692 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



tions have a blue fluorescence. With concentrated sulphuric acid 

 it produces a violet-blue color. Sphacelinic acid (sphacelo- 

 toxin) is a non-nitrogenous, resinous substance, which is insoluble 

 in water but soluble in alcohol and is readily decomposed by 

 chemicals. 



An amorphous alkaloid ergotoxine has recently been isolated. 

 It forms crystallizable salts with oxalic, tartaric and phosphoric 

 acids and possesses the physiological properties of the drug. The 

 dose of the alkaloid is a few milligrams and for injection it is 

 dissolved in a dilute solution of sodium hydrate. Ergotoxine is 

 supposed to be an anhydride of ergotinine which crystallizes in 

 long needles but does not form crystalline salts. 



The alkaloid ecboline (Wenzell), which exists to the extent 

 of 0.16 per cent., somewhat resembles cornutine in its physio- 

 logical action in contracting the muscles. The alkaloid ergotine 

 (about 0.04 per cent.) described by Wenzell may be (like the alka- 

 loid picrosclerotine of Dragendorfif) similar to the ergotinine 

 of Tanret, which, according to Keller, owes its activity to the 

 presence of cornutine. 



The substance known as secalintoxin is a compound of 

 sphacelinic acid (sphacelotoxin) and a physiologically inactive 

 crystalline substance, secaline. The drug also contains a crys- 

 tallizable phenolic body, chrysotoxin ; an amorphous, nitrogen- 

 ous, glucosidal acid, ergotinic acid (sclerotic acid), which 

 is soluble in water and easily decomposed by the digestive secre- 

 tions ; choline; leucine (amido-caproic acid) ; a crystalline mona- 

 tomic alcohol, phytosterin (cholesterin), also found in some ani- 

 mal fats ; a crystalline substance, ergosterin ; an amorphous red 

 coloring principle, sclererythrin ; about 2 per cent, of a crystalline 

 sugar, mycose, occurring in rhombic octahedra ; 13 to 35 per cent, 

 of a yellowish, non-drying oil which is bland when pure, consist- 

 ing of 68 per cent, of oleic acid, 22 per cent, of oxyoleic and 5 per 

 cent, of palmitic acid ; a fat hydrolyzing enzyme ; and starch. 

 The pressor activity of aqueous extracts is due to p. hydroxy- 

 phenylethylamine and a trace of isoamylamine. 



Allied Pi^\nts. Ergot is also found on other cereals, as 

 wheat, barley and rice. 



Ustilago Maydis (Earn. Ustilaginacese), the fungus found 

 upon the stem and flowers of Zea Mays, was formerly official as 



