I think the explanation is: Ergot is a fungus the grows on grains, so maybe if you ate spoiled grain it could have had ergot on it?
Yes, ergot poisoning can be fatal if left untreated. Symptoms can include hallucinations, severe convulsions, gangrene, and death due to lack of blood circulation. It is important to seek medical attention immediately if there is suspicion of ergot poisoning.
1. The accused were not the ones who went mad. The supposedly bewitched accusers went mad. 2. There is no concrete proof there was any poison, but one theory suggests Ergotism, poisoning from ingesting ergot fungus.
Poisoning produced by eating food affected by ergot, resulting in headache, vomiting, and gangrene of the fingers and toes
Ergot poisoning, caused by consuming moldy rye infected with the fungus Claviceps purpurea, can lead to symptoms such as hallucinations, convulsions, and a burning sensation in the limbs, which resemble the behaviors attributed to witchcraft. Historical accounts from the time describe bizarre behaviors and visions among the afflicted, aligning with ergot's psychoactive effects. Additionally, the timing of outbreaks often coincided with the harvest of rye, suggesting a direct link between the contaminated grain and the subsequent accusations of witchcraft. This connection has led some historians to theorize that ergot poisoning may have fueled the hysteria surrounding witch trials.
St. Vitus Dance, "Chorea sancti viti," also known as Sydenham's Chorea. St. Anthony's Fire, or Ergotism, poisoning by the ergot fungus.
1. There were no witches in Salem 2. They were never accused of/ believed to have ingested poison 3. The only mention of poisoning in Salem literature is the theory that the afflicted got that way from Ergotism, poisoning by eating wheat or rye infected with the fungus Ergot.
Ergot is a kind of fungus that can infect cereal grains.
Ergot is the name of a toxic fungus that affects the rye plant.
St. Anthony of Padua died of ergotism. Also known as ergot poisoning, ergotism has been suggested as the cause of symptoms formerly attributed to witchcraft.
Ergot alkaloids are derived from a fungus, Claviceps purpurea, which grows primarily on rye grain. The fungus forms a hard blackish body known as a sclerotium, which contains alkaloid compounds that can be used to treat migraine headache.
Ergot is the common name of a fungus in the genus Claviceps that is parasitic on certain grains and grasses.
ergot poisoning. Symptoms include headache, muscle pain, numbness, coldness, and unusually pale fingers and toes. If not treated, the condition can lead to gangrene (tissue death).