CHRONIC ENDEMIC ERGOTISM

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Abstract
Epidemic ergotism has practically been extinct since the end of the last century. The more careful cleaning of the rye seed before planting and milling undoubtedly accounts for the great reduction of the torturing pains and mutilations that resulted from the eating of rye bread infected with ergot. Our economic system, through which grains are stored for long periods, is another important element in preventing ergotism. It is well known that the toxicity of ergot decreases with age. During the epidemics it was noticed that ergot was most harmful soon after the harvest, that the toxicity decreased considerably toward spring, and that by summer the ergot was practically harmless. If it were not for the careful cleaning and long storing of the grain, conditions similar to those that occurred during the epidemics might be witnessed, as even today many rye fields are heavily infected with ergot. Atanasoff1said: Grains, especially

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