DISEASES OF SHEEP. 
481 
that the honeydew was intimately connected with the for¬ 
mation of ergot by aiding the growth of the mycelium. But 
it most probably only attracts and adheres to insects, who 
by this means convey the conidia to other spikelets, and thus 
spread the infection to other grains. This saccharine mixture 
instantly reduces the copper solution of Trommer’s test, thus 
showing the presence of sugar. When boiled, a slight 
milkiness is produced and not removed by nitric acid in 
excess, pointing out the presence of albumen. At this 
period the ergot attains its full development and gives no 
blue with iodine, because by the well-known metastatic 
power of fungi all starch is removed and an oil substituted. 
Of this oil, ergot sometimes contains about a third part of 
its weight. 
At this period of its growth each sclerotium gives off the 
odour of trimethylamine when treated with potass, and pro¬ 
duces a red colour. With spontaneous evaporation, after 
mixing the honeydew with alcohol and a little ether, minute 
octahedra of mycose are formed and may be seen with the 
lens. 
On July 18th I first gathered fully formed and mature 
ergots, which I now produce. They have a dark exterior 
with a white interior, and give the ordinary red infusion. 
On August 1st one of the lambs was taken ill with the 
usual inflammatory symptoms. The feet also in a few days 
had a gangrenous appearance, which did not seem to be 
alleviated by any of the usual applications of silver nitrate, 
carbolic or cresylic acids. The affection of the feet strongly 
reminded me of “ clavellisation,” so destructive among the 
flocks of Italy, France, and Moravia, and has frequently been 
supposed to have been a variety of variola. 
The fungus has now reached the limit of its vegetative or 
myceloid growth, which plainly ends at the sclerotium stage 
as our medicinal agent called ergot, by means of which the 
embryo and most of the caryopsides have been destroyed. 
The hyphae are now ready to spread in every direction, 
and thus extend the vegetative growth, from which only we 
derive the peculiar medical properties of the Claviceps in 
their greatest intensity and power on the animal economy, 
and it is now that the greatest effects are produced, which 
are included under the name of “ ergotism.^ 
A joost-mortein examination of the sheep showed the pre¬ 
sence of the conidia among the “ coffee-ground looking 
faeces. The fungus having now arrived at this stage awaits 
for appropriate weather and other suitable conditions for the 
fructifying metamorphosis. 
