134 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. — SUB SECTION, PHARMACY. 



the specific toxic effects could be recognised. Robert claimed to have 

 separated from ergot three principles, which, though not chemically 

 pure, had each a separate and distinct physiological action. One of 

 these, " ergotinic acid," was admittedly of no therapeutic interest, 

 having an action which Robert regarded as related to that of saponins, 

 and need not be further considered. A second, " cornutin," a resinous 

 alkaloidal preparation, was found to produce convulsions in frogs and 

 mammals, and was regarded by Robert as responsible for the convulsant 

 type of ergotism, prevalent in most of the epidemics of ergot-poisoning 

 in Northern and Eastern Europe. The nature of the substance pro- 

 ducing this convulsant action in Robert's experiments is one of the 

 points in the pharmacology of ergot which still remains obscure. 

 According to the method of preparation, " cornutin" must have 

 contained the alkaloid now known as " ergotoxine " ; but this latter 

 does not possess the peculiar action in question. Subsequent observers 

 have failed to obtain from ergot an alkaloid possessing this action, and 

 it is admitted by Robert and his pupils that their own recent attempts 

 to obtain it have not succeeded. The preparations commercially 

 obtainable under the name "cornutin" consist of more or less impure 

 and resinified mixtures of the known ergot alkaloids, and have not the 

 marked convulsant action. Whether Robert was dealing with a 

 peculiar decomposition product or with an alkaloid occurring excep- 

 tionally in the batch of ergot with which he worked mil probably never 

 be settled ; in any case, " cornutin " cannot be regarded as a chemical 

 • entity or a normal ergot constituent. Robert's third active principle 

 was an acidic resin, named " sphacelinic acid." This was found to 

 produce the gangrene which formed the predominant feature in the 

 epidemics of ergotism in France, as well as a well-marked gastro- 

 intestinal inflammation. Experimentally, the symptoms were seen 

 most typically in fowls. Jacob] 's experiments were directed to a closer 

 chemical characterization of the active principle of Robert's sphacelinic 

 acid. By ethereal extraction he obtained from ergot a yellow substance, 

 producing gangrene in fowls, to which he gave the name " chrysotoxin." 

 By extraction with organic acids he separated from this an alkaloidal 

 fraction consisting of a crystalline inert alkaloid, undoubtedly identical 

 with Tanret's " ergotinine," but called " secalin " by Jacob], and an 

 amorphous substance, of high physiological activity, which he called 

 " sphacelotoxin." This latter, for reasons which now appear to be 

 inadequate, Jacobj described as a non-nitrogenous resin, in spite of the 

 fact that his analyses of " secalintoxin " {i.e., " secalin " + " sphace- 

 lotoxin ") and of secalin (= ergotinine) show identical percentages of 

 nitrogen. 



With regard to the therapeutic bearing of these investigations, 

 Jacobj regarded sphacelotoxin as the bearer of the therapeutic as well 

 as the toxic properties of ergot ; Robert, at one stage of his investigation, 



