83 

 According to Kraft, ergot containe: ergotinin (Taor^t); t^vo alSalQlds, 

 crystalized ergotinin (Tanret) and amorphous hydro ergotinin (Kraft); 

 a group of yellow colored lactone acado: secalone acid and its anjorphous 

 relatives; a white independent Acid; and also the otherwise common 

 substances: tatin, cholin, and roannit. 



The alkaloids are commlsion-and gangrene-producing poisons, 

 but not the agents of the specific action oh the uterus. 



At the same tiire, Brofessor Va^hlen (282) published his 

 work on clavine, a new crystalized substance vAxidi possesses the specific 

 action of causing contraction on the uterus. This completes the list 

 of known chemical oonrpouods found in regot. 



Vahlen isolated a pure substajice from ergot called Clavine 

 which stimulates the contraction of the genital organs but lacks 

 entirely the gangrenous and other properties of ergot. The quantity 

 of clavine amounts to several grams per Kilogram of ergot. It has a 

 dull taste and is not colored by the alletloid reagents. On the utuius 

 it has a specific action which it stimulates to more or less r^id con- 

 traction. Up to the present there have been successfully applied doses 

 of 0.02 grams in subcutaneous injections or in tablets. 



Barger and Dale (12) claim that the amorphous alkaloid 

 isjii(di Kraft called and considered as hydroergotin© is not eaactly 

 hydrolized ergotinin an4 that it should be called ergotexin as Barger 

 and Carr (11) had named it only a month before Kraft* s paper was pub- 

 lished. Contrary to KrS.ft's and Vahlen' s assertion they showed by 

 numerous experiments on various animals that the action of ergot was due 

 to two substances. 



The alkaloff.d ergot tein ^352^41^5^5 *^^ claim is chemically 

 and physiologically idex.tical v/ith Kreft's hydroergotinin, causing 



