ERGOTA 79 



3. LAMINARIA. SEA-GIRDLES or TANGLES. From Lamina'ria digita'ta 



Lamouroux. A dark-spored seaweed having a ribless expansion resembling 

 a leaf-blade. The stipitate portion has been used in gynecology as a substi- 

 tute for sponge in making sponge tents for dilating the cervical canal. 

 Contains salts, mucilage, and mannite; the latter principle is especially promi- 

 nent in another species Laminaria saccharina like the above, abundant 

 on the sea-coast. 



4. AGAR OR AGAR-AGAR U.S.P. IX. The dried mucilaginous substance ex- 



tracted from Gracilaria (Sphoercocus) lichenoides. 



Gracilaria and other marine Algae growing along the eastern coast of Asia, 

 particularly several species of Gelidium or Gloiopeltis (class Rhodophyceas). 

 Mostly in bundles 4 to 6 dm. in length, thin translucent, membranous, 

 agglutinated pieces from 4 to 8 mm. in width; externally yellowish-white, 

 shiny; tough when damp, brittle when dry; odor, slight; taste, mucilaginous. 

 Tests show it to be insoluble in cold but slowly soluble in hot water. No 

 gelatin or no starch, etc.. TEST. Practically the same as that for chondrus. 

 Ash, not more than 5 per cent. Average dose, 10 Gm. (2^3 dr.). 



ACTION AND USES. Agar-agar is practically never used in medicine. It possesses 

 demulcent and emulsifying properties in common with other species of Alga?. 

 It is principally used at present in bacteriological laboratories as a culture- 

 medium for micro-organisms. 



Agar-agar in the dry state passes through the stomach undigested and on 

 reaching the bowels takes up water and swells considerably, thereby increasing 

 the volume of the evacuations; it is therefore considered a laxative. 



FUNGI 



Spore-bearing plants destitute of chlorophyll and reproduced by means of 

 spores, not by true seeds. 







5. ERGOTA. ERGOT 



ERGOT. (Ergot of Rye) 



The carefully dried sclerotium of fungus Clav'iceps purpu'rea Tulasne (Pam. 

 Hypocreaceae), replacing the grains of rye, Secale cereale Linn6 (Gramineae), 

 with not more than 5 per cent, of harmless seeds, fruits and other foreign 



matter. 







DEVELOPMENT. Sclerotium described: The early stage of the fungus consists 

 of a profuse growth of mycelium in the tissues and upon the surface of the 

 young ovary. In the "sphacelia" stage, as it is called, a multitude of conidia 

 (non-sexual spores) are produced on the ends of the hypha; after the conidial 

 stage the mycelium at the base of the ovary becomes greatly increased and 

 assumes a hard and compact form. It grows with considerable rapidity, and 

 carries upon its summit the old sphacelia and the remains of the now destroyed 

 ovary. The compact, horn-shaped, dark-colored body which results (and is 

 official) is called the sclerotium, which occupies the position of the displaced 

 ovary. This sclerotium remains dormant. in winter, and in the spring pro- 

 duces spores, as follows: stalked receptacles (Fig. 3) grow up from the tissue 

 of the ergot, in which are developed a number of perithecia (Fig. 4). These 

 perithecia are somewhat flask-shaped cavities (Fig. 5) filled with asci (Fig. 5), 

 the latter containing long, slender spores termed asco spores (Fig. 6), which 

 again, by germinating on the rye and other grasses, give rise to a new growth, 

 and to the development of Claviceps. Ergot, in short consists in its earliest 

 stage of a mass of mycelium (threads or filaments of fungi) in and upon the 



