Ergotism – The Rye Poisoning
3/1/2021
Today, as we are amid the SARS-Co-2 Corona virus pandemic, epidemiologists are warning that this may only be a chapter in our world’s history of world-wide illnesses with future cases of diseases spreading across the globe yet to come. The fact is, the world has continuously been plagued by uncontrolled disease. We all familiar with the Spanish Flu that occurred one hundred years ago and of course, the bubonic plague that devastated civilization during Medieval times. Unfortunately, the world has always been victimized by the uncontrolled spread of disease. And while specific diseases have come and gone, one such pathogen has lingered and manifested itself periodically throughout the centuries. This disease is known as ergotism or – more aptly put – during the middles ages, as the rye poisoning.
Erotism is an illness that comes from the ingestion of the fungi, ergot. This fungus grows on rye – a grass grown extensively as a grain and a cover crop and a forage crop. It is closely related to both wheat and barley. Rye grain is used for flour, bread, beer, crispbread, some whiskeys, vodkas, and animal fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries or by being rolled, like rolled oats. However, rye does have this one unique property. That is, it is a preferred host material for the ergot fungi. During its lifecycle, ergot produces alkaloids.
The alkaloid produced is known as ergotamine; a complex molecule that has a wide range of biological activities including effects on circulation and neurotransmission (the process of how information is transferred within the central and peripheral nervous systems). In turn, these effects can result in hallucinations, irrational behavior, convulsions, and even death. Indeed, during the middle ages, persons who exhibited such symptoms were typically accused of being possessed by the devil and thus were frequently tortured and executed. Other symptoms include strong uterine contractions, nausea, seizures, high fever, vomiting, loss of muscle strength and unconsciousness. Historians have recorded instances where controlled doses of ergot have been used to induce abortions and to stop maternal bleeding after childbirth.
Early references to ergot poisoning (ergotism) date back to as far as 600 BC, where an Assyrian tablet referred to it as a “noxious pustule in the ear of grain.” In 350 BC, the ancient people of Parsees described ‘noxious grasses that cause pregnant women to drop the womb and die in childbed. In ancient Syria, ergot was called ‘Daughter of Blood. Radulf Glaber, the 11th century monk, described an ailment he called ‘hidden fire’ or ignus ocultus, in which a burning of the limb is followed by its separation from the body, often consuming the victim in one night.
Human poisoning due to the consumption of rye bread made from ergot-infected grain was common in Europe in the Middle Ages. The first mention of a plague due to ergotism in Europe comes from Germany in 857, followed by episodes in France and Scandinavia. It is interesting to note that England was noticeably absent from the historical regions affected by ergotism as their main source of food was wheat, which is resistant to ergot fungi. In 944, a massive outbreak of ergotism caused 40,000 deaths in French regions. It wasn’t until 1596, that a German physician, Wendelin Thelius, attributed ergotism poisoning to grain. And in 1778, an epidemic in Sologne, France was observed to have taken over 8,000 lives. As a result, all the local grain fields were drained, while any grain that was previous stored, was required to be cleaned (probably that meant washing any visible signs of mold). In addition, throughout the region, potatoes were substituted as the crop to be sown as a substitute for affected grain.
In 1722, the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great was thwarted in his campaign against the Ottoman Empire as his army, traveling down the Terek steppe (stretch of land between the Black and Caspian seas used as a passage between Asia and the Middle east), were struck by ergotism and were forced to retreat in order to find edible grains. A diary entry from the time describes that as soon as people ate the poisoned bread they became dizzy, with such strong nerve contractions that those who did not die from the first day found their hands and feet falling off, akin to frostbite.
In Europe, ergotism became known as Saint Anthony’s fire, or ignis sacer, and some historical events, such as the Great Fear in France during the French Revolution have been linked to ergot poisoning. The term, Saint Anthony’s fire has been attributed to the 3rd Century Monk (now known as Saint Anthony) who lived by the Red Sea and was known for long fasting in which he confronted terrible visions and temptations sent from the Devil. He was credited by two noblemen for assisting them in recovery from the disease. These noblemen subsequently founded the Order of St. Anthony in honor of him.
It has been hypothesized that kykeon, the beverage consumed by participants in the ancient Greek Eleusinian Mysteries cult (a secret society in ancient Greece where annual initiations took place) might have been based on hallucinogens from ergotamine. And while some historians have speculated that the visions associated with the young ladies during the Salem Witch trials were the result of visions brought on by ergotism; however, modern evidence appears to have proven that the hallucinations documented during this event were not based on any merit.
Rye poisoning is frequently mentioned as a precursor to the potent hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
Today, modern science techniques of fungicides and disease-resistant breeding within grain farming have shown to be effective controls to prevent human illness from tainted rye.
Ergotism is still present and is considered a concern in agricultural communities throughout the world as this disease effects farm animals as cattle, pigs, sheep, and poultry are involved in sporadic outbreaks, and most other species are susceptible. As such, veterinarians are now in the forefront to combat this disease.
Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses