Regret The Error: Co Co Times And The Poisonous Mushroom

Amanita phalloides, or “death cap” mushrooms. Do Not Eat! (no matter what the newspaper tells you)

This would be funny if it wasn’t deadly dangerous: On the very same day it ran a story about an Albany family that was poisoned by a batch of wild “death cap” mushrooms they picked by mistake, the Contra Costa Times accidentaly ran a photo of a death cap mushroom on the cover of their food section — which focused on wild mushrooms. Oops.

A correction today read,

A photo of this mushroom on the cover of Wednesday’s Food section was incorrectly identified as a giant morel. It’s actually either a death cap or a death cap look-a-like, a mushroom ethical foragers never harvest due to the danger of confusion.

And just in case you’re curious about what exactly these death caps can do to you, or how prevalent they are in the area, check out another story from Wednesday:

The two 11-year-olds and their 72-year-old grandmother, New York resident Sarah Elbert, became violently ill after eating Amanita phalloides mushrooms — also known as Death Caps — that they picked while on a family hike at Mount Tamalpais State Park on Dec. 28.

The three ate the mushrooms later that evening in a soup and became ill with intestinal cramps, vomiting and diarrhea during the night. They sought care at an East Bay hospital but were sent home after a blood test. When they went back for more tests, doctors referred them to the UC San Francisco Medical Center…

Dr. [Kent] Olson [medical director of the San Francisco division of the California Poison Control System] said the mushrooms are common in the Bay Area this time of year, and can easily be found in parks in Marin County, the East Bay, the South Bay, and the Santa Cruz area.

“They’re good-looking mushrooms and are said to taste good,” he said. “Their poison is not removed or disabled by cooking them.”

Those who eat the mushrooms typically feel fine for eight to 12 hours, Olson said. Then, stomach symptoms begin. Some patients die of the fluid loss they experience during severe vomiting and diarrhea. Soon after, toxins begin to cause liver failure.

“Usually within two to five days, people worsen suddenly, and then they may die or get a liver transplant,” Olson said.

So be careful out there, people, in both your mushroom and news consumption. And don’t forget to read the corrections!

Albany family recovers after eating poison mushrooms [Co Co Times]
Taming the ‘shroom [Co Co Times]
Correction: Mushrooms [Co Co Times]

[Photo: Via Occidental College Department of Biology]

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Regret The Error: Co Co Times And The Poisonous Mushroom