Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA19129 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 2 May 2001 14:00:15 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745E3A@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Dance craze Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 13:56:28 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
I was thinking ergot, but then worried I was getting confused with ingots...
Thanks for the weblink, v.interesting.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Douglas Brooker
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Wednesday, May 2, 2001 12:37 pm
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: RE: Dance craze
>
> > I may be wrong but I believe, dance crazes in Europe were closely
> associated
> > with outbreaks of the plague, and dance crazes were often the results
> of the
> > profound psychological impact of plagues on small commmunities.
> Exactly why
> > dance became the favoured outlet, I don't know. Maybe people thought
>
> > vigourous movement kept the plague at bay.
>
> Here's a link on an outbreak of St Vistus's Dance in 1418.
>
> http://plague.law.umkc.edu/Books/hecker/Death13.htm
>
>
> > A similar occurrence that comes to me is the recent argument that
> witch
> > hunts were closely related to certain kinds of food poisoning (I
> forget the
> > damn condition now, I know it had to do with rye) that produced the
> fever,
> > hallucinations, and violent spasms that people of the time
> interpreted as
> > bewitchment. They would then looked for someone unpopular in the
> community
> > to declare a witch, and hang, burn etc.
>
> Ergotism, rye infected with the fungus "Claviceps purpurea" - there is
> a chemical relationship with lysergic acid.
>
> Alcohol is a likely candidate. Also events like witchhunts or
> revolutions can be used to settle old scores or as means of acquiring
> other's property (as in the american and other revolutions)
>
> D
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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