90 

 than us-aal, f[|ii_Q course of the disease vias usually a rapid one and 

 ended in the majority of cases in death vathin from six to twelve 

 hours, the symptoms during the latter stages of the disease heing 

 those of a general and aggressive paralysis of the whole muscular 

 system and muscular incoordination. The aninal would lie down and 

 get up rather frequently but did not show any excitement or pain, and 

 death resulted in a very gradual maimer. A post mortem examination 

 disclosed that the stomach contained considerable quantities of blue 

 joint Vitoich vjas badly infected with ergot. Numerous ergot sclerotia 

 v;ere still undigested. 



Horses pastxired on land with infected Agropyron, according 

 to Buffum (36), began to lose their hoofs the second year, and in some 

 cases the manes and tails came out. In some cases the horses would 

 not be affected for one dip Itwo months, and in other cases ttiey would 

 show signs in a few days. The symptoms were those of ergot poisoning. 



Pamrael claims that most of the ergotism in the United States 

 results from the ergot on various species of Eljmius, and in Iowa on 

 Elvmus robustus , v/hich is a common plant almost everyvAiere. 



The action of ergot depends, according to IToller, on the 

 age of the sclerotia. Pour grams of newly gatliered ergot is enough to 

 cause marked illness in hens. Considerably later ten grams v/ere necessary 

 to cause illness, while five months-old ergot had scarcely any poisoning 



effect. 



Remedy for Ergotism 



There is no effective antidote for ergot poisoning, and 

 the control measures loiown are primarily preventive. 



The first essential i© the treatment of ergotism is tlie 

 removal of the cause. 



