Ergot

A. F. Hess (New York) and A. Windaus (Gottingen, Germany) tested 30 different steroids with more than 1 double bond from various plant sources for antirachitic activity. Upon irradiation they found that ergosterol , a fungal steroid from ergot which when irradiated , was highly active in curing rats suffering from rickets14. In consultation with Rosenheim and Webster they also determined the ergosterol was the provitamin D which was convertible to vitamin D by UV irradiation15. In 1931 Reerink…

Theories of The Salem Witch Trials Salem, Massachusetts, a town originally settled in the early seventeenth century, after King Charles II granted a charter, allowing the colonization and self rule over The Massachusetts Bay Colony. This charter was revoked then renewed before finding stable ground in 1691. Salem was run by a group of Puritans who left England due to religious oppression. The Puritans sought out a land where the Puritan Church could not only exist, but exist without interference…

The Salem Witch Trial In 1629, Salem was settled as a Massachusetts Bay Colony (Dunn 4). Little did anybody know that in about 50 years, this land would turn into one of the most remembered and haunted places in the world. In Salem, in the years between 1692 and 1693, over 150 people were accused of witchcraft, and 20 people were executed because of this accusation (“First Salem Witch Hanging”). This report will explain exactly how these executions happened and some of the dark conspiracies that…

most likely to be diagnosed with witchcraft while today we find that it may have been Schizophrenia. Again, being in a very religious time, so to civilians and doctors, it made sense to diagnose someone as being possessed. Ergot poisoning was common up until the 1850’s. Ergot was found in the grain Rye and since most people consumed Rye, many were affected by it. When the patients ate the fungus, they would experience symptoms such as body spams, twisting or contorting of the body,…

(LSD) falls within a drug classification known as hallucinogens, which alter and distort perception. While not addictive, it can lead to anxiety, delusions, and paranoia. LSD can only be produced in laboratory settings, but its main ingredient is ergot, a naturally occurring fungus on some grains, classifying it as a semisynthetic drug. LSD lacks color and smell, but has a slightly bitter taste; it can be absorbed through the skin, taken orally when placed on blotter papers or an assortment of…

hypotheses, perhaps the most compelling theory examines the possible side effects of consuming ergot-contaminated foods, not unlike the abnormal behaviors of the accused including muscle spasms, vomiting, and hallucinations. Linda Caporael was the first to propose the theory of ergotism and affirms that the aforementioned characteristics are aligned with the symptoms displayed by individuals suffering from ergot mold poisoning. Marion Starkey takes a more psychological approach in examining the…

One theory is that the people were accidentally poisoned by Ergot, a type of fungus that grows on rot and causes seizures, spasms, mania, and psychosis when ingested. It was most likely caused by many different factors. It is also believed that it is caused by possession, illness, exhaustion, and mass hysteria(Which…

So you’ve just eaten the greatest peanut butter candy in the world, all of a sudden you get hives and breathing becomes a big issue, your throat is swelling blocking off air. This is what is known as allergic reaction, in this case to peanuts. This is the body’s immune system overreacting to the properties of the peanut. However what causes this phenomenon is a chemical that is called histamine, or if you want to get technical, 2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethanamine. Histamine is active chemical…

The Salem Witch Trials started in February 1692, over 200 hundred people were accused of witchcraft. There are a lot of questions about what caused the acusion of witchcraft? Was it ergot poisoning? Were people actually signing a contract with the devil or, were they just crazy? The infamous witch trails started all because a group of young girls claimed to be possessed by the devil and started pointing fingers at several local women claiming them of witchcraft. Two young girls (Elizabeth…

made it more difficult. However, one thing that Colonial Massachusetts were able to grow was Rye. Rye is a type of wheat that many people used to bake bread. Though, the rye that the Puritans grew were consumed with Ergotism. “Ergotism, or long-term ergot poisoning, was once a common condition resulting from eating contaminated rye bread. In some epidemics, it appears that females were more liable…