POISONOUS FUNGI AND OTHER SPORE -BEARING PLANTS 



2 9 



spores, which are capable of infecting the ovaries of rye plants, which 

 have started their growth toward maturity the following season. 



Chemical Nature of Ergot. The ergot spurs are used medicinally 

 under police regulations, for they are dangerous and poisonous. Ergot 

 contains 0.20 to 0.25 per cent, of ergotinin, as an amorphous compound, 

 and the physiologically active alkaloid ergotoxin or hydroergotinin 

 When taken in sufficient amounts ergot causes serious 



FIG. 7. Calf No. 2 after being fed diseased "paspalum" heads some days. Note 

 stiff appearance with legs rather wide apart to assist in standing. (After Brown, H. B. 

 and Ranck, E. M. : Forage poisoning due to Claviceps Paspali on Paspalum. Technical 

 Bulletin No. 6, Mississippi Agricultural Experiment Station, 1915, p. 21.) 



poisoning of the domestic animals and man. Extensive outbreaks of 

 ergotism have occurred in the United States. In the Baltic provinces of 

 Germany and Russia, the peasants frequently eat bread made out of 

 flour in which ergot spurs have been ground. They suffer from gangrenous 

 affections of the extremities with a loss of the hair, teeth and finger nails. 

 A nervous form of ergotism has also been prevalent. Cattle eating ergoted 

 grain show similar gangrenous and nervous symptoms, the loss of hoofs, 

 tails and horns. Ergot can be controlled to some extent by the selection 



