ERGOT OF WHEAT. 
589 
tion of practitioners to the ergot of wheat. We extract the 
pharmaceutical portion of this excellent work, which the 
author promises to continue. The crop of ergot of wheat is not 
collected like ergot of rye, it is the refuse of a great manu- 
facture. At Clermont Ferrand is prepared a vast quantity 
of semola, which is thus known in commerce, or formed into 
paste, known as Italian paste, or Auvergne paste. 
The wheat used in this manufacture is hard, red and 
glazed, with a bright concho'idal fracture, which is picked by 
the hand before being used. The women who pick the 
wheat set the ergot aside, and sell it to the pharmaceutists: 
ergot of wheat may consequently be met with at many phar- 
maceutists at Clermont Ferrand, and the accoucheurs Jand 
raid wives use it instead of ergot of rye. M. Pourcher, Pro- 
fessor at the Ecole de Medecine, at Clermont, has always 
found that this medicament produced certain and good 
results. 
What are the physical properties of ergot of wheat ? 
It is impossible to mistake ergot of w r heat for ergot of rye, 
when they are seen together, even in a mass ; when examined 
grain by grain they are distinguished with quite as much 
facility. 
Form. — Ergot of rye is elongated, fusiform, slightly bent, 
furrowed longitudinally at about equal distances and depths. 
Ergot of wheat more nearly resembles the normal grain ; 
the longitudinal furrows are not so equal, some being much 
deeper than others. 
Length. — Ergot of rye averages from 20 to 2 5 millimetres: 
the short samples are from 10 to 12 millimetres in length, 
the longest from 60 to 70 millimetres. 
Ergot of wheat, on the contrary, seldom exceeds 10 milli- 
metres ; the shortest are about four millimetres long; the 
longest from 12 to 15 millimetres. 
Thickness. — -Ergot of wheat being shorter than rye, appears 
to have a greater diameter ; in reality it is less. 
Colour. — The same colour externally and internally ; but 
when cut through, the colour of ergot of w 7 heat is more fre- 
quently brown than that of ergot of rye. 
Taste. — No difference. 
Odour. — The odour of ergot of wheat is less disagreeable 
than that of ergot of rye. Neither of them will germinate. 
The microscopical studies of Dr. Grandclement have given 
the following results : 
1st. — That the sporules of ergot of wheat are thicker than 
those of ergot of rye. 
2d. — That the mass of the first is exclusively composed of 
xxviii. 76 
