Ergot
malltod-rhygA group of fungi which contains small amounts a precursor chemical used to manufacture LSD. The most famous member of this fungi grows on rye and related plants. In the Middle Ages the consumption of rye bread made from ergot-infected grain led to thousands of deaths and caused symptoms including delusions and hallucinations. However, the UK largely escaped this mass ‘ergotism’ as rye was not consumed as much, and the climate is less favourable for ergot to grow.
