Mass Hysteria In The Crucible

"Are you, are you, coming to the tree. Wear a necklace of rope, side by side with me. Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be. If we met at midnight, in the hanging tree" (Hanging Tree Lyrics). It is incredible that these lyrics are able to help signify something that happened over four centuries ago. In the spring of 1692, the mass hysteria known as the Salem Witch Trials began. Eight girls began showing odd symptoms and acting peculiarly; they "dashed about, dove under furniture, contorted in pain, and complained of fever" (Linder par. 5). They began accusing those in their small town of Salem of being witches, claiming that these witches sent their spirits out and tortured them in an attempt to obtain the young girl's signatures

in a book belonging to the devil himself. When the trials came to an end, approximately a hundred people had been accused as witches (Linder par. 23). Although while this number itself seems ridiculous, there was also two dogs accused of being "suspected accomplices of witches" (Linder par. 23) as well as a four year old girl — Dorcas Good, daughter of Sarah Good — who several girls had claimed to be "bitten by the specter of Dorcas" (Linder par. 13). Some believe that these girls were faking their afflictions; some believe that they did it for fun, others that they were faking in order to get land and other rewards for their neighbors and parents. The most scientific and explainable reason for their actions is due to ergot poisoning. The Salem Witch Trials were not caused by witches but by the consumption of ergot.

Ergot is a plant disease that is caused by the fungus "Claviceps purpurea". Ergot has a very distinct facade but it was occurred so habitually in the rye that it was thought to be a part of the plant itself. The true nature of the plant wasn't exposed in the 1850s (Ergot of Rye par 1). There was a major outbreak of the poisoning in France in 1039, and it most likely occurred due to the fact that "rye was the staple crop of the poor, and the cool, wet climate was conducive for the development of ergot" (Ergot of Rye par. 11).
Coincidentally, the staple grain crop of Salem was rye (Clues and Evidence par. 4). The conditions that were documented about the French case almost mirror the conditions of those in Salem; "[the accusers] lived in the western section of Salem village, a region of swampy meadows that would have been prime breeding ground for the fungus." The summer when the accusations of 'bewitchment' began to end, it was very dry, and the ergot wouldn't have been able to endure in the new climate (Clues and Evidence par. 4).

The poisoning that is ascribed from this rye is known as ergotism. Although the fungus is supposed to be considered as one species, there are two types of symptoms that are shown in cases where extreme poisoning has occurred that are known as convulsive and gangrenous ergotism. Convulsive ergotism indicators include nervous dysfunction; "victim is twisting and contorting their body in pain, trembling and shaking, and wryneck, a more or less fixed twisting of the neck, which seems to simulate convulsions or fits” (Ergot of Rye par. 5). Gangrenous ergotism can cause the blood vessels leading to important extremities to stop functioning correctly. This causes infection accompanied by burning pain.

Eventually, the limb will diorite and fall off.

If the extremity is not surgically detached, the infection will continue to spread throughout the body. Both are very dangerous situations and inevitable due to the poisoning. In some cases of the convulsive ergotism, additional symptoms can also include things such as muscle spasms but most significantly, hallucinations. Could this explain why these pre-teen girls believed they were being tormented by witches? In the play The Crucible, Abigail Williams and the other girls point up at the rafters and accuse Mary Warren of sending her spirit out to hurt them. Perhaps this is one of the many hallucinations the girls endured whilst being affected by the ergot.

Ergotism is a sort of illness that is not contracted as something like the influenza or an emblematic cold would be. It can only be contracted by the consumption of it. When the young girls began to show symptoms of an unknown affliction, the others in Salem — though as uneducated and ignorant as they were — acquired enough common sense to conclude that most sicknesses are obtained from contact with those that were sickly. It was noticed however, that this was not the sort of disease that was normally passed around. They were not able to come to a more cogent explanation so they settled on that of

witchcraft.

To establish who had afflicted these girls, a 'witch cake' was baked containing the girls' urine. After the consumption of it, they revealed who had 'bewitched' them (Ergot of Rye par. 28). The ergotism was making them think differently than they normally would; therefore they were easily persuaded to think what others may have wanted them to think. The people that were trying to help those that were afflicted were that ones that were most prone accused. The doctors and herbalists were those that were put in a very adverse situation during this time. They were able to use "mistletoe [was effective] against some kinds of convulsions and spasms" (Ergot of Rye par. 29). People concluded from there that if these people were able to stop the illness from happening than what was to say that they had not caused the epidemic in the first place.

In conclusion, the Salem witch trials were not the cause a witchcraft but of the consumption of ergot. It is able to cause hallucinations and other symptoms that are precisely the same as those girls in Salem experienced. It shows us that everything can be explained by science and that there is a rational elucidation for everything. Before crying wolf, you need to analyze the facts of the situation. It is very unfortunate circumstances that occurred in Salem but we learn from our mistakes and by doing so we make sure that history does not repeat itself. Thanks to research, we know more about ergot and how to prevent it so none of us will be making a trip to the 'hanging tree' anytime soon.