SITOTOXISUUS. 221 



of the fungus. There are certain conditions which are known to 

 favor the development of this parasite. It is more common when 

 there is a rainy spring followed by a hot, dry summer. Thorough 

 cultivation of the soil kills the parasite, and for this reason ergot is 

 more abundant in countries where the soil is not well cultivated, and 

 ergotism has within recent years prevailed in epidemic form only in 

 Russia and in Spain. Grains of ergot, after having been exposed to 

 the air for a few months, lose in large part their toxicity, and con- 

 sequently epidemics of ergotism follow closely upon the harvests, 

 and especially upon poor harvests, when the parasite is most abund- 

 ant and the people are compelled to feed upon what they have with- 

 out close inquiry as to its quality. However, it may be pointed out 

 here that in the present state of civilization there is but little excuse 

 for the existence of epidemics of ergotism. In the first place, thorough 

 cultivation of the soil would soon completely eradicate this mould, 

 and a proper selection of seed would do much in the same direction. 

 As early as 1858 Kuhn pointed out the benefit that would be secured 

 by an early harvesting of fields contaminated with ergot, as by this 

 means the spread and consequent development of this parasite would 

 be largely prevented. Moreover, the ergot grain is much larger 

 than that of rye, and this difference in size permits of the easy sep- 

 aration of the two by means of sieves especially constructed for this 

 purpose. The commercial value of ergot is so much greater than 

 that of rye that the time given to the separation of the two would be 

 profitably spent, and yet so dense is the ignorance and so pronounced 

 is the indolence of certain peasant classes that epidemics of ergotism 

 continue and probably will continue for many years. 



Kobert and his student, Griinefeld, have found three poisons in 

 ergot ; these are ergotinic acid, sphacelinic acid and cornutin. The 

 first of these, ergotinic acid, is poisonous when injected subcutane- 

 ously or intravenously, but seems to be devoid of harmful properties 

 when taken by the mouth, hence it can play no part in the causation 

 of ergotism. In all cases of ergotism both the sphacelinic acid and 

 the cornutin are contained in the ergot ; therefore, a clinical picture 

 of the disease must be a composite resulting from the combined 

 action of the two, and it must vary with the preponderance of one or 

 the other in the ergot taken. 



It is believed that sphacelinic acid is the constituent of ergot that 

 causes gangrene and develops the cachexia of the disease. Griine- 

 feld fed animals with sphacelinic acid and induced gangrene in all ; 

 in cocks, the comb, then the wattles, tongue, wings and crop, re- 

 spectively were affected ; in hogs, the ears fell off, bit by bit ; in 

 horses and cows, the tails, ears and hoofs separated ; while in dogs 

 and cats the gangrene usually began in the skin. When locally ap- 

 plied in concentrated solution sphacelinic acid causes gangrene of 

 the tissues with which it comes in contact and this explains the 



