194 



ASCOMYCETES. 



forming, with alkalies, salts soluble in water. This is the real cause of 

 ergot poisoning and gives rise to gangrene. In large doses it produces 

 cramp similar to strychnine, and tetanus of the uterus. 



(3) Ergotic acid, a nitrogenous, easily decomposed glycoside, which has 

 no effect on the uterus. It is more a narcotic which diminishes reflex 

 excitability and finally stops it. 



Robert experimented chiefly with cattle and fowls. He found that an 

 acute course of the poisoning can be distinguished from a chronic ; also a 

 gangrenous ergotism from a spasmodic. The symptoms of the disease are : 



(1) Gastro-enteric, an excessive salivation accompanied with redness, 

 blistering, inflammation, wasting and gangrenization of the mouth-epithelium; 

 similar changes also occur on the epithelium of the gut, producing vomiting, 

 colic, and diarrhoea. 



(2) Gangrenization and mmnminca- 

 tion f extremities, consisting of a 

 drying-up, a dying-off, and a detach- 

 ment of extremities, such as nails, 

 ears, tail, wings, claws, toes, and point 

 of tongue. 



(3) Spasmodic contraction of the 

 uterus and consequent abortion. 



(4) Nervous phenomena such as in- 

 sensibility, blindness, paralysis, etc. 

 The presence of ergot may be de- 

 tected both microscopically and spec- 

 troscopically. 



The fungus may be combated 

 by careful separation and de- 

 struction of sclerotia, and by the 

 use of clean seed. 1 



Claviceps microcephala 

 (Wallr.) (Britain). This is found 

 on Phragmites, Molinia, Nanln*, 

 etc. It . has smaller sclerotia, 

 which, according to Hartwich, 2 

 contain three times as much 

 Ergotin as those of Cl. purpurea. 



FIG 8(J. Sclerotia of Claviceps microcephala 

 on Molinia cocmlca. (v. Tubeuf phot.) 



1 Smith (Diseases of field and garden crops. 1884. p. 233) describes and 

 figures Claviceps />tir/>iti'<a m/-. \Viltsoni on Glyceria fluitans near Aberdeen. It 

 is distinguished " in being whitish or yellowish, instead of being pale purple in 

 colour, and in the perithecia or conceptacles being almost free on an elongated 

 dub-like growth instead of being immersed in a globular head or stroina. " 



- Hartwich, ' 

 France. 1895. 



1 Sclerote du Molinia coerulea." Bullet, de la Soc. Mycolog. </< 



