4 ms·

I grew up deep in the woods. Like any good mother, mine was a little over-protective; I was instructed to not even touch any mushrooms (or other fungus). Period

I grew up deep in the woods. Like any good mother, mine was a little over-protective; I was instructed to not even touch any mushrooms (or other fungus). Period. But if I did touch them, to wash my hands as soon as possible. To this day, I generally leave them alone. If I do pick one up while on a hike, I'll generally wash my hands with whatever drinking water I have on me.

duxup 7y ago
Interestingly the toxin in the mushroom from the story apparently isn't absorbed through the skin. But I probably would wash my hands too.
cm2012 7y ago
No mushroom exists in the world that can poison you through touching it. Even licking. Your body has to digest it. Edit: I'm currently at -5 but this is a fact. http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wong/BOT135/Lect17a.htm http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wong/BOT135/Lect17a.htm http://www.mushroomexpert.com/studying.html#odortaste http://www.mushroomexpert.com/studying.html#odortaste https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2ps3q5/are_there_any_mushrooms_that_are_dangerous_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2ps3q5/are_there_...
- cbhl 7y ago
  Even if you touch it and then lick your fingers?
  - cm2012 7y ago
    Yes, even if.
    - LeonB 7y ago
      Source please.
      - amatecha 7y ago
        There is literally only one known in the world (as linked above) - "poison fire coral" which is described[0] by a researcher as such: "Of the hundred or so toxic mushrooms that are known to researchers, this is the only one in which the toxins can be absorbed through the skin" [0] https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fungus-found-in-far-north-queenslan https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fun...
  - Alex3917 7y ago
    At least in the U.S. and Canada, there are no mushrooms where if a healthy adult nibbles on them to taste them and then spits them out, they will be anywhere close to the LD50. You might still get some minor liver damage or whatever, but not enough to kill you. This is as opposed to plants, where people have died just from putting water hemlock twigs in their mouths to play with. There are a bunch of similar-looking species where the proper way to ID them to know if they're edible or not is actually to nibble on them and then just spit them out.
    - tzs 7y ago
      > At least in the U.S. and Canada, there are no mushrooms where if a healthy adult nibbles on them to taste them and then spits them out, they will be anywhere close to the LD50 LD50 is the dose that kills 50% of a test population. I don't think I'd try something if the only assurance I had that it was safe is that it is not anywhere near LD50.
      - Alex3917 7y ago
        > I don't think I'd try something if the only assurance I had that it was safe is that it is not anywhere near LD50. Ever drink coffee or alcohol? Keep in mind I'm definitely not saying it's safe, only that you're not going to die from acute toxicity.
        varjag 7y ago
        Sure, if you ever consume an LD50 of alcohol you have a 1 in 2 chance to die. Most people never drink a comparable amount though.
    - Grangar 7y ago
      Wow I never even heard of hemlock before. Good to know!
- kwasson 7y ago
  There is one mushroom called the Poison Fire Coral that can poison through touch. It just made the news rounds for being found for the first time in North Queensland. https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fungus-found-in-far-north-queenslan https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fun...
  - cm2012 7y ago
    Cool, so there is an exception of 1! “If found, the fungus should not be touched, and definitely not eaten. Of the hundred or so toxic mushrooms that are known to researchers, this is the only one in which the toxins can be absorbed through the skin,” said Dr Barrett, a mycologist from the JCU Australian Tropical Herbarium (ATH) who specialises in the study of fungi.
  - 40four 7y ago
    Wow! So deadly, but so beautiful! I love mushrooms!
  - semi-extrinsic 7y ago
    Wow, that thing just screams "I'm dangerous, don't eat me!"
  - dredmorbius 7y ago
    Though the contact symptoms are described as dermatitis, not gross toxicity. Still a good idea not to handle it.

duxup 7y ago

Interestingly the toxin in the mushroom from the story apparently isn't absorbed through the skin. But I probably would wash my hands too.

cm2012 7y ago

No mushroom exists in the world that can poison you through touching it. Even licking. Your body has to digest it. Edit: I'm currently at -5 but this is a fact. http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wong/BOT135/Lect17a.htm http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/wong/BOT135/Lect17a.htm http://www.mushroomexpert.com/studying.html#odortaste http://www.mushroomexpert.com/studying.html#odortaste https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2ps3q5/are_there_any_mushrooms_that_are_dangerous_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/mycology/comments/2ps3q5/are_there_...

cbhl 7y ago
Even if you touch it and then lick your fingers?
- cm2012 7y ago
  Yes, even if.
  - LeonB 7y ago
    Source please.
    - amatecha 7y ago
      There is literally only one known in the world (as linked above) - "poison fire coral" which is described[0] by a researcher as such: "Of the hundred or so toxic mushrooms that are known to researchers, this is the only one in which the toxins can be absorbed through the skin" [0] https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fungus-found-in-far-north-queenslan https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fun...
- Alex3917 7y ago
  At least in the U.S. and Canada, there are no mushrooms where if a healthy adult nibbles on them to taste them and then spits them out, they will be anywhere close to the LD50. You might still get some minor liver damage or whatever, but not enough to kill you. This is as opposed to plants, where people have died just from putting water hemlock twigs in their mouths to play with. There are a bunch of similar-looking species where the proper way to ID them to know if they're edible or not is actually to nibble on them and then just spit them out.
  - tzs 7y ago
    > At least in the U.S. and Canada, there are no mushrooms where if a healthy adult nibbles on them to taste them and then spits them out, they will be anywhere close to the LD50 LD50 is the dose that kills 50% of a test population. I don't think I'd try something if the only assurance I had that it was safe is that it is not anywhere near LD50.
    - Alex3917 7y ago
      > I don't think I'd try something if the only assurance I had that it was safe is that it is not anywhere near LD50. Ever drink coffee or alcohol? Keep in mind I'm definitely not saying it's safe, only that you're not going to die from acute toxicity.
      - varjag 7y ago
        Sure, if you ever consume an LD50 of alcohol you have a 1 in 2 chance to die. Most people never drink a comparable amount though.
  - Grangar 7y ago
    Wow I never even heard of hemlock before. Good to know!
kwasson 7y ago
There is one mushroom called the Poison Fire Coral that can poison through touch. It just made the news rounds for being found for the first time in North Queensland. https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fungus-found-in-far-north-queenslan https://www.jcu.edu.au/news/releases/2019/october/deadly-fun...
- cm2012 7y ago
  Cool, so there is an exception of 1! “If found, the fungus should not be touched, and definitely not eaten. Of the hundred or so toxic mushrooms that are known to researchers, this is the only one in which the toxins can be absorbed through the skin,” said Dr Barrett, a mycologist from the JCU Australian Tropical Herbarium (ATH) who specialises in the study of fungi.
- 40four 7y ago
  Wow! So deadly, but so beautiful! I love mushrooms!
- semi-extrinsic 7y ago
  Wow, that thing just screams "I'm dangerous, don't eat me!"
- dredmorbius 7y ago
  Though the contact symptoms are described as dermatitis, not gross toxicity. Still a good idea not to handle it.