THE VETERINARIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 745, 11 June 1886, Page 15

THE VETERINARIAN.

ACTION OF ' ERGOTISED ' GRAIN ON CATTLE. A conviction exists among stock-owners that what is commonly known as ergot of rye is injurious to stock ; and some-even go so far as to look upon it as the chief, if not the only, cause of abortion, and most practical men might be disposed to admit that it deserves to be placed among the causes of that very serious accident or disease. In support of the view of the injurious action of ergot, especially on in-calf cows, there is very little evidence of a positive kind. Cases of abortion have occurred among cowa which had been feeding on pastures where ergot was tolerably plentiful ; but the same thing has also happened in meadows which were perfectly free. In fact, the idea of the action of ergot in causing abortion appears to have arisen out of the statements which are made in works on medicine to the effect that ergot of rye exercises a special influence on the muscular fibreß of the uterus,'especially at the time of parturition, causing powerful contraction of the organ. The effects of the agent have been noted more particularly in regard to the human subject, and it seems to have been taken for granted that exactly the same medicinal power would be exerted on the lower animals under similar circumstances. Whether this really is the case or not remains doubtful, but wo venture to say that very few veterinary surgeons have had recourse to the drug where delivery was delayed on account of want of tone in the muscle of the uterus. Probably this condition of the organ is extremely rare, and when this difficulty is met with it would be surmounted in a summary manner by the attendant without waiting for medicine to be administered. Ergot is not confined to rye j indeed, there are several species of grasses, the seeds Of which are in certain seasons infested with the peculiar fungus—or, more correctly, the fungus attacks various grasses, and is developed in place of the seed. In a report by Dr Salmon, published by the Department of Agriculture, Washington, U.S., in 1884, it is remarked that the substance known as ergot is one of the stages in the life-history of a fungus which is known as the Claviceps purpurea. The term ergot is of French origin, and suggests a resemblance to the ' spur ' of a cock. The spores of the fungus are carried by currents of air to the flowers of the grasses, and germinate on the surface of the ovary at an early stage of its growth. By degrees the mycelium of the fungus penetratesjinto the tissues of the ovary, and ultimately takes the place of the seed. Ergot is therefore not a diseased seed ; on the contrary, it is developed entirely below the ovary, and prevents the formation of a seed. It is, in fact, entirely a fungous growth, the resting stage of the fungus which remains in this stagnant condition untill the autumn, or probably till the next spring, when, if the fungus comes in contact with the moist earth, germination occurs, and stromata are formed and become perfect fruitary fungi. The conditions which favor the development of ergot are not well known, nor is it certain whether one species of Ciavi--1 ceps produces ergot in the different species of grasses. In composition, ergot is very complex. More than a third of the substance consists of a thick fixed oil, which does not appear to possess any medicinal properties ; two non-crystalline alkaloids have also been separated, ecbolina and ergotina; and one crystalline alkaloid, ergotinine. Ergot seems to have attracted a great deal of attention from experimental pathologists, and physiologists, but it is only now and then that any reference is made to the action of the agent on the uterus. Probably it would not, in the majority of cases, occur to the experimenter to use pregnant animals for the purpose of testing the poisonous action of the agent; and in any accidental cases of abortion following the exhibition of poisonous doseß of ergot, the result would naturally and most likely with perfect reason, be attributed to the general disturbance of the system, rather than to any special influence of the agent on the muscular tissue ot the uterus. Among the serious consequences of poisoning by ergot are mentioned profuse salivation, vomiting, trembling, staggering, partial paralysis, constipation or diarrhcea, excessive thirst, convulsions and death. On injection of an infusion of ergot into the blood stream, the pupils were immediately dilated, convulsions, and great increase in the pulsations of the heart followed, and death took place in nine minutes. When the fatal effects were not manifested so quickly, and loss of sensibility of the skin, paralysis of the special senses, and extreme rigidity of the muscles were the prominent symptoms. The following experiments of Tessier also indicate the active nature of the ergot poison ('Memoire sur les fin seigle ergote.' Hist. Soc. Roy de Med. 1777, 1778, Paris 1780, vol. ii, pp, 587-615): These experiments were instituted with hygienic precautions upon a number of animals. Of two ducks fed ou ergo', one, the female, died in nine or ten days. It had consumed one ounce and three drachms of ergot. There was a large violet spot on the beak, the covering epidermis was raised up by a collectioa of dark fetid blood. The male died in fourteen days, with the beak similarly affected ; there was

also drooping of one wing which showed two regions of inflammation, one in the fold and the other in the first phalanx. It bad consumed 2 ounces and 6 drachms of ergot. A turkey was fed 8 ounces 4J drachms of ergot within twenty-two days. The autopsy revealed inflammation about the beak, but none of the feet and wings. A pig six weeks old died at 'the end of twenty-three days, after receiving 1 pound 12 ounces of ergot. The autopsy revealed swelling of the four' feet, especially at articulations, which were a reddish violet coior... The ears were livid ; there was gangrene of one side of the head and various internal inflammatory lesions. The articulations of the feet with the legs being uncovered' there was seen, particularly with the posterior limbß, a thick, black, and fetid liquid. The animal previous to death had been able to support itself better on its fore than its hind limbs; A six months’ old pig died after being fed during sixty-nine day upon a total of 22 pounds and G ounces of ergot. The autopsy revealed various internal inflammatory leisons, several violet spots on front and hind legs. The end of the tail dark violet, and ears livid. The two first phalanges of the right anterior foot were gangrenous and dry, especially near the articulations. The bones themselves were tinted brown. The same parts of the left foot were gangrenous, but not so far advanced, as the bones were not altered. Upon each calcaneum there was a livid spot, larger on one than on the other. During life there was, on the twentieth day, a purulent discharge from two cavities in the articulation of the right foot ; these were soon covered with a crust. The limb remained cold. On the fortysecoDd day the corresponding joint of the left anterior leg developed a tumor, which by the fifty-eighth day became an open sore. Both legs were cold and swollen, dry, insensible, and portions of the muscles became detached. The animal was no longer able to walk. Salerne, cited by Read, gave to a small male pig barley mixed with, half its weight ef ergot, At the end of fifteen days the Jega becam red, secreted a yellowish and fetid humor the skin of the back and beneath the abdo men became black in color. This) food was continued for fifteen days, and then replaced by some free from ergot. The animal died four days latter ; there was no gangrene of the feet. Bead fed a pig three months old for fifteen days on ergoted wheat mixed with bran. Gangrene seized the lefc ear on the seventeenth day, and it dropped off. The pig died two days later with convulsions. ‘A gengrenous spot was fouud on the liver.’ A. Tardy. *De l’Ergotism, 5 Paris, 1858.) ..Fleming, in his ‘Manual of Veterinary Sanitary Science and Police’ (Vol. i., p. 65), says: * The ergot on rye, wheat, etc., has also given rise to extensive disease in man and animals including birds, marked by convulsions, paralysis, dry gangrene of the limbs, loss' of hair and horn, and other strange phenomena. 5

M. Tabourin, in his ‘Nouveau Traits de Mature de et de Pharmaeie V6t6rinaires,’ Paris, 1866, gives the following description of the action of ergot (pp- 448 to 450) : * The effects of ergot of rye should be devided into medicinal and toxiG. * Medicinal Effects.—The action that ergot of rye exercises on the natural surfaces and ou the denuded tissues, has been very little studied with animals, but appears to be slightly irritating ; with man it has been noticed that the aqueous extract arrests cap~i illary hemorrhages with considerable rapidity, and that it has a manifestly astringent action on denuded tissues. In the digestive tube the effects are but little marked .wheu the medicine is given in small doses j it is only when the quantities ingested are considerable that vomiting occurs with carnivora, and a serious irritation of the intestine with all animals. In regard to the dynamic or general effects produced bv the ergot of rye in medicinal doses, when its active principles have been absorbed, they are almost unnoticeable with healthy animals, and have been very imperfectly studied up to this time. It follows, however, from the trial undertaken by various authors on the greate part of the domestic animals, that this medicine produces with them, as with man, two effects somewhat opposed to each other: A very pronounced sedative action on the circulatory centre, and an energetic stimulation of the nervous centres, and particularly of the posterior portion of the spinal cord. We will return to these two culminating effectß of ergot of rye in connection with the toxic action that "it has on the organism which we are now about to study. Toxic Effects. —The poisoning of animals by ergot of rye is called ergotism. It may occur at the end of a longer or shorter time, according to various circumstances, and particularly according as the ergot is given alone or mixed with food. In the former oase, it occurs after a few days with birds, and after weeks or even months with mammals, according to the size of the doses and the time between them. In the second place it is much slower still, and when its existence is manifested by apparent phenomena, the destruction of the organisim is already consummated, and there is no means of providing a remedy for it. This is a remarkable example of chronic or slow poisoning. The characteristic signs of ergotism are of two varieties. One of these is due to; tho narcotico-acrid and exciting action that the ergot exercises on the nerve centres ; the other is due to the sedative action that it produces ou the heart. When the former predominates, as has been observed with certain epidemics with the human species, the ergotism is called convulsive ; • when, on the contrary, the second is more r pronounced, the ergotism is called gangrenous. It is difficult to'establish this distinction with animals, where the signs of the two varieties are mixed in nearly equal proportion, as we shall demonstrate. «i. Solipeds.—Of all the domestic animals, the solipeds are the least exposed to poisoning by ergot of rye, because oats, the grain they receive most often, is rarely affected with this alteration. Only two authors, MM. Hertwig and Parola, have made experiments on solipeds with ergot of rye. Tbe former administered three and one-half kilograms

(7.7 pounds) of this substance to a horse in the space of twenty-four days; he observed some nervous phenomena and a great depression of the circulation, but no appearance of gangrene. The latter gave ergot of rye to a mule affected with chronic coryzi, for six

days in the dose of one or two ounces a day. There was slowing of the circulation, decreased temperature of tho body, difficulty of respiration, loss of appetite »nd strength, general depression, muscular trembling, slight trembling, slight swelling of the knees toward the end, &c- Tho subject was destroyed. \ The discharge from the nose had disappeared. *2. Large Ruminants.—-Poisoning of large ruminants by ergot is more common than-that of-eolipeds because these animals receive quite often,-as a supplementary ration, the rejected , grains coming from the thrasher or from screening, which always contain more or less ergot of rye and of other grains. With the large ruminants the convulsive phenomena are not seen or are not very apparent; but the depressive effects on the circulatory system are, on the contrary, very marked. Besides, the health is maintained without serious disturbance during weeks and even months if the ergot is taken with the food. Only the ex- . tremities lose little by little their natural warmth, as is noticed with tho ears, the tail, the lower part of the limbs, &e. The d.igital region, and sometimes even the metacarpal and metatarsal region, as M. Deeoste has observed, are smitten with dry gangrene. In this ease the parts lose their warmth, their, sensibility, become hardened and mummified, and soon separate without pain from the partswhich have still remained living.

‘ 3 Small Ruminants.—lt is known that the sheep may, like other animals, feel the noxious influence of ergot, but science is wanting in precise . documents concerning this ruminant and the goat. ‘4. Pigs.—lb follows from some experiments made on these animals by Tessier that ergot of rye poisons them after a greater or' less time according to their force of resistance. There is seen in the first place vertigo, unsteadiness in standing, a tottering walk, moaning, swelling of the eyes, &c.; then the ears, the tail, the lower part of the limbs lose their warmth and vitality; soon appear livid spots, which aftei wards become black and gangrenous, and are the beginning point for the separation of the mortified from the liying parts. ‘5. Dogs.—M. Dieu has given ergot of rye to dogs in the dose of 15 grams (half an ounce) a day. The animals were soon taken wila nausea, bloody diarrhoea, a nasal discharge also colored with blood, depression, weakness, and soon drop into a frightful marasmus. The experiments not having been pressed to the end, the phenomena of dry gangrene could not be observed. *6. Fowls.—These little animals are most exposed to the poieoaing under consideration, because they often receive for nourishment the residue from cleaning grain, which" always contains more or less ergot. The first 1 signs of this poisoning are loss of liveliness, indifference to surroundings, and great dullness ; then there is vertigo, drooping of the wiDgs, &e. ; finally appear more characteristic, signs—a bloody dircharge from the nostrils is seen, the crest becomes black, shrunken, and mummified, the beak dries and is detached, the same course is soon followed by the tongue, the feathers lose their lustre and fall out. Death results soon after these symptoms are seen.

‘To recapitulate. The most ordinary signs of ergotism with the various animals are as follows: Dulness, fixed expression, vertigo, dilated pupils, intoxication, coma; in th® beginning muscular tremblings, then convulsive shocks, tetanic attacks, particularly in the posterior members (which afterwards become weak and paralysed), unsteady position while standing, slow and difficult walk, &c. ; general weakness, progressive emaciation ; pulse slow and weak, skin cold ; hair dull, limbs, ears, horns, and tail lose their natural warmth ; sero mucous and sometimes bloody discharge from the nostrils, cold swelling of the limbs; black spots, livid pitches, gangrenous sores; dry gangrene of the crest, of the beak, and of the tongue of birds, and of the ears, the tails, the phalanges, the limbs, which become detached little by little and piece by piece from the trunk without inflammation or pain. ‘Lesions. — The digestive tube is more or less intensely irritated, the viscera are flabby and softened, the muscles semi gelatinous, the blood fluid, violet-colored, the interior of the vessels red as in putrid diseases. 5