Obscure or common knowledge (no googling before answering)- Ergotism

[Bang!Zoom!]

We were having a discussion about a topic, and when I went to investigate the history, I was surprised to learn a new word.

The word is:

Ergotism

 

.

 

Do you know what it means without looking it up?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Are you talking about ergot? Then yes. As spelled, then no.

[Desert Rat]

Nope. But now I'm gonna look it up. :)

 

I have a degree in English and find I'm still learning about 5 new words a week. Not that I remember them all!

 

Edited to add: now, I want to know what you all were discussing! My guess is the Salem witch trials.

[Snow]

Nope. No idea.

 

ETA: ewww, google should not have images be the first thing to pop up!

[Element]

I have no idea!

 

ETA: OH! Shame on me. I should have known that!

[Bang!Zoom!]

 

 

Edited to add: now, I want to know what you all were discussing! My guess is the Salem witch trials.

 

 

Might as well be the Salem Witch Trials...lol - but...I'll tell later after folks have had a chance to guess..

[SKL]

I know what "ergo" means, does that count?

[Audrey]

We were having a discussion about a topic, and when I went to investigate the history, I was surprised to learn a new word.

The word is: Erogtism.

 

Do you know what it means without looking it up?

 

 

 

Yes, I know what that is, but bear in mind... we farm. I don't know if I knew what that was BDH (before dh) or not.

[happi duck]

I knew it but not with confidence...had to look it up to make sure!

[regentrude]

Yes, I do.

[Jean in Newcastle]

BTW - ergotism was a subject of a House episode last week. . . :001_smile:

[Kirch]

Pretty sure I do. I heard about it from a documentary a while ago as a possible cause for the Salem witch hysteria. Now I'll go look it up to see if I'm remembering right! I'd say it's pretty obscure. Except *possibly* among farmers in areas that grow grain.

 

Edited to remove my answer in case I wasn't supposed to post it!

 

ETA--yes, I was right. :)

[Grover]

oooh yes I do! Because my son is weird and tells me all kinds of weird stuff he reads. Usually while I'm driving. The heavier the traffic the weirder the fact.

[kiana]

I did know -- because I read about it in a Landmark (iirc) history book when I was about 10.

[Cosmos]

We were having a discussion about a topic, and when I went to investigate the history, I was surprised to learn a new word.

The word is: Erogtism.

 

Do you know what it means without looking it up?

 

No. And after googling, I still don't. The only instances of it I can see appear to be typos of "ergotism".

 

ETA: Oh! I just noticed that you spelled it "ergotism" in your title, so that's probably the word you meant. Since it's actually a word. ;)

[Bang!Zoom!]

That was fun.

 

We were discussing the expiration date of a loaf of bread in the house.

 

I said, "Hey, don't eat that! It can make you go crazy" which...was a completely unexpected response. So I had to Google Prove my point...lol.

 

Pope himself could have offered me that stuff, and I wouldn't have touched it. It's still on the counter.

[Wheres Toto]

I know but I did a big report on the Salem Trials in high school, and it's the theme of a medical thriller I've read a few times (Dean Koontz, Robin Cook, Michael Crighton, or John Saul - can't remember which).

[*********]

No, but I'm 'bout to Google it...

[elegantlion]

Well that was fascinating. :scared:

[regentrude]

That was fun.

 

We were discussing the expiration date of a loaf of bread in the house.

 

I said, "Hey, don't eat that! It can make you go crazy" which...was a completely unexpected response. So I had to Google Prove my point...lol.

 

Pope himself could have offered me that stuff, and I wouldn't have touched it. It's still on the counter.

 

What does ergotism has to do with expiration date of bread? If the grain the bread is made of is not infected by the fungus, there will not be any of the fungal toxin, no matter how long it sits in your kitchen.

Your bread can develop molds or other things that make it unfit for human consumption, but to the best of my knowledge, nowadays grain is screened for ergot before it is used - so even expired bread can not suddenly develop ergotamine toxins. (If there was ergot present, the bread would cause the poisoning already when it is fresh.)

[Dmmetler]

I do, but I tend to pick up and remember trivia quite easily (no one in my house will play trivia games with me for that reason).

[Perry]

Yes, but only because I've taken classes in toxicology.

[Bang!Zoom!]

That particular loaf of bread was spoken about in a light-hearted manner - long story.

[Scarlett]

I had no idea.

[Jean in Newcastle]

That was fun.

 

We were discussing the expiration date of a loaf of bread in the house.

 

I said, "Hey, don't eat that! It can make you go crazy" which...was a completely unexpected response. So I had to Google Prove my point...lol.

 

Pope himself could have offered me that stuff, and I wouldn't have touched it. It's still on the counter.

 

 

You might have been growing penicillin. You should keep it for when you're sick! :laugh:

[Rebecca VA]

I knew the answer!

[lailasmum]

Yes, I know what it is because I went through a phase of being really interested in fungus and leant what and ergot was then and its effects and association with things like the witch trials and contamination of grain. I happen to have a huge fungus book on the shelf next to me right now with a big picture of ergot on oat grass.

[nmoira]

Now that the spelling had been fixed, yes. I've come across this a number of times over the years.

[LucyStoner]

Yes. I read a lot about modern theories for why the Salem witch trials happened when my brother was in a production of the Crucible in high school.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Yes. Because I am a history geek.

[Ann]

Yes I knew it. I was interested in the Salem Witch Trials though (and studied microbiology and immunology in university).

[myfunnybunch]

I knew it but not with confidence...had to look it up to make sure!

 

 

Ditto. :)

[Abeille]

Yes, I knew.

[Jennifer3141]

I knew it but I had to laugh at myself a bit because what I really think when I see the word now is the word, "Ergo." And all the YEARS my kids spent in one of those...

 

Parenting changes everything. :laugh:

[kewb]

I had no clue but after looking it up -well duh-salem witch trials.

[Dandelion]

I had to look this one up. Very interesting!

[Sparkle]

I used to know but I had only a vague recollection of something to do with fungi.

[Jayne J]

Yes. Because I am a history geek.

 

What she said.

[Danestress]

I came across it recently - I think in Allison Weir's Six Wive of Henry VIII and had to look it up to be certain, though I assumed its general meaning from the context.

[PachiSusan]

NO clue.

[Um_2_4]

Yep, from studying medicinal uses of ergot.

[LostSurprise]

The word is: Erogtism.

 

 

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