A toxicologist has revealed the horrifying symptoms of death cap mushroom poisoning after the deaths of three people suspected of consuming the deadly ingredient.
Gail and Don Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, died after eating a beef wellington lunch in Leongatha, Victoria’s Gippsland region, on July 29.
Mrs Wilkinson’s husband, Ian, also ate the meal and remains in hospital fighting for his life.
The two couples were invited to the home of the Pattersons’ former daughter-in-law, Erin Patterson, who claims she also ate the meal but escaped a serious illness.
Gail Patterson and Mrs. Wilkinson died on August 4, while Don Patterson passed away the next day.
Police suspect the meal may have contained deadly mushrooms.
Forensic toxicologist Dr Michael Robertson has revealed the excruciating illness that can afflict people who consume the poisonous mushrooms – and how they feel cruelly better before their bodies begin to shut down completely.
Don and Gail Patterson (pictured) died of suspected mushroom poisoning a week after attending the beef wellington luncheon
Ian Wilkinson and Heather Wilkinson became seriously ill after eating wild mushrooms. Mrs Wilkinson died earlier this month while her husband was in critical condition in hospital
The two couples were invited to the home of the Pattersons’ former daughter-in-law, Erin Patterson, who claims she also ate the meal but escaped a serious illness.
He told Channel Nine is under investigationVictims usually begin to feel unwell a few hours after ingestion of death cap mushrooms.
“We’ve heard about the violent vomiting and diarrhea and that initial phase can be quite debilitating in itself,” he said.
He said the victim then begins to feel better and may think the worst is over.
But even as the toxic substance leaves the body, it is still slowly shutting down.
“It’s one of those toxins that gets into your system,” he said.
‘It is absorbed into the bloodstream and then transported to the liver and absorbed. The body does not break down this poison.
“We usually have to remove it through the urine, but also through the bile, and the bile duct drops the bile back into the intestines.
“It actually causes the death of the liver cells.”
Dr. Robertson said it’s possible those who ate the death cap mushrooms may have fallen into a coma.
“It would have been terrible if they had remained conscious,” he said.
“Maybe they went into a coma, but if they had stayed conscious that first day would have been absolutely horrible.”
His thoughts were echoed by mycologist Dr. Heike Neumeister-Kemp.
“One of the things that happens with toxicity is that when you start vomiting, you can also partially hallucinate,” the fungal researcher told the program.
Forensic toxicologist Dr Michael Robertson revealed the intolerable disease that can afflict people unlucky enough to consume the mushrooms
‘Mushroom poisoning is so annoying because we don’t really have an anecdote.
“At the DNA level, you regurgitate the poison, but slowly and consistently, your liver dissolves.”
Ms Patterson claims the deadly lunch was prepared with a mixture of mushrooms from a supermarket chain and dried mushrooms from an Asian supermarket in Melbourne.
She then divided the meal onto plates and let her guests choose their own.
Ms Patterson said she took the last remaining plate and ate a portion, later handing the leftovers over to the hospital’s toxicologists for examination.
She said that two children also ate the beef wellington the next day, but without the mushrooms.
Simon, Mrs. Patterson’s estranged husband, was also invited to lunch, but backed out at the last minute.
Victoria Police’s homicide unit is investigating the deaths, while Ms Patterson, a person of interest to the investigation, cooked the fatal lunch.
Daily Mail Australia does not suggest Ms Patterson is responsible for the deaths.