several changes of water,
but these species are not recommended as food.
The sixth type is the poisoning caused by some Discomycetes and beheved
to be due to helvellic acid. The most important fungus in this group is Gyro-
mitra esculenta and reports about this fungus are very contradictory. There
seems to be no doubt that many people eat this species frequently, apparently
without any harm. On the other hand there are well-authenticated cases of
poisoning and even of deaths caused by it. It would appear that the danger is
greatest with overmature or sHghtly decomposed specimens, but danger cer-
tainly exists and on no account can this fungus be recommended as food.
Finally there is a peculiar type of poisoning that has been said to be
associated with Coprinus species eaten at the same time that alcohol has been
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