Ergot is the common name of a fungus in the genus Claviceps that is parasitic on certain grains and grasses.
Ergot is the common name of a fungus in the genus Claviceps that is parasitic on certain grains and grasses.
I think the explanation is: Ergot is a fungus the grows on grains, so maybe if you ate spoiled grain it could have had ergot on it?
Ergot is the name of a toxic fungus that affects the rye plant.
Ergot is a kind of fungus that can infect cereal grains.
Ergot fungus can be found growing on certain types of grains like rye. It can also be purchased from specialty suppliers or online stores that specialize in mycology or natural medicines. Be cautious when handling ergot as it contains compounds that can be toxic if ingested in large quantities.
www.ergot.org
In the context of the Salem witch panic, maybe. The hallucinogenic effects of ergot, a fungus that grows on rye, barley and other wheat crops does match up with many of the symptoms of witchcraft in Salem. But, the distribution pattern of the afflictions doesn't match up with how ergot poisoning would reasonably appear. The afflictions were sporadically spread throughout Salem, but ergot is likely to affect whole households and not just scattered persons. Put simply, one would expect that more people from the same households would be affected by ergot because they would have all eaten from the same bag of possibly infected grain. To shorten this, ergot is plausible in terms of symptoms, but a shaky theory in regards to other details.
Ergot belongs to the group of fungi known as Claviceps. This group typically infects cereal grains, forming hard masses known as ergot sclerotia. Ergot fungi produce toxic alkaloids that can have psychoactive effects on animals and humans when consumed.
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K. S. M. Sastry has written: 'Ergot production in India' -- subject(s): Ergot
Yes, ergot poisoning can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms can include hallucinations, severe convulsions, gangrene, and death due to lack of blood circulation. It is important to seek medical attention immediately if there is suspicion of ergot poisoning.
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