Two die after eating death cap mushrooms

[Allotropy]

Two people have died after eating death cap mushrooms at a New Year's Eve dinner party in Canberra.

The deaths were confirmed by a spokesman for Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital this morning.

The victims were waiting for liver transplants after eating the fungus.

"It (the mushroom's toxin) is particularly toxic to the liver so you will eventually go into a liver failure and that's how these individuals would have succumbed to death," Dr Naren Gunja from the NSW Poisons Information Centre said.

Four people ate the toxic mushrooms, which look very similar to a popular edible Chinese mushroom.

One has been released from Canberra hospital and another is still receiving treatment in Sydney.

Tasmanian food writer Graeme Phillips says the deaths highlight the need for more detailed public information.

He says he has gathered wild mushrooms in France and Italy, where identification charts can be checked and chemists can identify dangerous varieties.

"Here, the only people that really know what they're doing are the migrants from Europe, eastern Europe and so on - I don't know of any published guides to the toxicology of Australia's fungi," he said.

 

 

The original article can be found here; http://www.abc.net.a...shrooms/3757764

Edited January 4, 2012 by Anthesis

[space cadet 101]

adios guys .... better luck on the other side

[~sawyer~]

Pretty tragic really. Those particular mushrooms are not uncommon in Canberra. They occur in a mycorrhizal relationship with some non-endemic hardwood trees and appear to have been introduced in this way. Identifiable by a white spore print.

[How_High]

Sad aye! Shame the meal was even prepared in a commerical kitchen...I would be SUING them HARDCORE!!!!!! Stupid DUMB PAID chef...wonders did he get FIRED???!!!!! Peace

[Reverend]

It was at a dinner party, didn't see anything about a restaurant.

[yobgodcm]

Thought that too rev, but jjj news reported a resteraunt the other day.

[How_High]

Nah the meal was made in a commerical kitchen called Harmonie German Club's Chinese bistro check out http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-06/fatal-mushroom-meal-cooked-in-commercial-kitchen/3760704 sad really it was a private meal for the staff in the kitchen thank GOD they didnt serve CUSTOMERS that SHIT!

[How_High]

Oh and don't WORRY bout the CHEF being FIRED LMFAO....he KILLED himself aaaaawwwwwwww ! (really I shouldn't laugh) hahahahaha!!!!

[Reverend]

Geebus thats sad, didn't see it in the main story.