Salem witch hysteria and the moldy bread hypothesis

[USincognito]

I have about 50 ancestors and close relatives touched by the events of 1682 including 7 of the 20 victims. There is quite a few misconceptions about the hysteria, from how victims were executed (they were hanged, not hung, burning was used in Continental Europe) to what caused the Afflicted girls act as they did. The "moldy bread hypothesis" proposed that the Afflicted suffered from cases of ergotism. Ergot is a fungus that effects rye. It has similar chemical structure to LSD and can cause mania, hallucinations and convulsions. The moldy bread hypothesis was first proposed in the 70s and has spread to become "common knowledge" for many Americans.
Salem scholar Margo Burns researched this topic makes a great case falsifying egotism as causing the behavior of the Afflicted.

The video is her full 50 minute presentation, but I'll post a few bullet points here.
- Egotisim wouldn't be selective. Everyone in the household should have been effected, not just the young girls
- Ergotism and it's symptoms were well known by the 1690s.
- Many of the hallmark symptoms of ergotism were not present in the Afflicted.
- You generally don't just get better from egotism, especially if you continue to consume contaminated rye.

 

[JohnEmmett]

There are such thing as witches you know

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I have about 50 ancestors and close relatives touched by the events of 1682 including 6 of the 20 victims. There is quite a few misconceptions about the hysteria, from how victims were executed (they were hanged, not hung, burning was used in Continental Europe) to what caused the Afflicted girls act as they did. The "moldy bread hypothesis" proposed that the Afflicted suffered from cases of ergotism. Ergot is a fungus that effects rye. It has similar chemical structure to LSD and can cause mania, hallucinations and convulsions. The moldy bread hypothesis was first proposed in the 70s and has spread to become "common knowledge" for many Americans.
Salem scholar Margo Burns researched this topic makes a great case falsifying egotism as causing the behavior of the Afflicted.

The video is her full 50 minute presentation, but I'll post a few bullet points here.
- Egotisim wouldn't be selective. Everyone in the household should have been effected, not just the young girls
- Ergotism and it's symptoms were well known by the 1690s.
- Many of the hallmark symptoms of ergotism were not present in the Afflicted.
- You generally don't just get better from egotism, especially if you continue to consume contaminated rye.

Wow, you know your ancestors from that era? Amazing. I'm sure my ancestors were affected. Billingsley Crest( coat of arms). Blessings.

 

[USincognito]

There are such thing as witches you know

As I'm descended from Mary Estey, Susannah Martin and Rebecca Nurse, all falsely accused and executed during the hysteria, I'm very aware of that fact.

 

[USincognito]

Wow, you know your ancestors from that era? Amazing.

My mom is from Massachusetts which made filling in her tree pretty easy this current era of genealogy. They didn't have courthouses burned during the Civil War and they have been obsessed with genealogy since the 1800s. I've probably identified 150 10th great-grandparents in her tree. My dad has a pretty good tree, but not as many branches and the furthest back is about 1700.

I'm sure my ancestors were affected. Billingsley Crest( coat of arms). Blessings.

No doubt. Anyone with family in Massachusetts Bay or Connecticut would have been touched by witch hunts in the 1600s.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

There are such thing as witches you know

Please define "witches".

 

[JohnEmmett]

Please define "witches"

Practice of magic

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Practice of magic

what's "magic"? Do you think these witches actually cast spells? Can they manipulate the laws of probability or physics with this "magic?"

 

[AV1611VET]

The Salem Witch Trials were done in spite of the Bible.

Not with respect to It.

 

[JohnEmmett]

what's "magic"?

Art is a kind of magic

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Art is a kind of magic

Okay.

 

[Occams Barber]

I have about 50 ancestors and close relatives touched by the events of 1682 including 6 of the 20 victims. There is quite a few misconceptions about the hysteria, from how victims were executed (they were hanged, not hung, burning was used in Continental Europe) to what caused the Afflicted girls act as they did. The "moldy bread hypothesis" proposed that the Afflicted suffered from cases of ergotism. Ergot is a fungus that effects rye. It has similar chemical structure to LSD and can cause mania, hallucinations and convulsions. The moldy bread hypothesis was first proposed in the 70s and has spread to become "common knowledge" for many Americans.
Salem scholar Margo Burns researched this topic makes a great case falsifying egotism as causing the behavior of the Afflicted.

The video is her full 50 minute presentation, but I'll post a few bullet points here.
- Egotisim wouldn't be selective. Everyone in the household should have been effected, not just the young girls
- Ergotism and it's symptoms were well known by the 1690s.
- Many of the hallmark symptoms of ergotism were not present in the Afflicted.
- You generally don't just get better from egotism, especially if you continue to consume contaminated rye.

Given your family involvement I imagine you've done a fair amount of research on Salem - Do you have any thoughts on what caused it?

Am I right in thinking that there were other, similar witch hunts in that part of the world?

OB

 

[AV1611VET]

Okay.

A true witch could tap into supernatural powers and use them at their convenience.

Such as when the witch at Endor had Samuel's spirit brought up from Paradise.

God ordered these witches to be put to death.

Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Today, in this dispensation, where the Holy Ghost keeps Satan in check, witches are just witches in name only.

There are exceptions in places where witchcraft is practiced as a serious way of life.

But these are the exceptions today -- not the rule.

 

[Occams Barber]

A true witch could tap into supernatural powers and use them at their convenience....


.....Today, in this dispensation, where the Holy Ghost keeps Satan in check, witches are just witches in name only.

There are exceptions in places where witchcraft is practiced as a serious way of life.

But these are the exceptions today -- not the rule.

Thanks AV. I feel a lot safer now I know that witches aren't real.

Now... what about those demon thingies?

OB

 

[JohnEmmett]

Now... what about those demon thingies?

youtube.com/watch?v=BSsfjHCFosw

 

[AV1611VET]

Thanks AV. I feel a lot safer now I know that witches aren't real.

They were at one time though.

That's my point.

In the Old Testament, there were bona fide witches in existence.

Now... what about those demon thingies?

Demons are fallen angels.

Revelation 12:4a And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth:

 

[AV1611VET]

youtube.com/watch?v=BSsfjHCFosw

You have a penchant for trying to mix fiction with fact.

 

[JohnEmmett]

You have a penchant for trying to mix fiction with fact.

I feel like it’s mixing itself

 

[AV1611VET]

I feel like it’s mixing itself

You may want to stop sowing tares among the wheat.

 

[JohnEmmett]

You may want to stop sowing tares among the wheat.

Have you noticed how few people are on this forum