98 EEGOTINE. 



ergot, as that the ergot is caused by the pre- 

 sence of the fungus. "Be the cause of its 

 production," says professor Henslow, " what it 

 may, the ergot is a monstrous state of the 

 seed in which the embryo, and particularly one 

 part of it, is preternaturally enlarged, protrudes 

 beyond the chaff, and often assumes a curved 

 form somewhat resembling a cock's spur, from 

 whence the name " ergot," which is of French 

 extraction. It is black superficially, and of a 

 spongy texture internally, containing much oily 

 matter, so that it will burn like an almond 

 when lighted at a candle." Daniell, in his 

 table of sugars and their congeners, says that a 

 certain saccharine matter, which he calls "mush- 

 room sugar," is derivedfrom ergot, consisting of 

 twelve equivalents of carbon, thirteen of hydro- 

 gen, and thirteen of oxygen. Another chemist 

 announced, that he had discovered in it a non- 

 azotised vegetable substance, which he denom- 

 inated ergotine. It is obtained in the state of 

 a brown powder, of a pungent and bitter taste, 

 and he looks upon it as the active principle. 

 He says that it is narcotic and poisonous, 

 but the composition and properties do not yet 

 seem to be ascertained ; and most probably, if 

 it could be duly examined, it would turn out to 



