Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy. — Paracelsus
Love ’em or hate ’em, mushrooms are a staple in both the kitchen and the emergency room. And maybe soon, the pharmacology department of your local hospital.
Objectively, some mushrooms are beautiful while others are hideous. Some species blend into their surroundings. Others, like the example here, stand out and force us look twice. Many poisonous varieties advertise their dangerous nature with bright colors, distinctive markings, or pungent odors that all but scream, “Don’t touch! Stay away! Danger, danger, danger!” Others mimic the safe, delectable appearance of chefs’ most beloved delicacies. When a sneaky variety finds its way into the mouth of a curious little kid or an over-confident amateur, the result can be deadly. At best, it leads to rather messy stories focused on activated charcoal or syrup of ipecac and projectile vomiting.
Sound like anyone you know?
A few years back, a research team at Michigan State University discovered a key enzyme in one poisonous mushroom and used it attack and destroy a certain type of liver cancer. If pharmaceutical firms are able to scale the research, a new cancer-fighting drug may (already) be in the works. One of the authors, Professor of Plant Biology Jonathan Walton said that mushrooms’ toxic enzymes can “survive the high temperatures of cooking and the acids of digestion, … are readily absorbed by the bloodstream and go directly to their intended target. These are the exact qualities needed for an effective medicine.” The very mechanism that makes poisonous mushrooms so deadly may ultimately prove to a redeeming medical feature in the end.
What is a good that has come from a toxic element, person or event in your life? Can poisonous traits, characters or places bring depth or positive change to your plot or character development? Is the toxic element obvious or sneaky? Can it even be given benevolently — such as for the terminally ill?
What does your character have in their life that is toxic? A relationship? An addiction? How did it start? When did it become toxic?