Ergot Essays

outbreaks took place in Germany and Switzerland. The cause of the mania is still unknown, leaving people in awe of the horrific plague. Some people think the dancing plague was caused caused by ergot poisoning or that most dancers were part of a religious cult; I agree with the people that think it was caused by ergot poisoning. One of the theories

Lysergic acid diethylamide is a natural substance synthesized from the parasitic rye fungus, Claviceps purpurea2. Albert Hofmann, a natural products chemist at the Sandoz AG Pharmaceutical Company, synthesized it in 1938 while experimenting with pharmaceutical uses for ergot2,4. He intended for this series known as LSD-25 to be used as a circulatory and respiratory stimulant. However, after minimal testing LSD-25 aroused no special interest in the pharmacologists and physicians. Testing was then

strange symptoms and panic on the hallucinogenic effects of ergot poisoning. John Updike theorized in his novel The

on the slave and said she “possessed” them. The girls were afraid of being caught so they blamed it on others. Some people think ergot is the main cause of the Salem witch trials but they are wrong. The salem witch trials are a great example of how the power of suggestion can change your view of people. Ergot is a fungi that grows on rye and is poisonous to humans. Ergot can cause LSD like effects to humans. People thought this was the cause

Gann English III Honors April 5, 2023 Ergot Poisoning In 1692, the Salem Witch Trials happened, with eight girls accusing others of witchcraft. The girls acted strange, moving in weird positions, saying they saw things that no one else could, and saying they felt things in their skin. Many theories suggest what could have happened. Some say that they acted or that it was actual witchcraft, but they don’t always seem convincing. There is a fungus called Ergot that could be to blame for this hysteria;

The Crucible was about the Salem Witch Trials. The duration of these “trials” were a time of general revenge based on jealousy, lust, and possibly the effects of ergot poisoning. More than two hundred men and women were accused of witchcraft. Twenty of which were executed, along with one man being brutally pressed to death for not admitting to witchcraft. These “trials” could very well have been started because of jealousy. The reason for this is the “accusers” might have wanted to be with the

she is seeing a yellow bird, later she mentions that it is Mary Warren (115). Many people would argue that the girls were lying to get revenge on who they were accusing. However, those people do not realize that there is a parasitic fungus called Ergot which causes Ergotism if a person or animal is exposed to it for long enough (Caporael 3). Ergotism comes in two types, gangrenous and convulsive. In the gangrenous type, the limbs and portions of the body become gangrenous, die, and then fall off

Myth-busting: Ergot Poisoning The years 1691 to 1692 mark an important date in Salem Massachusetts. A small village on the North coast of Massachusetts, Salem became notorious for their injustice and cruelty of their Witch Hunts, in which over 20 people, men and women, were executed in half a year. Surrounded by Religious Paranoia and uncertainty in their newfound community, people began looking at practices of the Devil as a scapegoat for unusual happenings. Believed to have been works of the

Scientists discovered a fungus that can induce actions very similar to those described in the Salem Witch Trials. Contrary to popular belief, the Salem Witch Trials should not be solely attributed to demonic ‘possession’, but rather a harmful pathogen: Ergot of Rye. There are many questions as to what actually occurred in the Massachusetts colony during this time. History.com identifies one of the main problems by claiming that that girls were

Ergot poisoning could have started in Rev.Parris’s home due to his dependence on the Putnam’s rye. The Proctor’s would not have been affected by ergot because they were dependent on their own farm. Some symptoms of ergot poisoning consist of convulsions, muscle spasms, vomiting, and hallucinations, and fingers, toes, and noses falling off. The girls experienced many of these symptoms. However, many of the ergot symptoms were never listed in any of the testimonies

Because ergot tends to grow in these conditions it could have caused rye to become heavily infected. “Rye, which grows best in low, wet areas and is susceptible to ergot infection, was a staple crop in Salem” (Caporael.) Because the western section of Salem's farmland is swampy, it can also contribute to the growth and spread of ergot in Salem. Due to these swampy fields it can be inferred that the western part of Salem

witchcraft was the cause of the affliction these young girls experienced. However, with current evidence, it is clear that ergot was the reason behind the hysteria and chaos during the Salem Witch Trials. The consumption of ergot leads to a type of incessant poisoning known as ergotism. The fungus is often found in rye, which was used to make bread during the late 1600s. Ergot also flourishes in “warm, damp, and rainy springs and summers,” which are climate

with 5 others who died in custody. Ever since, people have wondered what could have caused the terrible disaster of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692, thankfully a likely cause has been found. The probable reason for the madness epidemic in Salem is ergot

-- were mine” (H. Lienhard, 1997). Ergot poisoning, found in rye, was commonly included in the breads of the time, leading to the belief that this tainted food caused tainted ideas. Having daily contact with breads, this is the most logical medical reason the girls acted the way they did. According to the WebMD, common effects of ergot poisoning, on the human body is “nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, itching, and rapid or slow heartbeat. Ergot poisoning can progress to gangrene

Ergots began to be investigated after the epidemics that were generated in Europe. The first medical report about Ergots was made a few years before the Salem Witchcraft trials. Ergots grow on many types of cereal grains, and what they do is replace by fusiform shape with scletoria the original grains on the plant thats been infected. The sclerotia

violently killed. People have argued that it was ergot poisoning or economic greed or jealousy. The salem witch trials hysteria was caused by ergot poisoning, revenge, and jealousy. Ergot poisoning started off the whole salem witch trials. In the video it states that ergot poisoning gave them twitching and most symptoms that those girls had. According to the video people believed that the symptoms were caused by the witches power ( Document video). Although ergot poisoning may have started the trials, there

Trials era. It was a time of confusion and fear for the thought of witches had invaded the town of Salem. However, there are some scientific explanations for the outbursts. Some theorist believe there was a ergot poisoning epidemic within the town. Consuming a grain of rye that is contaminated ergot fungus can lead to convulsions and hallucinations. This would explain why Abigail and the other girls claimed to see an apparition of the devil and other ghouls. A professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic

the devil and all to do with ergot. Ergot is a parasitic fungus that grows on cereal grains like rye. This infection is most common in the summer and spring. People can get this infection by eating bad rye bread. It was more common for women to get Ergot than men. The Salem witch trials accused 110 women and only 24 men.[Doc 5]

but among these the most known mystery would be The Witch Trials of Salem. The event itself is not a mystery but the underlying forces behind the witch trials are. Over the years many theories have been proposed. The most prominent theory is the Ergot Theory, that puts forth the idea that a fungus caused the panic, but we believe that a more sinister cause is behind the panic. We believe that the hysteria was because the town was almost at a boiling point before the witch trials because of the land

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 In 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts a violent panic broke out. The Salem witch trial hysteria largely caused by religious beliefs, suspicious acts, and ergot poisoning. One main cause of the witch hysteria was religious beliefs. Puritans of the Church were strong holders of every small thing in the Bible. Witches were said to be a form of Satan, and God has his constant worship to undergo annoyance of the evil spirits. In Exodus 22:18 it states how the Puritans have strong