Ergotism in The Salem Witch Trials - 567 Words

Ergotism in Salem The Salem Witch Trials were a horrendous event in the history of America and was the first of its kind. A question that has risen up numerous times is what was the actual cause of the trials. We know that a few girls made the first accusations, but why. I will now explain how Salem became one of the most notorious towns in Massachusetts. Ergot poisoning was the cause for the witch trials as it caused the girls to become crazed and delirious. First you may ask yourself what exactly is Ergot poisoning. Ergot is a fungal disease of rye that grows in the ear of the Cereal. Early colonists reported that they were dissatisfied with the common grass as it made their cattle ill.Ergot was first medically reported only a few years before the trials. This means that ergotism was a relevant disease at the time of the trials.You can acquire ergot poisoning simply by eating contaminated bread therefore the girls would not know that they were being poisoned. Ergotism Symptoms include crawling sensation in the skin and tingling in the fingers, vertigo, headaches, disturbances in sensation, painful muscular contractions leading to convulsions and vomiting. A few of the mental disturbances include mania, melancholia, psychosis, and delirium.(Caporeal 23)The accusers may have lost their minds to this awful disease. The biting, pinching, and pricking with pins may allude to the crawling sensations under the skin experienced by ergotism vict ims.(caporeal 25) The location ofShow MoreRelatedSalem Witch Trials And Convulsive Ergotism1875 Words   |  8 PagesThe Salem Witches trials started with eight girls’ strange behavior they became ill with strange â€Å"distempers† in December 1691. A few months later, in February 1692, a local doctor suggested the girls were bewitched (Caporael 21). This ignited the sudden growth of witchcraft accusations in the Salem area. Today, there are various theories explaining these unusual afflictions including convulsive ergotism and an encephalitis epidemic (Caporael, Matossian 355, Carlson xvi). The Salem Witches were relativelyRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Of Colonial Massachusetts1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe infamous Salem witch trials of colonial Massachusetts took place between 1692 and 1693. They involved the execution of fourteen women and five men within the brief time period. What is now the New England region had been established by a homogenous Puritan population, which emigra ted from England. Abiding by a strict set of beliefs, the Puritans did not accept people of other backgrounds,therefore it might follow that the Salem Witch Trials of New England were a result of the strict Puritan societyRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials : A Devastating Event958 Words   |  4 PagesThe Salem Witch Trials was a devastating event in which 19 people and dogs were killed due to the cry of witchcraft. The outburst of these events could be blamed on several things. Certain things like economics, medicines and culture have to be taken into account when trying to understand the events of the Salem Witch Trials. People like Franklin Jr. Mixon, Linnda R. Caporael, Dr. Allan Woolf, Elaine G. Brewslaw, and Isaac Ariail Reed take into account one of the three: economics, medicines and cultureRead MoreEssay on Ergotism, Hysteria, and Disorders Detected in Salem889 Words   |  4 PagesMany people believe the Salem Witch Trials were caused by Ergotism, while others believe it to be just a form of hysteria, but what if I told you it could have been all of those combined together with another theory added in? In the story, The Crucible, mass hysteria broke out all through Salem being caused by the witch trials. The witch trials, however, may not have been the only thing causing the hysteria. Argot poisoning in the water along with puritan pressure causing the little girls to actRead MoreThe Salem Witch Trials Is Unknown1590 Words   |  7 Pages It is due to contrasting views and opinions that the real cause of the Salem Witch Trials is unknown. It is through major factors like the personal context of the historian that there are these differing thoughts. The people and society that a person is surrounded by for an extended amount of time can help to mold and create the personal opinions that a historian may hold. Historian’s thought have been shaped and changed by the people and places that they spent a large amount of time around, theyRead More Plants and Superstitions Essay1739 Words   |  7 Pageshappened they blamed another superstition, which was witchcraft. Almost all of the witchcraft misunderstandings were caused by Christianitys persecution of those who refused to abandon pagan beliefs (Zolar, 1995), but not in the case of the Salem Witch trials. In 1692 superstitions somehow became the way of thinking. The misuse of it led to the executions of many innocent people in this country. Witchcraft was the crime, for which they were wrongly accused. Fact Net Inc. (see Internet Source)Read MoreThe Trials Of Salem Witch Trials2374 Words   |  10 Pagesfor the cause of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 have been offered by historians since the first girl fell ill to bewitchment in December 1961. This marked the beginning of the witch hunt that ended with the death of twenty convicted â€Å"witches†. Historical writers have tried to allocate one particular factor or event as the cause of the Trials, but it is more likely that many of these factors and events are connected and a number of these issues are at the centre of the trials. The context that theseRead MoreThe Trials Of The Salem Witch Trials1866 Words   |  8 Pagessurrounding the cause of the Salem Witch Trials 1692 makes the topic captivating as many historian perspec tives offer explanations for the causation of the trials, yet the personal context of each historian has determined its historic reliability. This questions the level of objectivity each historian has in their responses to the Trials. The aims and purposes of a historian, as well as their differing methodologies may alter the approach the have towards the investigation of the Trials. Many interpretationsRead MoreThe Case Of Captain Alden846 Words   |  4 Pagesclaimed that, â€Å"the man told her so.† This account helps to show how some people could had an influence on the outcome of the trials. When a victim couldn t identify the specter, people around would them bombard the victim with names. Some accounts also seem to suggest that Samuel Parris and his supporters terrorized villagers and even had some controlled over the trials. Considering that his two daughter were among the first to become â€Å"bewitch† it would make sense for Samuel Parris to take advantageR ead MoreThe Causes Of Witchcraft Hysteria In The Salem Witch Trials1110 Words   |  5 PagesHowever, those who read it took it as a permit to kill witches (â€Å"Witches: A Century of Murder.† 1). Because of this, a paranoia that witches were constantly among them quickly set in, striking fear into those who felt most vulnerable. In the Salem witch trials, Samuel Parris, a Puritan minister in the town at the time, was victim to this paranoia - desperately trying to cleanse his town from the evil of witches (The Crucible, Miller). With a lust for seeking out those involved in witchcraft, the