Ergot

Ergot and its disease ergotism have been a worldwide plague to humans ever since humans have started to harvest and cultivate grains in all their forms. Although outbreaks of ergotism still occur periodically they have all but become nonexistent in the modern era. Ergot has had beneficial effects as well. Ergot has produced medicines, which are vital to the medicine world. Ergot has produced in the world's eyes an ugly stepsister to its medicines: LSD. …

…the cause of many epidemics across Europe from the early tenth to the late nineteenth centuries. Knowledge of this fungus has increased throughout the years; however, further research into the derivatives may still produce beneficial uses. The spread of ergotism has pretty much been stopped throughout the world, but people must let their guard down against this creeping enemy, people must protect themselves at all times lest they get taken advantage of by this fungus.