This M. L. Cooper Pharmacy window display focuses on the medical uses of ergot, a type of fungus found in rye and similar plants. Ergot-derived drugs are generally referred to as ergot alkaloids, which can help in the treatment of migraines. Ergot fungus is poisonous if consumed!
Ergot was used by midwives and doctors in the 1800s to promote contractions in birthing women:
Ergot poisoning has been linked to the Salem Witch Trials (and other incidents of “witchcraft”):
- http://uh.edu/engines/epi1037.htm
- http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/witches-curse-clues-evidence/1501/
Ergot was also the basis for the development of LSD: