Tips for mushroom pickers

August 6, 2021

A republican campaign "With care for the safety of the small Motherland" is underway in the Glubokoye district.

August is considered the beginning of the golden season of the notorious "quiet hunt". Not only experienced "hunters" but also ordinary enthusiasts are in a hurry to stock up on the generous gifts of nature for the winter. However, everyone navigates the mushroom kingdom differently, which sometimes leads to a very unpleasant outcome: poisoning and even death. That is why, when going into the forest, you must remember that not all mushrooms are equally beneficial!

Poisonous mushrooms, as a rule, grow singly. It is practically impossible to see them in a field or meadow.

Sometimes ordinary mushrooms, which have been improperly processed, can also pose a danger to humans. This process also needs to be taken seriously.

One must also be careful when picking mushrooms. Do not take specimens, even edible ones, growing near industrial enterprises, landfills, fields treated with chemicals, railway tracks, and roads. Do not risk with overripe mushrooms either, they can also worsen your health.

Mushroom poisoning is a serious case. And when it comes to deadly poisonous species, even a fatal outcome is possible. Sharp abdominal pain, vomiting, general weakness, diarrhea, loss of consciousness – these are all characteristic signs of the harmful effects of poisonous substances, which appear literally within 30 minutes, sometimes after 2-3 hours. And the main thing here is to provide first aid in a timely manner. Immediately rinse your stomach – drink plenty of warm water with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then induce vomiting (press the root of the tongue with two fingers), repeat the procedure 2-3 times. Drink several activated charcoal tablets. Cleanse the intestines with a laxative. If there are no noticeable improvements, call an ambulance.

Rescuers also remind that forest or peat fires are usually man-made. In rare cases, such fires occur due to lightning strikes or spontaneous combustion of peat bogs. If you witness such an incident, first of all, clearly assess

the situation and immediately report the incident to the emergency services by calling 101 or 112.