Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/212

* ERGOT. 182 ERIC. per cent, or more. This is now considered as i nt. of resin, tlaimed ted, ecbolina O.iu p ia 0.12 per cent., and that' i ontained in these >eing much the more and 1'odwissotzky dis- properties of ecbolina and er- gotina, believing them to be formed by chemical and not occurring in the ergot have found 4.5 per cent, of sclerotic acid and 2 to 3 per cent, of scleromucin i - it- ii they claim to be the principal stituents. Sclerotic acid is an amor- phous, yellowish brown, inodorous and tasteless substance, soluble in water, while scleromucin is darker and insoluble in water after once being dried. Another active principle is sclererythrin, which i- present in small quantities. According to Kobert (Lehrbuch der Toxikologie fiir Thier- arzte, 1890), the active constituents of ergot arc eornutin (an alkaloid i. sphacelic acid, and ergotic acid. The uterine contraction is due to inutiii. while the poisonous properties of ergot, which often result, in gangrene, are due to ihacelic acid. The ergotic acid is a gluco- side which has narcotic properties and diminishes and finally stops reflex excitability. Ergot is usually administered as a fluid extract of er- gotin. which is made in various ways, as a wine of ergot, etc., and, as already stated, when used in considerable quantities is poisonous. ERGOTISM. A disease of cattle, horses, and sheep caused by eating toxic quantities of ergot (q.v.). The effects are impaired general vitality and circulation of the blood, which latter, usual- ly in the legs, may stop entirely and be followed l> swellings below the knee or hook, with, per- haps, subsequent death of or gangrene in the part. Less typical symptoms oi a constitutional nature are indigestion, nervousness, dementia. stupor, coma, or twitching and paralysis of the voluntary muscles, beginning with the tongue and extending t" other parts, Epidemics of it have occurred in Europe following cold, damp seasons, in which met ological conditions favor ' i ion of ergol I n such outbreaks not alone are domestic animals affected, but the ill- feel poor of cities have also suffered severely from eating bread made from infected grain. Sup- portive measures form the only availahle treat lliellt. ER'IC. The name of many kings of Sweden and Denmark, before and after the union of the two kingdom- in 1397. Ebic I. of Sweden, who died aboul 854, protected the Christians during the latter pari of his reign, yielding to the per- il of Saint Ansgarius. — Eric II. i- said to continued this policy, and many institu- tions, which evidently belong to a later period, I to him, Hi- history has become - laid « itli fable t hat it i- difficult t the truth.- v r. i Ebii I I 150 60) Chris tiani/ed upper Sweden and built a number of churches and monasteries. He undertook a cm t the Finns, which resulted in the and intimate connection between the two count rie-. i piled an excellent code ii Eric's Lag. which hi .i inheritance of one third and certain privileges within theii holds.— Ebic X. (1210- Hi), grandson of Saint Eiie, is the first king mentioned as being crowned. Tor a time he had been an exile in Denmark. — The most important events in the reign of Ebic XI. (1222-50) were the successes achieved against the Finns; the imposition of celibacy on the clergy at the synod of Skenninge in 1248, and the invasion of Russia, which was cheeked by Alex- ander Nevski. Under this King Birger Jarl, of the family of Folkungar, rose to be the virtual ruler in the State, and after the death of Erie the royal crown was placed upon iiirger's son Walde- mar. In Denmark in the twelfth century Ebic Emun ( 1134-37 ) exhausted the strength of the nation by his continual wars against his pirati- cal neighbors, whom he sought to Christianize. — Eric the Lamb, a king of mild and gentle char- acter, crippled the power and resources of the Crown by his easy-going policy. He abdicated and retired to a cloister, where he died in 1147. — The three Erics (Ebic VI., VII., and VIII.) who occupied tlie throne with only the inter- mission of a few years, from 1241 to 1319, are associated with one of the most disastrous pe- riods of Danish history. Long minorities, the practice of dismembering the crown lands in favor of younger branches of the royal house, and a futile struggle between the ecclesiastical power and the State, weakened the Crown to the last degree. Ebic VI., Plogpennig (1241-50), and Eric VII., Clipping (1259-86), weTe both assassinated, the former at the instigation of a brother, and the latter in revenge for a private injury. Eric VIII. (1286-1319), the last of the name before the union of Calrnar, died childless, and was succeeded by his ambitious brother Christopher, who lost his powers and preroga- tives one by one. and was finally forced to flee from Denmark. Margaret, daughter of Walde- mar IV. of Denmark, by marriage with Hako, King of Norway, united the countries, and through her wise rule in those countries was enabled to secure the crown of Sweden also. By the union of Kalniar, in 1397, her nephew, Ebic of Pomerania.wa- recognized as her successor. On the death of Margaret, in 1412, Eric therefore became King of the triple kingdom of Scandina- via. His reckless disregard of treaties and oaths, his neglect of his duties, and his misdirected ambition, led to dissensions and maladministra- tion. In consequence, in 1438, the Danes re- nounced their allegiance, and in the next year Sweden did the same. Denmark chose Christo- pher of Bavaria in his stead; but Scandinavia, for many year- afterwards, was a scene of in- le-tine war- and dissensions, as a result of Kric's hi i-rulf. 1'iie lied to Gothland, and for ten years led the life of a pirate. He had married Philippa, daughter of Henry IV. of England, a noble-spirited woman, whom it is said he treated cruelly, He died in ]-!f>9. EBIC XIV., the las! of the name who ruled in Sweden, was one of the weakest and most un- fortunate of the Erics. He succeeded his father, Gustavus Va-a. in 1560 The kingdom was in an excellent condition as the result, of the wise rule of hi- father. Eric was well educated, and a number of useful reforms were introduced in his reign He made the firs! attempt to establish a supreme court, and invited the oppressed Protestants to his land, many Huguenot- accept- ing hi- offer. On il ther hand, his fickleness