^2 HORSFALL 



Now you may be thinking that wheat can be and is grown in some of the 

 warm parts of the United States — in Texas and Oklahoma. The explanation 

 for this is that wheat rust is severe only when warmth is accompanied by 

 moisture. In Oklahoma and Texas there is much less moisture during the 

 wheat-growing season than in the more humid areas of the eastern part of 

 the South. Hence, wheat rust does not make the crop unprofitable in the dry 

 Southwest as it does in the humid Southeast. 



The relation of moisture and warmth to wheat rust has also resulted in 

 some interesting dietary habits in Europe, and in turn in the development 

 of a scourge known as St. Anthony's fire. 



A MEDIEVAL SCOURGE 



The same pattern of food habits applies in Europe as in America. Wheat 

 grows well in England, which, like New England, is moist enough for wheat 

 rust but a little too cool. Therefore, in England, bread is wheat bread. Wheat 

 also grows well in Italy, which, like Oklahoma, is warm enough for wheat 

 rust but a little too dry. Therefore, in Italy also bread is wheat bread — and 

 spaghetti and macaroni are wheaten also. 



Wheat grows relatively poorly, however, in central Europe, which, like 

 Virginia, is warm and moist in the wheat season. This makes wheat rust 

 bad there. In turn this makes bread in central Europe rye bread. Central 

 Europe is a rye-eating area. 



Let us see how St. Anthony's fire was related to this interesting distribution 

 of staple food plants brought on by the action of wheat rust. St. Anthony's 

 fire was a strange malady that afflicted the people in the Middle Ages. The 

 characteristic of the disease was the raging fever that gave the disease its 

 name — St. Anthony's fire. In the Middle Ages it was supposed that the disease 

 could be cured by the intercession of St. Anthony. 



The fever led to mental failure and often to death. The victims suffered 

 initially with nerve tingling in the feet and hands. They might lose the sense 

 of touch. Then gangrene would set in, and the extremities might have to be 

 amputated. 



Like the plague, it struck down large numbers of people, but, unlike the 

 plague, it was not catching. 



This peculiar disease occurred mainly in central Europe, seldom in Italy 

 or England. In other words, the disease was coexistent with the occurrence 

 of rye. It occurred where wheat could not be grown on account of rust. 



It is not surprising, then, that as early as 1630 the French physician 

 ThuUier recognized that St. Anthony's fire was caused from eating rye 

 kernels infected with another plant disease called ergot. Ergot, like wheat 

 rust, liked the warm humid climate of central Europe. It did not attack rye 



