Also known as: Ergotism
A 24-year-old funeral cosmetician presents with grand mal seizures, vivid hallucinations of dead people (including cadavers and deceased relatives), delusions (believing her dead mother is alive), progressive neurological deterioration, liver necrosis, and splenic enlargement. The team discovers she has ergot poisoning from consuming organic unprocessed rye bread contaminated with ergot fungus, which constricts blood vessels and causes psychoactive effects similar to LSD.
Also known as: Parkinson's
Through conversation with the patient's hallucination of her dead mother, House determines the mother likely died from Parkinson's disease when the patient was four years old, based on symptoms of tremors, falls, and fatigue. This was initially considered as the patient's diagnosis before being ruled out.