POISONOUS FOODS Poisonous fungi, for the characters of which the reader is re ferred to special works on toxicology, are sometimes eaten in mistake for mushrooms. They cause a severe gastro-enteritis and at the same time are powerful general poisons having a profound action on the nervous system and liver.
Food Poisoning (q.v.) generally results from the contamination of food with pathogenic bacteria allied to the typhoid and colon group of bacilli.
"Food poisoning" is often erroneously called "ptomaine poison ing." The symptoms are those of acute gastro-enteritis and may clear up quickly or terminate fatally. In some cases a prolonged illness with pyrexia like that of typhoid results.
The symptoms of "food poisoning" usually come on within 3 days and most often within 24 hours of the taking of food. In some cases the symptoms are so acute as to resemble cholera.
• The treatment and general management of these cases is on the same lines as that of acute gastro-enteritis.
It must be remembered that "food poisoning" is a notifiable disease in some districts, and in all cases where death occurs the coroner should be informed. (W. H. WO BiBuoGRAPHy.—General: A. W. Blyth, Poisons: their effects and detection; A Manual for the use of analytical chemists and experts (1884, 5th ed. enlarged and rev. 1920) ; L. Lewin, Lehrbuch der Toxicologie (Vienna and Leipzig, 1885) ; T. G. Wormley, Micro Chemistry of Poisons (Philadelphia, 1885) ; J. N. Dragendorff, Manuel de Toxicologie (1886) ; R. Kobert, Compendium der Toxikologie in A. Weber, Lehrbuchs des praktischen Toxicologie (Stuttgart, 1887) ; L. Hugounenq, Traite des Poisons (1891) ; R. von Jaksch, Die Vergiftungen in H. Nothnagel, Spezielle Pathologic, Bd. I. (1894) ; A. Brestowski, "Pharmakologie und Toxikologie" in A. Drasche, Biblio thek der gesammten medicinischen wissenschaften ; B. Small, "Poisoning" and J. Stewart, "Poisoning from Lead, Arsenic, Zinc, Copper, Mercury, Silver and Phosphorus" in T. L. Stedman's
Twentieth Century Practice, vol. 3 (1894-96) ; T. Oliver, "Metallic and Some Other Forms of Poisoning" in C. Allbutt, A System of Medicine, etc., vol. 2 (1897) ; J. Ogier, Traite de Chimie toxicologique (1899) ; A. H. Brundage, Manual of Toxicology (1901, 15th ed., 1926) ; M. E. Pozzi-Escot, The Toxins and Venoms and their Antibodies (trans. by A. I. Cohn, 1926) ; K. A. Dieudonne, Bacterial Food Poisoning (ed. C. Boldnan, 1909) ; R. A. Witthaus, Manual of Toxicology (19II) ; A. L. Marchadier and A. Goujon, Les Poisons meconnus (1921) ; W. Autenrieth, Laboratory Manual for the Detection of Poisons and Powerful Drugs (1st trans. ed., Philadelphia, 1921 ; 2nd trans. ed., 1928). Legal: J. Glaister, Text-book of Medical Juris prudence and Toxicology (1906, 5th ed., 1924) ; W. G. A. Robertson, Manual of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology (5908, 5th ed., 1925) ; J. D. Mann, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (1914) ; R. J. Buchanan, Buchanan's Text-Book of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (Edinburgh, 9th ed., rev. by J. E. W. MacFall, 1925). Venomous animals, 0. von Listow, Die Giftthiere und ihre Wirkung auf den menschen (with bibl., 5894) ; A. Calmette, Venomous Animals and Antivenomous Serum (trans. by E. E. Austin, 1908) ; M. Phisalix, Animauss vinimeux et vinins, 2 vols. (with full bibl., 1922). Poisonous plants, G. Henslow, Poisonous Plants (190I) ; A. B. Smith, Poisonous Plants of all Countries (Bristol, 1905; 2nd ed., 1923) ; H. C. Long, Plants Poisonous to Live Stock, Camb. Agric. Monograph (1917). Veterinary toxicology, H. C. Long, as above; G. D. Lander, Veterinary Toxicology (1912). Asiatic and American poisons, F. W. Windsor, Indian Toxicology (Calcutta, 1906) ; E. Perrot and E. Vogt, Poisons de fleches et poisons d'epreuve (1913) ; J. D. Gimlette, Malay Poisons and Charm Cures (1915, 2nd ed., 1923).