74 The Scottish Naturalist. 



From edible Fungi the transition is not great to medicinal 

 species. One is included in the British Pharmacopeia, and is in 

 frequent use on account of its power of stimulating the action of 

 the muscles not under the control of the will, and of thus causing 

 contraction of the small blood-vessels known as capillaries. This 

 fungus is the " Ergot of Rye," which is very abundant in the 

 spikelets of many grasses besides the rye. The black mass of the 

 fungus, somewhat like a cock's spur, is very often to be seen in 

 autumn, projecting about a quarter of an inch from the spikelets. 

 It does not affect any of the cereals cultivated commonly in Scot- 

 land ; fortunately, since in other countries where it is common in 

 the rye crop, the use of rye meal mixed with ergot has been found 

 to cause very serious or fatal diseases, due to its action on the 

 blood-vessels. Sometimes the effects are shown in brain disease ; 

 in other cases the extremities cease to receive nourishment ; and 

 mortification or gangrene begins in the fingers and toes, and 

 spreads up towards the body, causing mutilation of the limbs, and 

 often ending in death. The use of the ergot in midwifery is well- 

 known to all medical men. Ergot kept in a damp place all winter 

 gives origin in spring to the rounded or club-shaped stalked repro- 

 ductive bodies of Claviceps purpurea ; but these bodies are not often 

 seen unless the ergots have been cultivated in order to obtain 

 them. 



Various other Fungi have in former times been held in more or 

 less repute, both in this country and elsewhere, as valuable medi- 

 cines, but they have not retained their reputation. 



From medicinal to poisonous Fungi is but a step ; and the er- 

 got, as already stated, may be included under both groups. But 

 there are many other Fungi, chiefly mushrooms and toadstools, 

 that are poisonous, varying in their virulence from simply causing 

 more or less severe irritation of the intestines (shown by vomiting 

 and purging), to very severe illness and death. Even some mush- 

 rooms that are usually quite wholesome as food may, under certain 

 conditions, produce unpleasant or dangerous effects, especially if. 

 kept so long that decay has commenced before they are eaten. 



But it is by giving rise to serious and even fatal diseases in man, 

 and also in domesticated animals, and in cultivated plants, that 

 Fungi exert their most baneful influence on mankind ; of species 

 hurtful in one or other of these ways the name is legion. Who 

 has not heard of Bacteria ? and how many associate with the word 



