The Power of Poison

Fascinating exhibition with lots of fun, interactive elements.

However, there was practically no mention of poisonous mushrooms whatsoever.  That is, apart from two plastic Amanita muscaria in a small basket by Shakespeare's three witches who were brewing a "flying ointment". When asked if there were any mushrooms in the show a museum employee identified the two Fly Agarics (Amanita muscaria)  as False Morels.

Is the Museum of Natural History unaware of the Fifth Kingdom? Shocking and disappointing.

Do you love to eat mushrooms but are afraid....

....of the mushrooms which can kill you? 

LEARN TO RECOGNIZE POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. 

TAKE A COURSE.

JOIN THE LOCAL MYCOLOGY SOCIETY.

MEET  FRIENDLY MYCOPHILIACS.

There are bold mushroom hunters and old mushroom hunters,
but no bold and old mushroom hunters!

If in doubt, throw it out!

New procedure saves dog from the Death Cap

The Death Cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is aptly named. The mushroom's deadly toxins take the lives of animals and humans every year. Dogs who eat these mushrooms are expected to die, as veterinarians have little in the way of treatment options. That is, until this week, when veterinarians tried a new experimental procedure on a dog and saved her life. Can the procedure save the lives of unlucky humans too?

Dog in illustration above has no connection with the tale told here.

Poisonous mushrooms in Norway

Norwegian health authorities have published a brochure on 

poisonous mushrooms in Norway 

in several languages. 

The leaflets can be downloaded from the internet.
  

Though laudable, it was high time the authorities acted on the high incidence of mushroom poisoning among foragers in Norway 

who do not read Norwegian.
In 2010, half of those who suffered from mushroom poisoning in Norway were foreigners/immigrants.

More images of poisonous mushrooms in Norway. 

A general rule of thumb:
DO NOT EAT MUSHROOMS WHICH ARE COMPLETELY 
WHITE OR BROWN. 

Check these new brochures in English and Norwegian about edible and poisonous mushrooms in Norway.

Good men...and bad

According to Paul Gavarni (1804-1866),

mushrooms are like men 

- the bad most closely counterfeit the good.

Quoted in Nicholas Money's new book, "Mushroom".

Previous blog post with radio interview with Money on his new book.