St Anthony of Egypt, the hermit of hope

摘要

Western Christianity, and Eastern Orthodoxy celebrate 17 January as the feast day of St Anthony of Egypt. He is appealed to against various ailments, the most notable of which is ergotism, known in the Middle Ages as "St Anthony's fire" because of the inflamed appearance of the affected tissues. The main vector was bread made from rye infected with the fungus Claviceps purpurea. The condition is marked by gangrene, convulsions, mania and death.