Fiction_L Archives Origins of Salem Witches Dates: 3/19/03,3:21 PM  through  3/22/03,8:11 AM  (8 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2011-current     2009-2010     2004-2008    1995-2003    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to March 2003 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 3/19/03, 3:21 PM

Hope you can help.
A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction, regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it has to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked into bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
Anyone recognize this book?
Thanks in advance.
Judy OConnell
North Shore Public Library
Shoreham, NY

FROM: "Steven A. Roman" <[removed]@addison.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 3/19/03, 3:27 PM

I believe that she is speaking of ergot poisoning, though I don't recall
any one particular book that holds that theory ...

Steven Roman

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [[removed]@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 3:17 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Origins of Salem Witches

Hope you can help.
A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction,
regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it has
to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked into
bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
Anyone recognize this book?
Thanks in advance.
Judy OConnell
North Shore Public Library
Shoreham, NY

......................................................................
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: lpinhey <[removed]@indiana.edu>
REC'D: 3/19/03, 3:32 PM

PBS did a show on this called "Secrets of the Dead: The Witches Curse."
The Web site for that episode has a page on a woman named Linnda Caporael,
who wrote an article about ergot as the cause of the witch hysteria in
Salem. I don't know if she wrote a book. Here's the site for the show,
which includes an interview with Caporael as well as resources on this
topic (perhaps the book your patron is looking for is listed):

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_salem/index.html

Laura
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
<> Laura A. Pinhey, Coordinator of User Services and Products
<> ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education
<> 2805 East Tenth Street, Suite 120, Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A. 47408
<> E-mail: [removed]@indiana.edu
<> Telephone: (812) 855-3838 Toll-free: (800) 266-3815
<> World Wide Web: ericso.indiana.edu/
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On Wed, 19 Mar 2003, Steven A. Roman wrote:

> I believe that she is speaking of ergot poisoning, though I don't recall
> any one particular book that holds that theory ...
>
> Steven Roman
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [removed]@aol.com [[removed]@aol.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 3:17 PM
> To: Fiction_L
> Subject: Origins of Salem Witches
>
> Hope you can help.
> A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction,
> regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it has
> to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked into
> bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
> Anyone recognize this book?
> Thanks in advance.
> Judy OConnell
> North Shore Public Library
> Shoreham, NY
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
> ......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org
>
>
>

FROM: "Laura McCaffery" <[removed]@acpl.lib.in.us>
REC'D: 3/19/03, 3:37 PM

There was a PBS program thatsuggested that could have been the case. It has also been suggested for other places where witches were hunted as well because of the use of rye. lmc

Laura Hibbets McCaffery
Nonprofit Resource Center
Readers' Services
Allen County Public Library
200 E. Berry
Fort Wayne IN 46802
260-421-1238
This is my opinion and mine alone. The
views, opinions, and judgements
expressed in this message are solely
those of the author. The message
contents have not been reviewed or
approved by the Allen County Public
Library.

>>> [removed]@addison.lib.il.us 03/19/03 04:21PM >>>
I believe that she is speaking of ergot poisoning, though I don't recall
any one particular book that holds that theory ...

Steven Roman

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [[removed]@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 3:17 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Origins of Salem Witches

Hope you can help.
A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction,
regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it has
to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked into
bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
Anyone recognize this book?
Thanks in advance.
Judy OConnell
North Shore Public Library
Shoreham, NY

......................................................................
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

......................................................................
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: "Val Stark" <[removed]@quincylibrary.org>
REC'D: 3/19/03, 4:10 PM

This seems familiar to me also. I recall a similar book. The one I remember had to do with a foundation (?) being dug up. In the basement/foundation were skeletal remains deformed babies born to women who were then convicted of being witches because they had the devil's children. Of course, I can't remember the author ( I want to say Barbara Michaels) or title...

Val Stark
Quincy Public Library
Quincy, IL 62301

-----Original Message-----
From: [removed]@aol.com [[removed]@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2003 3:17 PM
To: Fiction_L
Subject: Origins of Salem Witches

Hope you can help.
A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction, regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it has to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked into bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
Anyone recognize this book?
Thanks in advance.
Judy OConnell
North Shore Public Library
Shoreham, NY

......................................................................
Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

FROM: "Christine Dalphy" <[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us>
REC'D: 3/19/03, 4:32 PM

>A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years ago, fiction,
>regarding a possible origin of the Salem witches. She remembers it
>has to do with grain being stored a certain way, then being baked
>into bread, being fed to children, who then hallucinated.
>Anyone recognize this book?
>

Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook (1994) From the jacket "Edward
Armstrong...takes advantage of the opportunity to delve into a pet
theory: that the 'devil' in Salem in 1692 had been a hallucinogenic
drug inadvertently consumed with mold-tainted grain. In an attempt to
prove his theory, Edward grows the mold he believes responsible from
samples taken from the Stewart estate..." Hope this helps.

Christine Dalphy
Geneva Public Library
[removed]@geneva.lib.il.us

FROM: [removed]@aol.com
REC'D: 3/19/03, 7:04 PM

Wow, you are all so good! Yes, my patron was looking for Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook. The information on the PBS web site was terrific, as well.
Thanks to all who responded - this is a truly wonderful list!
Judy O'Connell
North Shore Public Library
Shoreham, NY

FROM: "Amanda L.S. Murphy" <[removed]@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 3/22/03, 8:11 AM

I don't know if this book has been mentioned yet:

_The Devil in Massachusetts: A Modern Enquiry into the
Salem Witch Trials_ by Marion Lena Starkey

I think that is one of the theories examined in this
book. I read it about 3 years ago, while in college
and reading tons of other stuff, so my memory is a
little murky on it.

Amanda L.S. Murphy
Massillon Public Library
Massillon, Ohio

--- [removed]@aol.com wrote:
> Hope you can help.
> A patron is looking for a book she read 10-15 years
> ago, fiction, regarding a possible origin of the
> Salem witches. She remembers it has to do with
> grain being stored a certain way, then being baked
> into bread, being fed to children, who then
> hallucinated.
> Anyone recognize this book?
> Thanks in advance.
> Judy OConnell
> North Shore Public Library
> Shoreham, NY
>
>
......................................................................
> Need to subscribe, unsubscribe, search the archives?
> Everything Fiction_L: http://fictionl.webrary.org

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