poisonous plants and fungi

[christina :)]

Hello everyone,
I am a 2nd year pharmacy student and I have a question to all the pharmacists out there. I have to write an essay on the role of pharmacists in advising people on poisonous plants and fungi. The question itself to me is very strange because we have to pick a few groups e.g. tropane alkaloids etc and advise a patient worried about coming into contact/ingesting these. I was wandering if it happens in practise that people come in seeking general information (before having ingested anything) and what would you do to advise them? are there any leaflets etc about what to avoid and what to do if they do come into contact with anything? I don't know what general advise i'd give and what to say not to scare them (because injestion of some stuff may lead to death within hours, but is that the best thiing to say to someone inquiring?)
Any help would be appreciated.

[Sir_Dispensalot]

this book is brilliant but a bit pricey! almost no pharmacy will carry one as a patient is much more likely to attend a & e

Cooper, M.R. & Johnson, A.W. 1998. Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britain: Animal and Human Poisoning

this is an info sheet produced by the RHS but not very detailed

http://www.rhs.org.uk/RHSWebsite/fil...4585b99a36.pdf

unfortunately these days most of us would rely on google for the info we might need regarding exposure to poisonous plants or fungi.

[minisini]

This is very popular on the continent. I know if you go to the more eastern european countries pharmacies are used by locals for all types of identification of local plants and funghi.

[johnep]

Usually advise contact Poisons Centre at Guys Hospital.
johnep

[christina :)]

Thank you all you've been very helpful