Have you ever seen a case of muscarine poisoning?—I have seen perhaps half a dozen cases in my own experience, mostly among children who had eaten the Fly Agaric in mistake for an edible mushroom. One case, I remember, was brought to the hospital too late for anything to be done, and the patient expired in convulsions after a period of unconsciousness. Three or four were treated by the injection of atropin and recovered completely. Another case was not brought to my notice till after the symptoms had cleared up of their own accord; in this case the amount eaten was very small.
Such cases are not always fatal?—By no means. If the proper treatment can be given immediately, the prognosis is favourable. Without such treatment, however, and where a large quantity of the poison is consumed, recovery would be less likely.
The Coroner : In your opinion, what was the cause of death in the case of Mr. Harrison?
Sir James Lubbock : I have not the slightest doubt that he died of poisoning by muscarine, taken in the dish of fungus submitted to me for analysis.
Sir James further added that the Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria , was frequently found in woods and sheltered places, and was liable to be eaten in mistake for another member of the same family, Amanita rubescens , or Warty Caps, an edible fungus which it very closely resembled.
Reference was made to the Government publication, Edible and Poisonous Fungi , and to the book Neglected Edible Treasures , written by the deceased, and pictures of the fungi in question were passed round among the jury.
Questioned with regard to the eggs, bread, coffee, whiskey and other articles of diet found in The Shack, Sir James said he had subjected them