Some observations on the action of ergot

Abstract

The activity of ergot was tested by the cock's comb reaction on white Leghorn roosters, the fluid extract being employed in all the experiments. Alcohol was found to increase the susceptibility to the drug as shown by the decreased activity of the preparation after the alcohol was driven off. Smaller doses of ergot were also required to produce a reaction in acute alcohol intoxication. A fall of temperature was also noticed when ergot was given in this condition, thus indicating a reversible action, since in the normal subject the injection of ergot frequently caused a marked rise of temperature. The repeated injection of ergot at intervals of 24 to 48 hours failed to produce any cumulative effect in the normal subject. But in starvation there was a decided bluing of the comb after the third injection of a sub-minimum dose, the effect becoming more marked with successive injections. In a large number of experiments carried out on normal subjects it was found that when the injections are made at proper intervals the cock's comb reaction became less marked after repeated administration of the drug. Such a tolerance was observed after large doses of very active preparations of the fluid extract and also when the alcohol was driven off. Although the final amounts administered were gradually increased, six to ten times, the bluing of the comb observed was in many cases less marked than after the initial dose.