ergotism Poisoning due to an ergot infection of rye which occurs from time to time among people eating rye bread. The last outbreak in the UK was in Manchester in 1925, when there were 200 cases. Symptoms appear when as little as 1% of ergot‐infected rye is included in the flour.

ergotism (er-gŏ-tizm) n. poisoning caused by eating rye infected with the fungus ergot. The chief symptom is gangrene of the fingers and toes, with diarrhoea and vomiting, nausea, and headache.