The antidote for this poison is found in the skilful use of the alkaloids from the family
of the Solanaceas or Nightshades, espeoiallj' in subcutaneous injections of Atropine. But to the
public generally, in oases of poisoning, no other advice can be given than to call a physician
without delay.
Plate VI. represents several members of the Russula family. Having once learned
to identify it without danger of error, this family is quite safe for use as food; for
all the non-esculent Russulas are hot or nauseous to the taste, while the edible ones
are very nutty and pleasant. The student should, therefore, taste each specimen when
preparing them for cooking.
Some authorities consider all Boleti fit for table use, but there are those which
are too bitter for food, and one such as the specimen numbered 1, Plate XI., would
spoil a whole stew. The tubes of this Boletus {felleus) are light rose, although they
appear to be white when fresh and young. A good rule for amateurs is to avoid all the
lurid Boleti; by this is meant all those that have the slightest shade of rod to the tubes,
although I have often eaten .of such. The mild-colored members of this family, having
white, yellow, or greenish tubes, if pleasant to the taste, may be considered safe eating.
Plato 'Vlil. represents some of the esculent puif-balls. There are some warty
fungi growing on wood, which, in early growth, resemble puff-balls, whose qualities are not,
yet known. But all those varieties of clear white fungi, which appear in little balls on
the open ground after rains, may be eaten with perfect safety, if fresh, white inside, and
hard; if soft and yellowish, or black in the pulp, they should be avoided, as they are
approaching decay.
The most important advice to the student is to learn to recognize the Amanita
family, and to avoid them a ll; next, to define and recognize any mushroom he is using
for food, so that he could pick a single specimen of the same out of a basketful of
assorted fungi; and finally, never to pick mushrooms at random for food, unless he has
tested by actual use each and all of the varieties so used. There is a large family of
mushrooms resembling the Russulas, which exude a milky juice if broken or cut. The
amateur will do well to avoid all such, although they are esculent where the milk is
mild to the taste. Additional plates, displaying other varieties of esculent mushrooms,
may possibly be issued in the future.
JULIUS A. PALMER, Jb .