294 
.TAMES LAW. 
tongue is generally recognized (Delwart, Read, Thuillier, Salerno), 
and coincides with the observed symptoms in our cattle. 
In concluding this part of the subject it should be stated that 
powdered ergot applied upon raw surfaces in the lower animals 
has led to circumscribed patches of gangrene. In estimating the 
causes of gangrene in the limbs, therefore, and of unhealthy sores 
in the mouth, throat and bowels, we should not overlook this local 
action of the ergot, which is applied to the feet in wet or thawing 
weather in the mud beneath the racks, and to the mouth and 
alimentary canal continually in the masticated food. 
SYMPTOMS OF DIGESTIVE DISORDERS IN ERGOTISM. 
Indications of digestive disorder are usually among the 
earliest symptoms of ergotism. Carnivora and omnivora usually 
reject by vomiting any consideable dose of ergot administered, 
and show such a disgust for the drug that they will often rather 
starve than voluntarily partake of any food containing it. In the 
herbivora constipation and subsequent diarrhea, as we have 
already seen, is a very common early symptom in both the 
nervous and gangrenous types of the disease. We have even seen 
that an eruption on the skin and on the mouth and other mucous 
membranes is a not unfrequent concomitant of the digestive dis¬ 
order. But in some outbreaks the disorder of the digestive 
organs is such a prominent feature that the subsequent implica¬ 
tion of the nervous system is liable to be looked upon as only 
contingent on the digestive disorder. These are the so-called 
cases of dry murrain , in which cattle fed on ergoted hay or 
smutty maize, and subjected to a dearth of water during frost, 
have the stomachs thrown into a state of torpor, and the mani¬ 
folds firmly impacted with dry food. The local irritation usually 
leads to diarrhea, and in bad cases to inflammation of the stomach 
and bowels, but sooner or later the brain usually sympathizes in 
the trouble, and spasms, delirium, and even paralysis ensue. 
There is first dullness, drowsiness, inappetence, and a tendency to 
lie with the head in the flank, and the pupils dilated ; then there 
may be colicky pains, with looking at the flanks, uneasy move¬ 
ments of the hind feet and tail, then redness of the eyes, a staring 
