Death Cap - In the beginning.

[fairplay]

Is it documented anywhere how and when the Death Cap, Amanita phalloides, was identified as being responsible for causing the death of a sick person ?

With a typical reaction of apparent recovery, it must have taken a very long for the medical profession of the day to identify the causer.

Neil.

[mollisia]

Hello Neil,

interesting question!
But I doubt that this can be answered, because even in the times of the Romans and the ancient Greek there was knowledge about poisonous fungi. And there were obviousely people who knew certain poisonous species, otherwise they couldn't have murdered rivales with fungi.
So I think the knowledge about poisonous and edible fungi is far older and goes back to the roots of mankind.

best regards,
Andreas

[fairplay]

I shall have to send an e-mail to the roots of mankind.

Neil.

[mollisia]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I shall have to send an e-mail to the roots of mankind.

Neil.

Hi Neil,

yepp!
And they have a own website, isn't that wonderful: Roots of Mankind hmmm, not sure if they are of great help with your question ...

best regards,
Andreas

[thebeard]

as Andreas says, knowledge goes back a long way. i think the fact that there are various species of poisonous fungi, some of which have more obvious and faster-acting than alpha amanatin, means that they must have related the illness to the ingestion of a deathcap through experience learnt from other mushrooms.

not sure if that makes sense, but its a theory eh?

[wildherbalian85]

through trial and error. The Knowlage gained from experience passed down from person to person.

[fairplay]

My great ancestors when they were chimpanzees probably knew the Death Cap - the question was "Is it documented anywhere ....." in other words are there any documents in existence relating to the realisation of the Death Cap being responsible ........

Neil.

[NickCantle]

First stop; Emperor Claudius' autopsy notes?

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

First stop; Emperor Claudius' autopsy notes?

Ah, now you're talking ! let me see now, I might have something in my bottom drawer

Neil.