After much research, the contributing factor to what was actually happening to these people was a fungus making anyone that ate it sick. Bewitchment was said to come from Convulsive Ergotism (Matossian 355-357). A fungus that grows on rye, ergotism came from people that ate the rye contaminated with ergot. Young people were more vulnerable since they had less body weight for the bacteria to spread to. The symptoms depend on the severity of the case, but the sick usually suffered from fatigue, depression, headaches, and chills. “... grown on low, moist, shaded land, especially if the land is newly cultivated.”. Ergotism acted as the cause to most of the witch trial cases since it caused people to act so strangely. Children started coming down
