Ergotism (also known as ergotoxicosis, ergot poisoning and Saint Anthony's Fire) is a disease which results from consumption of contaminated food items made from flour containing ergot fungus for example claviceps purpurea (an ergot fungus which infects rye, related cereal and other forage plants).
Indeed Ergotism is the consequence of long-term ergot poisoning as a result of consumption of alkaloids (naturally occurring chemical compounds containing basic nitrogen atoms and has pronounced physiological actions on humans)
It can affect our central nervous system. Some of the symptoms are headaches, vomiting, spasms (sudden involuntary muscular contraction), itching, affects the fingers and toes (convulsions), Vasoconstriction (constriction of blood vessels) and it often causes hysteria.
Ergotism can also affect cattle while they graze in infected crop fields.
