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Ergotism is caused by ingesting ergot, a fungus found on rye and other grains. Short-term exposure can cause hallucinations, vomiting, and cramps, while chronic exposure can lead to neurological or vascular symptoms. Historically, it caused mass illness due to limited food choices. Ergotism has been used recreationally and may have caused mass hysteria and witch hunts. Treatment involves vasodilators and nerve blocks.
Ergotism is a condition caused by ingesting ergot, a fungus found on rye and some other grains. Mushrooms produce toxins with neurological and vascular effects, causing a variety of symptoms. Human populations have experienced ergotism for centuries, and a number of historical records, particularly from the Middle Ages, document this condition. Improvements in agricultural practices have now limited the risk of ergotism; historically, the condition was a problem because people had limited food choices and in harsh winters, the only food available may be contaminated grain.
Short-term exposure to ergot can cause hallucinations, mood disturbances, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, muscle twitching, and cramps. Some patients develop red skin and a burning sensation, explaining the alternate name “St. Anthony’s Fire” used historically to describe this condition. Because many communities relied on single sources for their grains, ergot contamination in fields and mills could cause hundreds of people in a community to become seriously ill.
Exposure to high volumes of ergot, especially over time, can cause chronic forms of ergotism. A neurological form is characterized by convulsions, spasms and involuntary movements. Another form focused on the vascular system causes dry gangrene. The blood supply to the extremities is cut off due to the extreme vasoconstriction, causing the limbs to die. Historically, damaged limbs turned black and fell off and this has been depicted in gory, yet informative, detail in a number of artworks.
It is possible that some populations actually used controlled dosages of ergot recreationally in religious rites and other processes. These communities believed that hallucinations were a gift from God. This condition has also been pinpointed as the possible cause behind several recorded incidents of mass hysteria and some people have suggested that it may have been responsible for repeated witch hunts in communities of various regions of the world, when people began to experience hallucinations, paranoia, and mood changes in response to ergot exposure.
The rarity of this condition makes it rare in medical offices. Treatments for ergotism may include administering vasodilators to prevent gangrene, along with nerve blocks for patients experiencing extreme neurological symptoms. Supportive care may also involve sedation for patients with behavioral outbursts. Once the fungus has been cleared from the patient’s system, treatment can be tapered off and the patient should make a full recovery provided no further ergot is ingested.
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