242 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



of ergotism of the South and those of the North of Europe are compared a very re- 

 markable fact presents itself ; in the South the gangrenous form is the rale ; a fen- oi 

 the epidemics trere complicated by musenlar contractions (coH//ve///>Y.s): in the North, 

 en the contrary, dry gangrene was a rather rare affection. This phenomenon leap' 

 plicable to animals with which ergotism has been observed during the continuance 

 of an epidemic as Well as with those experimented upon. Fowls are the only excep- 

 tion, and with these gangrene of the comb is an almost constant result. Do the prop- 

 erties of ergot of rye differ in the north and in the sonth ? Chemical analyses may, 

 perhaps, inform us; in waiting for these we may admit that the phenomena are not 

 dependent upon the dose. In 1(340, after threshing, ergot made np half the harvest, 

 of Finland. The epidemic showed itself as acute febrile, convulsive ergotism. Death 

 very often occurred within forty-eight hours (Ilaartman). 



liatiug from the seventeenth century observers were more attentive to the phenom- 

 ena presented by animals during the epidemics of ergotism, but they notice the fact 

 with a briefness which cannot satisfy the scieuce of pathology, because tho proper ele- 

 ments are not furnished for retracing t he medical history. Brnnner, the recorder of the 

 epidemic of 1694, in le Harz, limits himself to this phrase: JNovi peoora, anneiita, sues, 

 rquos, (Uiscrcs qiioquc von ftiisse a contagione immunia. In spite of the contagion which 

 he admits, Brunner leaves nothing equivocal in regard to the cause, for he says : Dr- 

 (jenerarit quoque scctilc cf loco fjranoriau alimcutarioram protrws'it cornicula nigra. The 

 qnoquc relates to oats which had equally undergone degeneration, the characters of 

 which are not indicated; its meal produoed vertigo in the persons who consumed it. 

 It would havo been interesting to indicate the effect produced in horses, but the au- 

 thor maintains an absolute silence in regard to this. Though distinguished botanists 

 affirm that the oat is subject to ergot, we must admit that our researches to discover a 

 fact where the injurious properties of ergoted oats have been noticed with animals 

 have remained without success. 



In the description of the epidemic in Silesia in 172'3, we read that the King of Prus- 

 sia ordered an exchange for sound rye of that affected with ergot, which, as usual, 

 caused sickness of the horses and hogs (Hecker). Convulsive ergotism reappeared in 

 Silesia and Bohemia in 1736. Antoine Soring, the historian, makes the remark that 

 it is known and demonstrated by experiment that ergoted rye produces disease with 

 fowls and mammals, and that when animals suffer during the epidemics of ergotism 

 it is conclusive of the quantity and violent action of the ergot in the rye. 



From 1765 to 1769 ergot was very abundant in Sweden in the rye and barley. The 

 epidemics which followed were attributed by Linnaeus to the grain of the llaphanus 

 raplianistrum, from which is derived the name Raphania, which in Scandanavia is still 

 given to convulsive ergotism. Wahlin, after having experimentally demonstrated the 

 inocuousness of the seeds of liaphanus, observes that there is no reason for not ac- 

 cusing ergot when, in the course of an epidemic, domestic animals such as fowls and 

 hogs present similar symptoms to what are seen in man. This aassage tends to prove 

 not only that the domestic animals contract convulsive ergotism, but also that the 

 ergot of barley is as dangerous as that of rye. This is, besides, continued by Retains 

 when he asserts that beer brewed with ergoted barley becomes a cause of convulsive 

 ergotism for those who consume it. Iu Hesse, it has been often observed, notably in 

 1770, that the heads of barley contained as many, if not more, long, black grains as 

 the rye. In our times (1856) this same remark has been made by T. O. Heusinger. 



Traube, who left a much esteemed description of the epidemic of 1770, which was 

 very extensive in Hanover, says that so far as he was able to observe the facts for 

 himself, he saw in the circle which he traversed a single pig attacked with convul- 

 sive ergotism. Horses eating the ergoted bread were not incommoded ; bovine ani- 

 mals consumed the flour with repuguauce, but also without inconvenience. Dogs 

 and sheep were not affected,' with the exception of the little village of Lobe, where 

 7 sheep succumbed after presenting the phenomena of the couvulsive disease. These 

 animals had pastured on the rye fields after the harvest, which was made m a very 

 dry time, when an abundance was lost by shelling. Traube did not discover a single 

 ease of abortion which Soring and others thought they observed with hogs. One 

 fact impressed him: traveling through the villages which still contained the suffer- 

 ers, the following spring, he heard general complaints in regard to "he small number 

 of the young fowls. But few eggs were produced, and the hens did not sit. Nothing 

 of the'kind occurred in the villages which had been exempt from ergotism. Two 

 fowls were sent him which presented the spasmodic symptoms; these birds, placed 

 ui)on their feet, fell to one side, allowed the head to hang, and agitated the limbs. 

 When they arose of themselves the phalanges were contracted spasmodically; they 

 lived four weeks; no- autopsy was made (Geschichte dcr Kriebelkrankheit, 1782, pp. 

 13 and 15). 



It is seen that in these epidemics the convulsive form predominates, while in France 

 the gangrenous form is almost exclusive. The last extensive epidemic from which 

 this country suffered occurred iu 1750, and the ravages at this time recalled those of 

 the Middle Age. It commenced in Sologne, its traditional center, and extended 



