Mushroom poisoning: first-hand account
December 18, 2011, 4:25 pm
Chlorophyllum molybdites
Mushroom poisoning: a personal vignette. Mollison LC. Med J Aust 2011 December 5/19;195:720-1.
This short report — written by a gastroenterologist in Perth — describes the authors personal experience with mushroom poisoning after taking “two small bites” of an innocuous-looking white button mushroom which turned out to be the highly toxic species Chlorophyllum molybdites (the green-gilled mushroom).
The author describes the mushroom as having a very pleasant “sweet, nutty” taste. However, 2 hours after ingestion, the author developed nausea, frequent vomiting, profuse diarrhea, and diaphoresis. Feeling he would pass out, he lay on his bathroom floor in a “drenching sweat”. He pulse rate was 30/minute.
In the emergency department, he received 4 L of fluid and an antiemtic. After treatment, he was discharged home and the next day was essentially asymptomatic.
C. molybdites is a Group VII mushroom, containing gastrointestinal irritants that have not been well-characterized. Onset of GI symptoms is about 1 – 3 hours after ingestion. Symptoms usually last for several hours. Although prognosis is generally good, hypovolemic shock can occur.
Link: Perth Fungi Field Book
[Photo of Chlorophyllum molybdites from wikipedia.org]
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