ERGOTA 131 



that many of the malignant epidemics and frightful 

 pestilences recorded in the history of medieval Europe, 

 including an epidemic occurring as late as 1816, were 

 ascribed to spurred rye, it can be seen that such old 

 terms as "convulsivus malignus" and "morbus spas- 

 modicus," once applied to the (accepted) ergot disease, 

 were well chosen. Not till 1838, however, was the 

 nature of ergot authoritatively determined by Quekett 

 (529) in his paper read before the Linnsean Society, 

 titled, "Observations on the Anatomical and Physiolog- 

 ical Nature of Ergot in Certain Grasses." Before that 

 date, although recognized as a fungus, the stage known 

 as ergot was considered a distinct species. 



As with other important natural drugs, so with ergot. 

 It is initially a gift of domestic medicine, and was first 

 mentioned by Adam Lonicer (394), Frankfort, Ger- 

 many, who (1565) ascribed to it obstetric virtues, on 

 the authority of women who considered it of "remark- 

 able and certain efficacy." The English botanist Ray 

 (536) alludes to its medicinal properties (1693); a 

 Dutch physician, Rathlaw, employed it in 1747; Des- 

 granges, of Lyons, praised it in 1777; while Dr. John 

 Stearns, of Waterford, N. Y., (61 la), who introduced 

 ergot to American medicine, 1807, under the name 

 "Pulvis parturiens," highly commended it in a paper 

 contributed to the Medical Repository (418b), which 

 gave ergot a place that, supported by other testimony, 

 pushed the drug into prominence. Ergot, it may be 

 repeated, is a gift of home obstetric practice, estab- 

 lished over three centuries ago by the German mid- 

 wives. 



The chemistry of ergot was the subject of a paper 

 by Dr. A. R. L. Dohme, of Sharp & Dohme, con- 



