Ergot Essay example - 982 Words

Ergot Ergot (Claviceps purpurea Tul.) is a poisonous fungus that is hazardous to animals and humans. It appears to be a small, hard, black, elongated structure that grows on and contaminants grains, which is called scelrotium. The appearance tends to look like mold. When eaten in quantity or small amounts over a period of time it can be highly toxic. Furthermore, it is a major problem for humans in North America but even more severe for animals. Humans are susceptible to being contaminated with this poisonous fungus because ergot can grow on mushrooms, rye, wheat, and barley. These are products that humans ingest everyday. Ergot is the most notorious poison because it includes several species of ascomycete fungi with complex life cycles†¦show more content†¦The infection can occur by insects also. According to Fuller and McClintock, ergotism has caused so many occurrences in epidemic and the middle ages was known as St. Anthonys fire. In France many people died from this disease, which was caused mainly from eating bread made from rye grains contaminated with ergot (p. 20). Plant Toxin/Derivative Drug Researchers state over fifty alkaloids are within the ergot sclerotia, but mainly ergonovine (also known as ergometrine, ergobasine, ergotocine, ergotstetrine C19H23N3O2, ergotamine C33H35N5O5,ergotcryptine C32H41N5O5, ergocornine C31H39N5O5, ergocristine C35H39N5O5, ergosine C30H37N5O5, and ergovalide) is present in ergot. Most of the alkaloids contain thirty to thirty-five carbon atoms, although some have a smaller number. Therefore, these alkaloids can be classified as polypeptides. All ergot alkaloids form lysergic acid. Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, is the most powerful compound known that produces imitations of severe mental disorders. Ergot alkaloids not only have the indole structure but the other ring system and side chains as well. Symptoms Humans and animals common acute symptoms is a convulsion stimulation of CNS (central nervous system). Chronic symptoms include damage to the lining of capillaries and constriction of the smaller arterial blood vessels resulting in gangrene of the extremities (Fuller and McClintock,19). SomeShow MoreRelated Plants and Superstitions Essay1739 Words   |  7 PagesDeath. (Starkey, 1949). There have been several explanations suggested for this epidemic, but the possible explanation in my reading is compulsive ergotism. Ergot is a poisonous microscopic fungus. It grows on crops, especially rye which is used to make bread, and could cause fits and hallucinations. (see Internet Source). ... Ergot alkaloids are arguably the oldest microbial bio-pharmaceutins. They may have played a role in both the Mysteries of Eleusis and the Salem witch trials (BennettRead MoreEssay on LSD1087 Words   |  5 Pages25, now known as L.S.D., in a professional laboratory. In Lees book Acid Dreams, he tells of how Hoffman stumbled upon LSD while investigating chemical and pharmacological properties of ergot. Ergot is a rye fungus rich in medicinal alkaloids (7). While Hoffman was searching for a circulatory stimulant from ergot derivatives he stumbled upon LSD during his twenty-fifth experiment. Thus, the notion of lysergic acid diethylamide-25. Since its arrival in the drug market, LSD and other hallucinogensRead MoreSummary of Napoleons Buttons Chapter 12: Molecules of Witchcraft1836 Words   |  8 Pageshappens in the last stage. This temporarily escape from reality from these molecules brought confessions from those women and they were burnt at the stake. The Ergot Alkaloids There is another group of alkaloids that devasted communities with its effects. People attributed the disasters with evil spells casted by witches. Theyre found in the ergot fungus that affects cereal grains such as rye. After bacteria and viruses, ergotism is the next-largest microbial killer, like how ergotamine causes bloodRead MoreTaking a Look Inside Hallucinogens Essay950 Words   |  4 Pagesof 23. He began work as a natural products chemist in Basel. He worked on ergot alkaloids, substances produced by the ergot fungus that infects grain. These substances occur naturally, making studying them less expensive. Ergot extracts had been used for hundreds of years by midwifes to stop excessive bleeding after childbirth. They are very potent in extremely small doses, and Hofman realized that he could build upon ergot alkaloids to create new types of drugs. Under certain chemical conditionsRead MoreThe Use Of Lsd And Its Effects On The Brain2369 Words   |  10 Pagesavailability o f LSD become scarce with the criminalization of the substance, but the legislation also put a halt on the research of the chemical as well. Much of the way LSD interacts with the brain has been left unknown. This derivative from the rye fungus Ergot has been the source of controversy that has left many people wondering why LSD has been classified as a drug that is just as dangerous to use as heroin. It becomes difficult for an individual to understand how legislation could criminalize a chemicalRead MoreClassical Psychedelics And Dissociative Drugs931 Words   |  4 Pagesthat much of a challenge, considering the location in where to look and what to offer to the table when dealing with the anonymous street pharmacists. The origin or specifically, production, of Lysergic acid diethylamide can be narrowed down to the Ergot Fungus (Claviceps purpurea), a parasite commonly located on rye and other species of grain or wild grasses (Schumann 2016).Read MoreSalem Witches and Ergot of Rye Essay1055 Words   |  5 PagesSalem Witches and Ergot of Rye While researching texts written about the Salem Witch Trials, I found a few authors who published articles and books about the Salem Witch Trials. These authors often showed that the most likely cause of the fits coming from the victims was produced by ergot of rye. However, I could not find much discussion about another important source of the fits’ cause: witchcraft. My goal in this paper is to produce a convincing argument that the victims during the Salem WitchRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trial1152 Words   |  5 Pagesthat adds up to causing convulsive hysteria and also hallucinations which were caused by Ergot Poisoning. So, here is where the role of Convulsive Hysteria and Ergotism comes in play. The ergot poisoning in Salem villagers’ every day meal of bread made with ‘rye’ leads to severe physical disorders, hallucination of witches and devils, and other serious symptoms. The symptoms of convulsive Hysteria and ergot poisoning are very much similar to the symptoms of bewitchment that the afflicted girls inRead MoreThe Witches Of Salem Witch Trials1371 Words   |  6 Pagesand hanged. Notably, ergot poisoning was a highly considered theory for the Salem trials. Farming conditions in the western part of Salem Village, Putnam farmland, were warm, damp, and swampy, the perfect environment for fungus to grow. The poison from ergot would grow in rye and cereal grains. Thus, leading the afflicted to experience symptoms, including hallucinations, convulsions, confusion, delusions, and the feeling of being bitten or pinched. Researchers identify that â€Å"Ergot poisoning affectsRead MoreThe Causes Of The Salem Witch Trials1382 Words   |  6 Pagesvery cold and it is possible that the girls acted out due to the conditions. However, of the many theories, I believe that the Ergot theory is the most believable because it is a poison that causes hallucinations, it grows on crops, and there was a very wet period before the trials, which could have sparked the abrupt illness. Hallucinations are a big side effect to the ergot epidemic and can be seen in the Salem Witch Trials. Hallucinations means, â€Å"a sensory experience of something that does not exist

Democracy in Singapore - 3495 Words

2. Is there democracy in Singapore? What is Democracy? Singapore has been recognized as a representative democratic state since August 1965. However, to examine if Singapore is in fact democratic, we need to first define the word â€Å"democracy† and its parameters. The word originated from M.Fr democratis in the 1570s, with ‘demo’ referring to common people and ‘cratie’ to rule of strength. Therefore, by definition, Singapore can be classified as a democratic country due to the fair elections which enable her people to choose their government. â€Å"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time†, Churchill words immortalize democracy as the way to go, but there is not one†¦show more content†¦Further, the time period between each General Election in Singapore is also relatively longer than the other democratic states, such as the Unite States, where elections are held consistently every four years. The announcement of the election dates are also only released just before the election itself. This inflexibility in the political system is detrimental to the opposition parties and also place severe restrictions on the citizens in terms of their rights to decide when to have an election. Chief reasons for the PAP’s continued dominance The PAP’s ability to maintain its hegemony till date can be attributed to two main reasons, firstly, the PAP has been introducing schemes in the electorate system to suppress the opposition and secondly, the PAP’s control over the grassroots organizations have established the required link between itself and the citizens. Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) As mentioned earlier, the NMP scheme has been employed by the PAP to function as an institution to prevent potential opposition by taking the talented and qualified individual inside their ranks, thus greatly limiting the pool of talent for the opposition right from the onset. Quoting Bilver Singh,â€Å"by bringing these talents into the political system in a safe and non-threatening manner, the PAP is effectively denying the oppositional forces the possibility of recruiting these talents into their ranks.† AlthoughShow MoreRelatedHow Does the Presence of a Confucian Culture Affect the Operation of Democracy?1083 Words   |  5 PagesValues†. Asian values refers to the strong traditional cultural values such as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism which co-exists in East Asian societies. The purpose of this essay is to explore Confucian culture and how it may affect the operation of democracy in East Asia. Confucianism is tradition of political and social thought named after the scholar Kongzi (Confucius 551-479 B.C), it is still widely practiced/ seen in social, legal, theological, ethical and political thought. Kongzi was born intoRead MoreIs There a Relationship between Democracy and GDP Essays1030 Words   |  5 Pagesor countries from each of the eight regions. The first two that I have identified are from Latin America. Brazil seems to have the highest GDP economic rank at $2.422 trillion; however their per capita is only $12, 100. The state of Brazil is a democracy and I do think that has some effect on their economic rank because the state equally allows its people to make their own decisions based on social, cultural and ethical values. Perhaps Brazil’s per capita is so low because in 2008 Brazil encounteredRead MoreA Report On Lee Kwan Yew Essay1622 Words   |  7 Pages( Helmrich, 2015, p.n.g). Lee Kwan Yew is the Leader of Singapore, informally known by his initia ls LKY, was the first Prime Minister of Singapore, ruling for more than three decade from 1959 to 1990. He was the leader to bring independence to the Singapore from Malaysia in 1965; it was 9th August 1965, morning at 10 a.m., 90 words that changed the life of the people of Singapore and Malaysia, (Yap, n.d.). The voice was from the Singapore Prime Minister LKY. ‘‘Whereas it is the inalienable rightRead MoreSingapore s Upcoming 2020 General Elections Essay1715 Words   |  7 Pagescondition for democracy to occur is to have free and fair elections as it depicts popular choice and control over government. The People’s Action Party (PAP) has dominated the political playing field since 1965 and this resulted in Singapore being known as a model of ‘soft authoritarianism’ with limited democracy (Yeo. L.H, 2010). Although Singapore has seen an increase in the number of opposition parties, these parties appear to be ineffective to compete against the PAP. Singapore employs a uniqueRead More The Future of Freedom1081 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In his book, The Future of Freedom, Fareed Zakaria writes that we must make democracy safe for the world. The American democracy sets the standard around the world for liberal democracies, but transitions across for other countries across the world toward a liberal democracy is often difficult and with poor decision making, close to impossible. Liberal democracies are the systems in which people choose their government and live in an environment of freedom. In Zakaria’sRead MoreControversial Issues in Social Studies Curriculum Essay1337 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Studies classrooms in US and delved further to discuss its implications on teachers and students. This review aims to summarize the main research findings and contextualise its implication on the teaching and learning of Social Studies in Singapore. According to studies carried out in US schools, research findings showed that CI discussions were actively carried out in Social Studies classrooms where students claimed to have discussed about their differing opinions on political and social issuesRead MoreThe Future of Freedom1075 Words   |  5 PagesHistory The Future of Freedom In his book, The Future of Freedom, Fareed Zakaria writes that we must make democracy safe for the world. The American democracy sets the standard around the world for liberal democracies, but transitions across for other countries across the world toward a liberal democracy is often difficult and with poor decision making, close to impossible. Liberal democracies are the systems in which people choose their government and live in an environment of freedom. In ZakariasRead MoreIs Democracy The Besy For Of Government?1298 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"IS DEMOCRACY THE BESY FOR OF GOVERNMENT?† What is democratic government? Democratic form of government is a sort in which all the societies of a state, have the equal power to elect their leader i.e. to select members by determining and voting through free and fair elections. Also the people have a say in any verdict. Principally ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people.’ The most key elements of democracy primarily are free and fair election and public liberty of opinion manifestationRead MoreThe Asian Value Debate686 Words   |  3 PagesThe â€Å"Asian Value† debate came to prominence when it was strongly advocated by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew and also Mahathir Mohamad. Asian Values predicated on the idea that Asian countries have a unique set of institutions and political ideologies that reflect the regions cultures and histories. Although Asia consists of diverse ethnicity and cultures who practice various religions, the core basis of most Asian cultures are similar such as the importance of collectivism and consensusRead MoreEssay on Singapores Separation from Malaysia607 Words   |  3 PagesSeparation was a political separation arising from the incompatibility of the political views of the Alliance-controlled central government and the state government of Singapore, the PAP. Political conflicts (Ref 1) Differences arose in regard to national goals #61607; The PAP advocated social revolution. Merger of Singapore and Malaysia would bring about economic progress as well as political stability, economic modernization, and even social modernization, #61607; The Alliance

Julius Caesar Shakespeare Essay Example For Students

Julius Caesar: Shakespeare Essay After the murder of Julius Caesar both Brutus and Antony made a speech to the citizens of Rome. Brutus was one of the conspirators who murdered Caesar, he was also a good friend of his but he murdered him on the behalf of Rome, he makes a speech to explain to the citizens why he did it. Antony was a loyal friend of Caesars and he makes a speech after Antony to commemorate Caesar. Brutus allowed Antony to do this so that he would not seem to be harsh and ruthless. Brutus was an idealist who wanted everything to be truthful and right. It was a big mistake letting Antony speak last and leaving him to speak, because his speech had a big effect on the fickle crowd. If Brutus had spoken last, then maybe the crowd would have turned in his favour as they had done after he made his speech at the beginning. Brutus speech is a blank verse; it is flat and responsible sounding. It is not poetical and does not use many sentences that are hard to understand, because he is speaking to the common people. He speaks to the people from the pulpit so he is distant from them and higher than they are. He is and intellectual and I think he finds it hard to relate to the common people. He is physically constipated; he uses nothing to grasp the crowds attention like Antony. He doesnt even use any gestures to show his emotions. There is a lack of passion and stagecraft in his speech, which makes it less powerful. Antony remarkably upstaged him. Brutus begins his speech Romans, countrymen and lovers, this is important, because he is addressing the people who love their country and are proud to be Romans. This means that his reason for murdering Caesar will be understood, because they would all do the same for their country. Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour that you may believe. He is saying in this sentence that he is an honourable man and they should believe what he says because of it. He asks them to respect him first so that they might look at the situation from a different point of view. If they dislike him then they might not believe what he is saying, but if he commands their respect first then they will look at it from his angle. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Caesars, to him I say that Brutus love to Caesar was no less than his. He is stating the fact to the crowd that he did love Caesar as a dear friend. He uses the word love which is emotive and can be very powerful if used in the right context as it is here. He says that he loved Caesar so his reason for killing him must be very good. Not that I loved  Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more. Here he states his reason to the awaiting crowd. Again he uses the word love to involve emotions in the reason for killing Caesar. His reason is patriotism at its peak. He loved Rome so much that he would kill one of his dear friends to save it. I think this statement would have commanded great respect from the crowd, because they are all proud Romans. In the film of Julius Caesar there was a big uproar from the crowd at this point to show their respect for him. Had you rather Caesar were living, and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all freemen? This rhetorical question makes the crowd realise that Caesar was a tyrant and that he would have lead a dictatorship if he had not been killed. Of course no one would like to be slaves so it seems absurd not to have killed Caesar sooner. The crowd is very fickle and will believe anything that Brutus says. He uses the words die and live to show that if Caesar lives they die, and if Caesar dies they live. As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious I slew him. He uses emotive language again to show his love for Caesar and his sadness for his death. He praises Caesar for his fortune and bravery to prove again that he respected and loved him, and again gives the reason for his murder. Romeo's Character Analysis EssayYou all did love him once, not without cause; what cause withholds you then to mourn for him? At the beginning of the play, two tribunes ask the plebeians on the street why they have forgotten Pompey and why the dont mourn for his death. This part of Antonys speech reminds me of that. The crowd is so fickle that it forgets the great leader as soon as he is dead and move on to the next icon. Then Antony breaks off from his speech to supposedly weep; My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause till it come back to me. He then listens to the crowd to make sure it is safe to say something against Brutus or Cassius. This open show of emotion makes the crowd sympathetic of Antony; Poor soul, his eyes are red as fire with weeping. Then Mark Antony brings out the will, which is a very clever tactic which appeals to the greed of the Romans; But heres a parchment with the seal of Caesar, I found it in his closet, tis his will which, pardon me, I do not mean to read. He teases the crowd with this will, which he says will be full of riches for them. Its like holding a bone before a dog just out of its reach. This is a very clever tactic to keep the crowd hanging off of his every word; Being men, hearing the will of Caesar, it will inflame you, it will make you mad The crowd grow impatient and start to shout out for Antony to read the will; The will, the will, we will hear Caesars will! Antony cleverly uses the will to make the crowd say out loud bad things about Brutus and the conspirators. He uses their greed to fan the fires of hatred; I fear I wrong the honourable men whose daggers have stabbd Caesar, I do fear it. This turns the crowd around dramatically; They were traitors. Honourable men! At this point Antony comes down from the pulpit to the level of the common people. He comes face to face with them instead of keeping his distance like Brutus. He asks them to form a circle around Caesar so he can show you him who made the will. That day he overcame the Nervii. Holding Caesars cloak he casually reminds the crowd of Caesars great accomplishments. Look, in this place ran Cassius dagger through; see what a rent the envious  casca made; through this the well-beloved Brutus stabbd. Antony shows the crowd the holes that were made in the cloak from the daggers when he doesnt actually know who stabbed where. This is just a tactic to show the crowd something that will shock them. Then burst his mighty heart. Antony speaks of how Caesars heart burst when Brutus stabbed him. He makes it sound like Caesar died of grief from his best friend betraying him rather than by any physical means. This keeps up Caesars God like image. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen. Antony makes it sound like when Caesar fell, so did the whole of Rome, because Caesar was the one holding it together with his superior strength. I come not friends to steal away your hearts. Here Antony is being disingenuous, because he has already stolen away their hearts. He is trying to decieve them into thinking that he is not a clever man and that he is just like one of them; a plain blunt man. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech to stir mend blood. Why, friends, you go to do you know not what. Wherein hath Caesar thus deservd your loves? Alas, you know not! I must tell you then: You have forgot the will I told you of. The crowd is fickle and avaricious. They are easily changed and have a short attention and memory span. They had forgot Caesars will and were prepared to run riot already. Antony tells them what Caesar has left them. It is very democratic for he has left them money and his gardens. The crowd then riot for the loss of Caesar.