64 

 gangrene on the conibs of hens, increasing of the blood pressure a,nd 

 contraction of the uterus. fEhese actions aie caused hy the alkaloids 

 and not as Vahlen supposed by an impurity found m, it. G3iis allsaloid 

 is the specifically active part of preparations like sphacelic acid, 

 sphacelo toxin, etc. In water e;:tracta of this aUsaloid it coihes only 

 in snail quantities. 



In vsstter extracts which cause a,lso an increase in the 

 blood pressure and contraction of the uterus, the active principle is 

 the Tsatersoluble hase, p-oxypheryl-ethylaciin, HO.CgH CJIJg.CHg.MH^, Tflfaich 

 resemhles aepenalin chemically as v,;eii as physiologically, 



They showed also that the clavine preparations are a mixture 

 of amino acids and not a pure substance as Vahlen held it to be. 



The quantitative composition of ergot is even less Isnown 

 than its qualitative composition. It probably varies vdth samples, 

 small ergot is supposed to contain more alkaloids than the larger ones. 

 According to Hartwich, (90+, C I. mic rocephala contains three times as 

 much ergotinin as those of CI. purpurea-. 



Ergot is supposed to contain (205) about 30 percent 

 fixed oil ( )• Besides this the Spanish ergot contains about 0.3 

 percent ergotinin, Russian and German alaout 0.2 percent. Others have 

 given siraller percentages of these compounds. 



Some other substances have been reported as being also 

 present in ergot. Such are: a sugar called irycose, 30 percent a 

 yellowish oil consisting of fats, (30 percent) principally olein and 

 palmetin, glycogen (95). callose (168). The latter is pbobahly identical 

 with fungose, nycosino, etc. 



