By 600 BC, the Assyrians were already aware of ergotism (ergot), a harmful growth on the ear of wheat. In damp winters and unsuitable storage conditions, mold and fungus thrive. However, the first documented outbreak in Europe occurred in 857 AD, on the German side of the Rhine. There were also 40,000 documented deaths in France in 994 and 12,000 in 1129, all linked to ergotism. In 1926-27, 11,000 people were affected by ergotism in an area of Russia near the Urals. Ergot poisoning may also have been the basis for the witchcraft accusations against 250 people, mostly women, in Salem, USA, in 1692. Symptoms of buckthorn poisoning include diarrhea, vomiting, convulsions, hallucinations, stuttering, bizarre convulsions of the limbs, ringing sensations, and severe sensory disturbances. Salem had just experienced hot, rainy weather, and there was a swamp nearby.
