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Various cereals, when affected by fungi, Including maize, become poisonous as has already been mentioned. Cases of poisoning have also arisen through the eating of certain Wild grains and peas, especially in times of famine. The symptoms resulting are those of spastic spinal paraplegia and polyneuritis. The condition has been called Lathyrism or 'Bean Paralysis' in Europe, after the particular genus of pea or vetch most commonly causing these symptoms, though similar disturbances result from eating certain grasses and other plants. Cases of this kind of poisoning are most common in the Central Provinces, including Chota Nagpur and in the outer Himalayas. When mixed with three times its weight of wheat, and cooked as pottage or bread, the grain is apparently harmless, but cooked by itself it acts as a poison. Lathyrism has occurred in epidemic form during times of famine, in India, and Its connection with the eating of certain peas has been recognised since Hippocratic times. It has frequently been described in Europe by writers of the fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. It has given rise to epidemics in France, Italy, Algiers and Abyssinia, and also in India in Sind, Chota Nagpur and the Central Provinces. The incriminated pea is lathyrus sative locally known as Kesari (also Khesari) or Teora. L. Cicera is incriminated elsewhere.

The onset is in many cases sudden. The patient may wake up feeling pains in the loins and calves and an inability to move his legs. The lower limbs assume the rigid character of spastic paraplegia (lateral sclerosis) and in severe cases there may be complete paraplegia. The knee-jerk is greatly exaggerated; ankle-clonus is generally readily obtained, and in severe cases is caused in progression when the weight of the body is brought to bear on the ball of the toes. A slight tap may throw the legs into severe clonic spasm. Initial and transitory paralysis of the bladder has been described, but was not noticed in all cases.