POISONOUS AND HALLUCINOGENIC MUSHROOMS
by Michael W. Beug Email: beugm@evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
Slide 45.
Paxillus involutus is a sinister and sly poisoner,
easily distinguished by its markedly inrolled cap margin and its brown-staining
gills that readily rub off. Paxillus involutus has not caused any
confirmed fatal poisonings in North America, but poisonings may have occurred
without realizing that the mushroom was at fault. In Europe, Paxillus
involutus has long been eaten, even though it was sometimes known to
cause gastrointestinal upset. Only in recent decades has it been recognized
that sometimes Paxillus involutus can cause liver damage, kidney
damage and even death. However, it is usually not the first meal that gets
you. The sometimes fatal hemolytic anemia generally only develops in a
few susceptible individuals who have eaten Paxillus involutus for
years without ill effect but for unknown reasons start to produce IgG antibodies
to something in the mushroom. One subsequent meal then triggers agglutination
and red blood cell hemolysis follows. Initial symptoms include vomiting
and diarrhea, abdominal pain, and collapse with hypotension. Death may
occur in 3 to 4 days. A Vancouver, Washington man who ate a large meal
of this mushroom developed severe chest and lower back pains. He developed
hemolytic anemia and was in intensive care for almost a week. His wife
who only ate a couple of caps had low back pain and mild anemia.
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