ERGOT OF RYE.

608

Vol. ii. 296) “ has been called, in some of the books, from its effects inhastening labour, the pulvis adpartum ; as it regards the child, it may"ith almost equal truth be denominated the pulvis ad mortem , for 1 believeoperation, when sufficient to expel the child, in cases where nature isa lone unequal to the task, is to produce so violent a contraction of the"'onib, and consequent convolution and compression of the uterine vessels,as very much to impede, if not totally to interrupt, the circulationbetween the mother and child.” However, Dr. Chapman ( Elem. ofFhirap. i. 488, 4th ed.) strongly denies this charge, and tells us that in•*00 cases which occurred in the practico of himself and Drs. Deweesa nd James, the ergot was used without doing harm in any respect; andhe adds, “ no one here believes in the alleged deleterious influence of theArticle on the foetus.” It is not improbable, however, where the impe-diment to labour is very great, that the violent action of the uterus mayhe attended with the result stated by Dr. Hosack. But where no diffi-toilty of this kind exists, no danger is to be apprehended. Dr. F. H. Rams-.°tham [fond. Med. Gaz. vol. xiv. p. 84) has suggested that the poisonousOffiuence of ergot may be extended from the mother to the foetus, as inthe case of opium; but if this were the case, the death of the child after theas e of ergot would be more frequent than it is.

Given to excite abortion, or premature labour, ergot has sometimesAiled to produce the desired effect. Hence many experienced accou-cheurs have concluded, that for this medicine to have any effect on the*herus it was necessary that the process of labour should have actuallyc °mmenced (Bayle, Bibl. Therap. iii. 550). But while we admit that it^metimes fails, we have abundant evidence to prove that it frequently? u cceeds; and most practitioners, I think, are now satisfied, that,la a large number of cases, it has the power of originating the process of* Cc ouchement. Cases illustrating its power in this respect are referredBayle (op. cit. p. 550); and others are mentioned by Waller ( Lancet ,

I ^6, vol. x. p. 54), Holmes ( Lancet , 1827-8, vol. ii. p. 794), Rams-^diam ( Lond. Med. Gaz. xiv. pp. 85 and 434), Muller (Dierbach ,^este Entd. in d. Mat. Med, i. 139, 1837), and others.

The action of ergot on the unimpregnated uterus is manifested byj^'nful contractions frequently denominated “ bearing-down pains,” andthe obvious influence which it exercises over various morbid con-h°ns of this viscus; more particularly by its checking uterinectnorrhage, and expelling polypous masses. Tenderness of the uterus,even actual metritis, are said to have been induced by ergot (Dr.e Sri, Lond. Med. Gaz. xiv. 369).

, . Effects on the Cerebro-Spinal System. (Narcotism.) —Weight and^ 1)1 in the head, giddiness, delirium, dilatation of pupil, and stupor, arei e principal symptoms which indicate the action of ergot of rye on theDr. Maunsell (Lond. Med. Gaz. xvi. 606) has published five casest^ 1 *'iwo which occurred to Dr. Churchill, one to Dr. Johnson, and twofer™ r. Cusack), in which delirium or stupor resulted from the use ofsot (; n half (j rac hm and two drachm doses), and was accompanied byj, ^t depression of pulse (see also Dr. Cusack, in Dubl. Hasp. Rep. vol. v.i ltl , Trousseau and Pidoux (Traite de Therap. i. 546) found that,K Vi G1 ^ le rc P ea bvitl use of ergot, dilatation of pupil was the most commonto JTh'in of cerebral disorder. It began to be obvious in from twelve" enty-four horns after the commencement of the use of the medicine,