278 



MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



ioles and veins throughout the body with an increase of blood pressure. In 

 toxic doses it paralyzes both the vasomotor centers and the heart muscle. 



It appears from the experiments of Dale ^ and Barger and Carr - that 

 cornutin does not occur as such in ergot but is an artificial decomposition. Tan- 

 ret discovered the first well defined crystalline alkaloid which he called ergot- 

 inin. The secalin of Jacobi 3 is identical with ergotinin. Barger and Carr 

 separate a second alkaloid which can be recognized chemically; to this they gave 

 the name of ergotoxin, Cg^H^^O^jNg. This substance is of great physiological 

 potency. According' to Dale 4 ergotoxin produces in doses of a few milligrams 

 "not only the characteristic reaction of ergot described by him, but also gangrene 

 of the Cock's-comb, and other ergot effects described by Kobert and others to 

 sphacelic acid." 



According to Cronyn and Henderson 5 ergotoxin is a highly active alkaloid 

 and has the properties of ergot most desired in medicine. It brings on long 

 enduring vaso-constriction, increases uterine movements when injected in- 



Fig. 98.— Effects ot 

 Ergotism: Hoofs of 

 cattle showing flesh 

 sloughing away. (Sal- 

 mon.) 



travenously and the same to a less extent when injected subcutaneously, but 

 when given per os has very little action. 



The toxicology of ergot is well described by Dr. Winslow as follows: 

 Enormous single doses are required to poison animals or man. When as much as 

 two drachms of ergot to the pound, live weight, are gfven to dogs, death is not constant. 

 Three ounces, however, have proved fatal to small dogs. Acute poisoning is characterized 

 by vomiting (in dogs), profuse salivation, dilation of the pupils, rapid breathing and 

 frequent pulse. The animal cries out, has convulsive twitchings, staggering gait, paraplegia, 

 intense thirst, and coma, terminating in death. Horses, cattle, and sheep are unaffected 

 by^ any ordinary quantity of the drug. 



Chronic poisoning or ergotism rarely occurs in animals owing to continuous ingestion 

 of ergotized grains. It is characterized by gastro-intestinal indigestion, with nausea, 

 vomiting, colic, diarrhoea or constipation, and abortion ensues in pregnant animals. In 

 addition to gastro-intestinal irritation the symptoms naturally assume two forms: 1. The 

 gangrenous form; 2. the spasmodic form. In the first variety of ergotism there are 

 coldness and anesthesia of the extremities, including flic feet, ears, and tail of quadrupeds; 

 the comb, tongue, and beak of birds, — followed by the appearance of passive congestion, 

 blebs, and dry gangrene in the vicinity of these parts. The hoofs and beaks often drop off. 



1 Jour. Phys. 34:163, 1906. 



2 The alkaloids of Ergot. Jour. Chem. See. 91:337, 1907. These writers give a full 

 literature on the subject. 



3 Arch. Expt. Path. Par 39:104. 

 4jour. Phys. 34:163. 



5 Jour. Pharma. and Ivxpt. Therapeutics. Aug. 1909. 



