As of 1692 many were affected by false accusations in Salem, Massachusetts. From the torture methods, the outcomes, to the causes, even the witch hunts that go on today.
In 1692 the Salem Witch Trials began this led to hundreds being affected and leading to modern day witch hunts. There were many possible causes to this event. Many people like to agree on some theories while others don’t. Some people have said that the trials had been caused by conversion disorder. This is a mental condition that those who have it suffer and experience neurological symptoms. A medical sociologist Dr. Bartholomew stated that the trials were “undoubtedly” a case of conversion disorder.
Bartholomew believes that what happened is mostly just an example of “motor-based hysteria” which is one of two major conversion disorder forms. Also, others think it’s a slim possibility but there’s a chance that some of the accusers were lying. Also that the sick were faking their symptoms as if they were frauds. Many disagree with this idea and think that the reasoning is much different. Some believe that this was started from the work of an enslaved native from South America. Her name was Tituba and many believed that on her free time she’d practice witchcraft. Eventually, villagers had arrested her and tortured her until she confessed just to be killed. Another possible cause that made people think was ergot poisoning.
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Ergot is a fungus that infects rye and other sorts of cereal grains. It contains a byproduct that is known as ergotamine, which is closely related to the hallucinogen LSD. The ingestion of ergotamine can cause a number of cardiovascular and/or neurological effects, such as convulsions, vomiting, crawling sensations on the skin, hallucinations, gangrene, etc. The growth of ergot thrives in warm, damp, rainy springs and summers. Professor Linnda Caporael had found Salem resident diaries. In these diaries, she found that in 1691 the town experienced the perfect weather conditions for ergot. Many of these are all the possibilities that cause the way citizens acted, but ergot poisoning is the most likely cause in many people’s opinion.
During this time period, there had been multiple types of torture methods. Some of the more notable methods of torture were waterboarding, red hot pincers and even what they called the “wheel”. The torture of waterboarding was when jugfuls of water were funneled into the victim’s swelling body as they were being stretched between iron rings. Red hot pincers were metal pincers that were heated in a fire until glowing. Then they would be put on the skin to burn and tear the accused witches’ flesh.
The wheel had been a device where a prisoner was tied to the edge of a wheel or a spherical rock and was rolled down a hill. The execution method that witches were burnt at the stake was a myth and was confused with the witch hunts in England that had happened prior to the trials in Salem. All but one witch was hung off a tree limb in Proctor’s Ledge. The one man that wasn’t hung had been killed by pressing. This is when a man or woman is lying on their back and a platform on their chest with heavy rocks being piled up until they confess or get killed.
Giles Corey the man who was pressed to death never confessed his last words was “More weight.”, he said this to try and avoid confessing that he was something he wasn’t. Witches that were accused never got a proper burial. They were thrown into a small hole with the rest of the other corpses because the village didn’t feel those who were killing others deserved to be buried or killed properly.
There were so many both good and not great outcomes due to this event. Firstly, those that were awaiting trial and that were imprisoned were released as of 1693. Though the accusers and judges had seemed to not show any remorse for the 20 people they had killed which is sickening. Also many felt that those who were hung was justified as well as a necessity. Families that lost land and loved ones were expected to live like it never happened. Victims, as well as their relatives right after the trials, pleaded with courts to get financial compensation as well as social recognition, but they had to wait until the 1700s until their pleads were acknowledged.
