CHAPTER III. 

 DIETETIC AND CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES. 



Ergotism, Goitre. Rheumatism. Acute Anasarca. 

 Purpura Hcemorrhagica. Anaemia. 



ERGOTISM. 



From time immemorial animals and men have suffered from 

 eating the cereal grains which have been attacked with ergot. 

 This was especially the case when agriculture was in its infancy, 

 for then a damp, cloudy season would cause this affection to 

 spread after the manner of a plague. The same holds still to 

 a less extent, and in the New World as well as the Old. Not 

 only the ergot but even the smut of maize will bring about 

 untoward effects. These results may be divided into three 

 categories according as the poison acts — on \\\Qbrain, producing 

 convulsions, paralysis, ox profound lethargy ; on the womb, tend- 

 ing to abortion ; or on the extremities, causing dry gangrene. 



Symptoms of the Nervous Form. — Unsteady gait, a great 

 tendency to lie down and to remain in a torpid state little 

 conscious of what is passing around, loss of lustre of hair or 

 feathers, coldness of skin, dilatation of the pupils of the eyes, 

 and dulness of the special senses mark the early stages. This 

 may go on to paralysis or deep lethargy without any active 

 nervous excitement. Or paroxysms supervene, during which 

 the special senses become more acute, the animal very excit- 

 able, and twitching of the muscles or spasms like those of 

 lockjaw or epilepsy convulse the patient. Then there is a 

 relapse into the former stupor and drowsiness, with palsy of the 



