[wagglebee]

You bringing up the high carb diet got me thinking, I wonder if it's possible that ergotism was a factor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergotism

[Smokin' Joe]

You may be onto something there, Ergot has been postulated as a factor in the French Revolution as well.

(Most bread was rye, "Let them eat cake", which was made with wheat flour, was not so callous as often presented).