Contents
What connects witches with Salem, St. Faustina, mass hysteria in the town of Pont-Saint Esprit in the 50s, dance manners and revelations? Seemingly – not much. But when you start looking deeper, the common denominator grows up like… a mushroom after the rain.
- Manic excitement, psychosis, convulsions, the feeling that the body is on fire – such symptoms are caused by ergot poisoning
- Ergot is a spore form of a parasitic fungus that attacks ears of grains and grasses
- Ergot poisoning can affect the alleged Salem witches, Catholic saints, as well as residents of the French town of Pont-Saint-Esprit
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Ergot – a parasite with an impressive history
Ergot is a spore of a parasitic fungus – red mugwort. He is an unwelcome guest on the ears of cereals, which is why farmers now use appropriate plant protection products and clean the seeds so that ergot does not grow on the grains. And it’s not about taste issues at all. This inconspicuous parasite has strong hallucinogenic properties, causes serious disease symptoms, and can be involved in many interesting events throughout the history of the world.
The spore of the red mace has been with us since the dawn of human history. Actually, it was on Earth even earlier – ergot was found on a head of grass embedded in amber 100 million years ago. Its unpleasant properties were reported by the Assyrians in 600 BC (by placing “harmful spots in the ears of cereals” on cuneiform tablets).
- Also read: The seven most dangerous poisons for humans
There are alkaloids in ergot, including ergotamine and ergotine. Both are used in medicine, incl. as ingredients that induce uterine contractions. They can inhibit vaginal bleeding, speed up labor or act as an abortive agent. Ergotamine is also used in the production of LSD.
Contamination of cereal grains with ergot alkaloids causes a number of diseases defined by one common name – ergotism. This disease, known as “Ignis sacer” (Holy Fire) or “Saint Anthony’s Fire”, took the form of an epidemic in the Middle Ages. It was enough just to grind the rye with ergot spores and bake bread from contaminated flour to make entire villages sick with the “Holy Fire” (with symptoms such as rotting and falling off limbs, convulsions or maniacal excitement, which also felt that the body was on fire ). Massive ergot poisoning was recorded, among others, by in France, Germany and Scandinavia.
The period of the Enlightenment did not shed any light on the reasons for such a widespread occurrence of “St. Anthony’s Fire”. It was not until the XNUMXth century that researchers of that time began to see a connection between ergotism and ergot. The last epidemic in Europe was recorded at the end of the XNUMXth century.
Ergot, God and the devil
And although at this stage the history of ergot may seem interesting, because it insidiously attacked our unsuspecting ancestors through the stomach, it still gets even more interesting. For if you look at scientific hypotheses, ergot may be one of the leading figures in witchcraft trials, church apparitions, and even cases of mass hysteria. There is even a theory that he led the inspired Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years’ War.
So let’s start with God and the Holy Trinity. They have been seen by a number of people throughout history. From the already mentioned Joan of Arc, through St. Faustina, to the children to whom Mary appeared in Fatima. Were the experiencers of divine revelations really the chosen ones and did they experience contact with higher beings? Believers think so. But scientists see it quite differently. In some cases (such as Padre Pio) they speak of hoaxes. In others (Joan of Arc, Saint Faustina) they suggest that the saints may have unknowingly eaten flour products with ergot, which caused them divine ecstasy. Thus, the parasite could be a source of visions that would strengthen the Catholic faith of the faithful and also change the course of history. For if Joan of Arc had not been guided by some mysterious “force”, would she still have pushed forward so steadfastly?
Where God is, there is also the devil. Also in the long history of ergot. Because it is the red bunny spore that is suspected of … witchcraft in Salem. Researchers openly say that ergot poisoning is one of the most likely hypotheses regarding the behavior of alleged American town witches. Women then suffered from hallucinations, lost touch with reality, and felt needles sticking into their skin. On this basis, it was assumed that they were in contact with the devil and should die. Meanwhile, the symptoms are reminiscent of the description of “St. Anthony’s Fire”.
The devil interfered in the psyche and behavior of not only the Salem “witches”, but also the possessed people. And again, Satan most often visited people in the Middle Ages, causing them mana, psychosis, twisting their limbs, causing convulsions and epilepsy. Symptoms typical of ergot poisoning. In Poland, a bit later, in the XNUMXth century, Satan was supposed to possess Zofia from Tylice Tomicka. A pious woman had severe contractions for nine months. According to the accounts of witnesses, it looked as if some powerful force was throwing Tomicka on tables and walls or crushing her bones from the inside. In addition, the “possessed” person experienced a burning fire or, on the contrary, an overwhelming cold. There have also been regular problems with the digestive system. The woman also experienced confusion of senses. Just like the medieval victims of ergotism.
Hysteria, Dance and LSD
1518, Strasbourg. Frau Troffea started dancing in the street. Apparently to upset her husband. Out of pure spite. After a day of dancing, the woman fell asleep, and when she woke up, she continued dancing, though she couldn’t explain why she was doing it. After three days, Frau Troffea was taken to a chapel remote from the city, and at least 50 (some sources say that up to 400) of Strasbourg’s residents also began to dance. This is a description of one of the many dance mania that has happened in the world throughout history. To this day, there is no unequivocal explanation for this, but scientists have two strong hypotheses: collective psychosis or, of course, ergot.
- Check: The Seven Most Poisonous Plants
1951, the town of Pont-Saint-Esprit in France. On August 16, several hundred residents simultaneously experienced collective hysteria. A man jumped out of a fourth-floor window screaming he was on a plane and broke his legs. Another ran into the butcher’s shop, begging the staff to cut open his belly. He claimed that snakes eat him from the inside. Lack of reaction from the sellers caused the man to grab the knife, but was quickly overwhelmed. An 11-year-old boy tried to strangle his grandmother. In turn, a woman ran into the doctor’s office, showing her good hand and shouting that a tiger had bitten it off a moment ago. Another man tried to rip off all his clothes in panic, shouting that he was all on fire.
In total, 250 such cases have been reported. Seven people were killed and 50 went to a psychiatric hospital. What happened at Pont-Saint-Esprit? The most popular hypothesis: massive ergotism, will probably come as no surprise to anyone. Especially since the investigation discovered that one of the bakeries in the city does not comply with the sanitary regime and that there is a parasite in the bread. And although it might seem that this closes the discussion, a different theory appeared already in the XNUMXst century. Indirectly, however, still associated with ergot. The town was to become a site for CIA experiments as part of the infamous MK-ULTRA project. Agents were to poison the water with LSD, an ergot-based drug. In order to see if it can be used as a weapon that affects the enemy’s psyche. However, this is a topic for a separate story.
Ergot ranges from a few mm to 4 cm. It’s just a small, very inconspicuous growth. The parasite whose dossier puts him in the ranking of the most cunning villains in the history of the world. And it is in a high position.
Also read:
- It was supposed to be a safe pain reliever and sedative. Thalidomide caused damage to almost 15. fetuses
- John Bodkin Adams – was the British doctor a serial killer?
- Stockholm syndrome – how to get rid of it?
The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.Now you can use e-consultation also free of charge under the National Health Fund.