ERGOTISM. In the article on ergot it has been shown that there are a great many closely related parasitic fungi, growing on different varieties of grasses. A number of these in fected grasses belonging to the ergot family produce, when eaten by cattle, forms of acute and chronic poisoning. These are character ized by changes, particularly in the blood ves sels, causing swellings below the knees or ankles, with gangrene of the skin and at times symp toms of paralysis of the extremities. In years in which unusual humid conditions have per mitted the wide and abundant growth of these parasitic fungi, large areas of pasture land have become infected, resulting in widespread poison ing of cattle, almost resembling epidemics.
In Europe, where the eating of rye bread is much more common than in this country, par ticularly in Russia and Italy, cases of chronic poisoning by ergot occur in man from eating the bread made from infected grain. The chief symptoms here are those referable to changes in the blood vessels of different parts of the body, with secondary consequences. Thus, in
some, there is a loss of touch-sensation in the hands and feet, a condition which may go on to the formation of ulcers and gangrene. This is the result of the cutting off of the blood sup ply to the periphery of the body by the con tracting influence of the poison on the walls of the blood vessels. In some cases disease of the spinal cord results. This is thought to be due to the artificially induced anemia with secondary degenerations in the columns of the cord. This disease, called pellagra, closely resembles a toxic neuritis or locomotor ataxia. Treatment con sists usually in a change of food, local anti septics, tannin used internally to neutralize the alkaloids of the ergot and castor oil. Hot water is often applied locally to dilate the blood vessels and chloral hydrate has been found serviceable when taken internally. See ERGOT; PELLAGRA.