Ergotism

Rare card · No. 33842

Ergotism (pronounced UR-gət-iz-əm) is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, frequently due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus—from the Latin clava "club" or clavus "nail" and -ceps for "head", i.e. the purple club-headed fungus—that infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the action of a number of ergoline-based drugs. It is also known as ergotoxicosis, ergot poisoning, and Saint Anthony's fire.

Read on Wikipedia · Image G. Barger, Public domain