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Author: (Fr.) Tul., Family: ascomycetes clavicipitales
Very poisonous, even deadly!
Ergot is a parasitic fungus on grasses, especially rye. In former times bread flour often was
infected with ergot, sometimes causing an epidemic spreading of a disease called ergotism, which
often lead to death. Due to modern cultivation of resistant species of rye and use of fungicides,
today's rye fields are free of ergot, but it stills grows sometimes on wild grasses.
Originally the drug ergot was only used by midwives to stimulate contraction of the uterus
and to staunch bleeding. In modern medicine ergot itself is not used any more, but standardized
products made of isolated active constituents. The ergot needed for extraction is specially
cultivated for the purpose. There seem to be a couple of indications, one of them being migraine.
More about ergot in MGMH
Text References: Healing
| CB 10, 160-161 |
Then she saw something and (...) stopped at a section of the rye grass
whose seeds had a violet black discoloration.
"Ayla," she said, pointing to one of the stalks. "This is not the way
rye grass normally grows, it is a sickness of the seeds, but we are lucky
to find it. It's called ergot. Smell it." //
"It smells awful, like old fish!"
"But there's magic in those sick seeds that's especially helpful for
pregnant women. If a woman is a long time in labor, it can help bring the
baby faster. It causes contractions. It can start labor, too. It can make
a woman lose her baby early, and that's important, especially if she's
had problems with earlier deliveries or is still nursing. A woman shouldn't
have babies too close together, it's hard on her, and if she loses her
milk, who will feed the baby she has? (...) There are other plants that
can help her loose the baby early if she needs to, ergot is only one. It's
good after delivery, too. It helps push out the old blood and shrink her
organs back to normal. It tastes bad, not as bad as it smells, but it's
useful if it used wisely. Too much can cause severe cramps, vomiting, even
death.
"It's like henbane, it can be harmful or helpful," Ayla commented.
"That's often true. Many times the most poisonous plants make the best
and strongest medicines, if you know how to use them." |
| CB 18, 300 |
Abortion
"I didn't know about mistletoe, mother," Ayla remarked. "I know about
ergot and sweet rush, but I didn't know mistletoe could make a woman loose
a baby." |
| CB 19, 317 |
Durc's Birth
She put some hot stones in a bowl of water to make an infusion of ergot for Ayla. |
| CB 27, 447 |
"It's time for the ergot. We've got to get the contractions started.
There's nothing that can save your baby, Uba. If it doesn't come out, you'll
die, too." |
| MH 12, 173 |
Perhaps it would help Talut, she thought, though (...) she wondered
if the preparation of ergot she made for particular bad headaches might
be better. That was very powerful medicine, though. |
| PP 33, 549 |
"Yes, but be careful of ryegrass. It can foster a growth that is harmful,
often fatal. If it looks and smells bad, it's probably full of ergot, and
it should be avoided," Ayla advised. |
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Abbreviations |
Editions |
| CB |
The Clan of the Cave Bear |
The page numbers refer to the hardcover editions by Crown Publishers, Inc, New York 1980, 1982, 1985, 1990.
Book 1-3 are the Special Collector's Edition, I don't know if the page numbers differ from those of the 'normal' hardcover editions. |
| VH |
The Valley of Horses |
| MH |
The Mammoth Hunters |
| PP |
The Plains of Passage |
| (...) |
omission |
Copyright |
| ... |
original in text |
All book quotes: © Copyright Jean M. Auel
The format and text contents of this site are the property of the author |
| MGMH |
'A Modern Herbal', by Mrs. M. Grieve |
Comments, suggestions, errors, anything else ... emails are welcome!
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