6 THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



(3.) Oils and fats, in large proportions. 



(4.) A body allied to cholesterin— named by Tanret "Ergosterin"; but 

 it is probable that Salskowski's investigations are nearer the truth. He 

 calls this body, after Hesse, "Physosterin," and shows that it is widely 

 distributed in plants. 



(5.) Coloring-matter. 



((!.) Nitrogenous bodies — choline, lecithin and albumin. 



(7.) The active constituents. 



The structure of these active constituents is still a matter of much con- 

 troversy. The most important investigations are those of Tanret, Dragen- 

 dorff, Sehmiedeberg, Robert, Griinefeld aud Jacobi. In this connection it 

 may be of interest to know that in Griinef eld's latest paper (Arbeiten aus d. 

 Pharmakologischen Institut zu Dorpat, VIII., 1892, p. 108), a bibliography 

 of 372 titles of articles on ergot is given. 



Tanret 5 described an alkaloid, Ergotinine, as the active constituent ; 

 and most of the French writers to this day adopt his dictum. Dragendorff 

 and Podwissotzky 6 isolated a Sclerotic acid, which they claimed to be the 

 active constituent. 



In 1884 Kobert published a monograph on ergot, in which he comes 

 to the following general conclusions as to the constituents: 



(1.) Ergotinic Acid (the ergotic acid of Wenzell, and the sclerotic acid 

 of Dragendorff), which paralyzes the spinal cord and brain, and has the 

 composition of a glucoside containing nitrogen. 



(2.) Sphacelinic Acid, an acid resin, the cause of the typhoid form 

 of chronic poisoning. 



(3.) Pikrosclerotine, a poisonous alkaloid. 



(4.) Cornutine, an alkaloid which is a most active uterine contractor. 



Among other things, he there comes to the conclusion that there are 

 two particularly active constituents in ergot: Sphacelinic or Sphacelic Acid 

 and the alkaloid Cornutine. 13oth substances were found as brownish 

 masses, and their exact chemical nature was not stated. He at that time 

 held that cornutine was a highly toxic agent, and that the acid was non- 

 toxic, but acted mainly upon the blood vessels: later he modified these 

 views, and in the appendix of an article by one of his pupils, Griinefeld/ 

 gives his present point of view, and also adds a word of commendation 

 upon a recent investigation made by Keller. 8 In this later communication 



^Fresenius Zeitschrift, 1S87, p. 572. 



f'Annalen, cxcii, 1S7S, p. 175. 



CFresenius Zeitschrift, f- analyt. Chemie xx, i88t, p. 123. 



"Arch, f. Exper. Pathol, u. Pharmakologie, vi, 1876, p. 16;,. 



^Arbeiten aus d. Pharmakog. Instit. zu Dorpat, 1895. p. 3<h. 



"Schweiz. Wochenschrift f. Chemie u, Pharmaeie, 1S94. p. 15. 



