Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1888. 
Ustilago  ^laydis. 
51 
I  have  treated  shortly  of  one  group  of  cryptogams,  but  comparatively 
recently  another  of  the  groups  of  that  division  of  the  vegetable  kingdom  has 
been  the  subject  of  research,  I  refer  to  the  Lycopodiums,  or  club  mosses. 
Professor  Treub,  of  the  Buitenzorg  Botanical  Gardens,  has  filled  in  one  or 
two  phases  of  the  life-cycle  of  these  plants,  having  found  their  prothalli  and 
traced  the  development  of  the  same. 
All  this  will  show  you  that  at  present  botany  is  not  standing  still,  but  that 
there  are  earnest  workers  doing  good  work. 
USTILAGO  MAYDIS. 
By  W.  a.  X.  DoRLAXD,  M.D. 
After  briefly  reviewing  the  history  of  cornsmut,  the  author  relates  his  obser- 
vations in  nine  cases  in  which  the  drug  was  employed,  and  then  continues : 
The  above  comprises  all  of  the  cases  within  the  three  months  in  which  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  emi)loy  the  drug  to  shorten  the  duration  of  labor.  Before 
proceeding,  it  may  be  as  well  to  state  that  the  patients  were  all  in  good  physical 
condition,  that  all  were  at  term,  and  that  all  made  a  rapid  and  complete 
recovery. 
Having,  now,  this  record  before  us,  let  us  endeavor  by  a  careful  examination 
of  the  cases,  to  group  the  results  of  our  experiments,  that  we  may  the  more 
clearly  ascertain  the  value  of  the  drug.  Three  or  four  points  seem  to  stand  out 
prominently,  demanding  our  consideration. 
1.  The  toxicology  and  jjTujsiological  action  of  the  drug. 
Xo  cases  of  poisoning  in  man  by  the  drag  are  on  record.  That  it  is,  however, 
possessed  of  toxic  properties  in  large  doses  has  Ijeen  proved  by  Mitchell.^  He 
found  that  in  the  lower  animals,  in  large  doses,  it  acted  violently  upon  the  spiiial 
cord,  paralyzing  first  the  sensory,  later  the  motor  tracts,  finally  involving  the 
motor,  and  probably  also  the  sensory  neves.  Like  ergot,  then,  it  is  probable 
that  the  chief  force  of  the  drug,  in  toxic  doses,  is  expended  upon  the  nerve 
centres,  producing  a  toxic  paralysis. 
As  may  be  understood,  our  studies  on  the  physiological  action  of  ustilago 
were  necessarily  limited.  After  the  administration  of  the  drug  in  three  in- 
stances, there  was  considerable  nausea,  followed  in  one  case  by  vomiting  of  the 
ustilago,  together  with  the  other  contents  of  the  stomach.  This  nausea  seems 
to  be  of  a  similar  nature  to  that  produced  by  the  ergot  of  rye,  and  calls  for  no 
further  discussion. 
The  action  of  ustilago  upon  the  uteiTis  has  been  more  carefully  noted.  After 
the  ingestion  of  a  sufficient  amount,  in  fi'om  twenty  minutes  to  half  an  hour, 
the  pains,  if  present,  are  increased  in  severity,  in  fi'eciuency,  and  in  duration, 
presenting  a  marked  clonic  character,  following  each  other  in  frequent  succession, 
with  a  decided  intermission  between  each.  In  this  respect  it  differs  decidedly 
fi"om  the  action  of  ergot,  which,  in  full  doses,  produces  one  continuous,  tonic 
spasm  of  the  uterine  muscle.  It  is  this  property  of  ergot  which  has,  when 
administered  before  the  dehvery  of  the  placenta,  ]3roduced  in  so  many  instances 
IDr.  James  Mitchell,  Inaug.  Thesis,  Univ.  of  Pa.,  1883. 
