Ergotism Flashcards
What is ergotism?
Poisining attributed to ergot of rye)
Poisoning produced by eating food affected by ergot
There were frequent epidemics of ergotism during the middle ages. How many and what wre the dates they were documented?
65 epidemics ducumented from 1581 to 1889
What about ergotim served as a source of inspiration for artists?
- St. Anthony’s Fire (burning
sensation in the limbs) - Gangarene of limbs
- Neurological diseases
- Death
Where does the word “ergot” come from and what does it mean?
Comes from the french word argot and it means spur
What does the fungus produces and what is it?
Alkaloids (mycotoxins)
Ergotism has had a great influence on what?
Many European demographic, historic, and social events;
religious movements; and art.
This fungus was probably noted as the “noxious pustule in the ear of grain” around when on what?
It was probably the “noxious pustule in the ear of grain” noted on an Assyrian cuneiform tablet of around 600 BC.
Why were ergotism and witchcraft assosiated?
Large numbers of people showed symptoms of ergotism,
especially convulsions and hallucinations, many in 16th and 17th centuries concluded that they must have been victims of witchcraft and witches were blamed for the symptoms
Witch hunts hardly occurred where people did not
eat rye. Why would you say so?
Ergotism most commonly came from eating rye, which led to the symptoms that were than assosiated with witches. Therefore, if no one ate rye, no ergotism, no symptoms, no assosiation with witches
Explain Ergotism and religion assosiated
In the 1740s, the “Age of Rationalism”, ergot symptoms
became a mark of holy, not demonic possession.
- Visions, trances and spasms were read as religious
ecstasy.
–Chronic intake of ergot, resulting in a wide variety of
neuropsychiatric and vascular symptoms - Coincide with various mystical movements, such as the
early Pietist movement, Sabbateanism and Chasidism.
–Chasidism due to LSD – made famous by 2 professors at
Harvard who carelessly experimented on university students
Explain Ergotism, Bubonic plague and other historical
events
During the high Middle Ages, the 1100s- 1200s, was in a
period of relatively good health and population growth.
This ended between 1348-1350, when a major epidemic
of the bubonic plague struck. It is estimated that 1/3
of Europe’s population died as a result of the plague.
–Bubonic plague due to bacteria Yersinia pestis that after
exposure to the bacteria, flu like symptoms develop
Although the death toll on this occasion was high,
a depression in the population of Europe lasted
until 1490.
–This puzzled historians because even with such a high
number of deaths, population recovery should have
occurred
–Ergot seriously weakened the immune system,
consumption of grains infected with ergot increased the
mortality.
–During the plague men were often forced to consume
substandard food that more than likely was
contaminated with mould.
It was known that after the plague, the winters
were unusually cold.
In those years rye would be more likely to survive
than wheat.
Ergot poisoning is also known to reduce fertility and
cause spontaneous abortions.
Recovery of European population had stopped
almost for a century.
Ergotism was caused bywhat?
Eating rye bread CONTAMINATED with Claviceps purpurea (in italics)
What else can be contaminated with Claviceps purpurea?
Other grasses
Rye was often eaten by who and when?
Mainly eaten by poor people often during famine
What is the subphylum and class of Claviceps purpurea?
Subphylum: PEZIZOMYCOTINA
Class: SORDARIOMYCETES
