The Mystery of Moldy Bread:
Ergot and the Salem Witch Trials
Ergot: A Fungus with a Dark History
Moldy bread might seem like an innocuous, if unappetizing, concern today, but in the late 17th century, it could have deadly consequences. The culprit? Ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains, producing toxic alkaloids. When consumed, ergot can cause ergotism, a condition …