Anyone know anybody who has eaten the wrong mushroom ever?

[Geoff Dann]

A bit of a random question I know. I have been contacted by the BBC who are making a program about commercial fungi foraging and also the dangers of mushroom foraging. They are, among other things, looking for a case study of somebody who got poisoned by eating a mis-identified mushroom. Does anybody know anyone?

 

[Insel Affen]

Ray mears pal, who was some professor on a TV program they made. He said his vision went (blue) monochrome and was quite poorly for some time.

 

[Toddy]

What about those fungi that have both good and bad said about them ?
False chanterelle for instance. I've eaten it often and been absolutely fine, yet the BBC website said last week that it was deadly

Actually, come to think on it; I mind ranting about that article last week; it was a load of total mince, and I wanted to tell them to get hold of an expert and not publish a load of rot written by a half baked wannabe journalist who trawled the net in his/her teabreak.

Best of luck with it Geoff

M

 

[Toddy]

Here's the link to the article.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29725243

 

[British Red]

I know a guy who did yeah. Can't see him wanting to make a public spectacle of himself though unless they plan on paying very large fees.

 

[Dave]

There was a famous case where the novelist, Nicolas Evans, the horse whisperer, went picking mushrooms on their estate, and nearly killed his entire family:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/13/filmadaptations

 

[Geoff Dann]

Ray mears pal, who was some professor on a TV program they made. He said his vision went (blue) monochrome and was quite poorly for some time.

I think they want to find somebody who is still alive!

 

[Geoff Dann]

What about those fungi that have both good and bad said about them ?
False chanterelle for instance. I've eaten it often and been absolutely fine, yet the BBC website said last week that it was deadly

Did it really? There's a lot of ignorance out there. I also saw an article recently about people collecting magic mushrooms in the UK, accompanied by a picture of a cultivated north American Psilocybe species.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Here's the link to the article.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-29725243

They must have changed it. Now it just says "might cause SICKNESS".

 

[Limaed]

The chap who wrote 'The Horse Whisperer' did whilst on holiday in the NE of Scotland. Here's an article about it: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/13/filmadaptations

I listen to a radio program about it a while back, by all accounts he was lucky to survive and thanks his lucky stars that all the kids turned thier noses up at the mushrooms they collected. IIRC they collected Deadly Webcaps with an assumtion that they were safe to eat. I recalled the story as it happen only a few miles away from where I used to live.

 

[Geoff Dann]

I know a guy who did yeah. Can't see him wanting to make a public spectacle of himself though unless they plan on paying very large fees.

I could ask them...

I rather expect they are hoping to get somebody to do it for free though.

 

[Toddy]

They must have changed it. Now it just says "might cause SICKNESS".

It was the opening blurb...."Well, knowing your Chanterelle from your False Chanterelle could be a lifesaver."


M

 

[Geoff Dann]

There was a famous case where the novelist, Nicolas Evans, the horse whisperer, went picking mushrooms on their estate, and nearly killed his entire family:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/13/filmadaptations

Yes, I'm pretty sure they must already be aware of that case. Certainly haven't done their research if they aren't.

 

[Geoff Dann]

It was the opening blurb...."Well, knowing your Chanterelle from your False Chanterelle could be a lifesaver."


M

Ah right. Yep, not very well written (let's be kind).

 

[Insel Affen]

I think they want to find somebody who is still alive!

I think he still is alive, although suffering from Parkinson's (according to Google).

 

[Limaed]

There was a famous case where the novelist, Nicolas Evans, the horse whisperer, went picking mushrooms on their estate, and nearly killed his entire family:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/13/filmadaptations

You beat me to it Dave, guess he was one of the few willing to bear his soul

 

[Dave]

You beat me to it Dave, guess he was one of the few willing to bear his soul

I just wouldnt bother with them, as they have no nutritional value, and the downside is potentially fatal.
And has been said, if leading expert ethnobotanists like Gordon hillman can get it wrong anyone can.

 

[Geoff Dann]

IIRC they collected Deadly Webcaps with an assumtion that they were safe to eat.

It isn't known exactly which Cortinarius species they picked. The bizarre thing about that case is that he thought he was picking a penny bun. Quite frankly, if you can get a bolete mixed up with a Cortinarius, then you can get anything mixed up with anything.

 

[GGTBod]

Long ago ate Ps.Azurescens thinking they were Ps.Cyanescens but i don't think that enlightening experience is of any use to to the BBC

 

[Geoff Dann]

Long ago ate Ps.Azurescens thinking they were Ps.Cyanescens but i don't think that enlightening experience is of any use to to the BBC

Er, no, I don't think that is quite what they are looking for...