1 We have reviewed the clinical features and management of 44 consecutive patients presenting to hospital over a 5 week period during an outbreak of ingestion of psilocybin containing mushrooms.
2 Patients presented to hospital usually because of dysphoric effects an average of 3.8 h after ingesting the mushrooms.
3 Mydriasis was present in 40 patients but fewer than half showed other sympathomimetic features - tachycardia, hypertension or hyperreflexia.
4 Twenty-three patients experienced nausea and vomiting.
5 Distortions of perception chiefly visual were frequent as were paraesthesiae and feelings of depersonalization.
6 The effects of the mushrooms were short-lived and had worn off within 12 h in all but one patient.
7 Inducing emesis did not appear to hasten recovery from the effects of the mushrooms.
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