88 

 a« a rule, the poison is acquired in sffiall attounts, and accumulation 

 taJstog; Jilace slowly. 



The gastroenteric symptoms of the disease are; an excessive 

 salivation acconrpajaied with redness, blistering inflammation, wasting and 

 gangrenization of the mouth-epithelium. Similar changes also occur on 

 the epithelium of the gut, producing vomiting, colic, diarrliaea, and 

 constipation. These syraptoms a^pe&ar ii.ibath. spasmodic and gangrenous forms 

 of ergotism. In the spasmodic type of the disease, symptoms of over-stimula- 

 tion of the central nervous system appear. There appears also tonic con- 

 tractions of the flexor tendons of the limbs, anasthesia of the extremities 

 muscular trembling, general tetanic spasm, convulsions and delirium. 

 Nervous phenomena, such as insensibility, blindness, and paralysis also 

 appear . 



Gangrenous ergotism is attributed to prolonged constriction 

 of the arteries and more directly perhaps to degenerative changes in the 

 vessel walls, and the consequent formation of hyaline thrombi. It is 

 characterized by coldness and anaesthesia of the extr^nities, followed 

 ultimately by dry gangrene of tliis part. The effects of this dry gangrene 

 are often very serious and amount to sloughing off of the feet, tips of the 

 ears, tip of the tail, shedding of the hair, teeth, etc. The most frequent 

 lesions are those of loosening of the hoofs so that parts of the sole or 

 wall may shed or slough off. This trouble is found more in cold weather 

 tlian in warm weather, although this is not always the case. The extremities, 

 such as the ears, tail and lower part of the liflflJ?, gradually begin to lose 

 their warmth and sensibility, dry gangrene sets in, the parts harden, become 

 raumnified, and finally drop off vv^ithout pain. Death takes place from 

 exhaustion. With the exception of the gangrene, Tftiich may vary , slightly 

 in severity, there are no lesions of special significance. Degenerative 



