Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id OAA22068 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 3 May 2001 14:46:39 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745E47@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: Thu, 3 May 2001 14:42:41 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
St.Elmo's fire, apart from Demi Moore et al, I remember from a Tintin book-
isn't that some kind of light produced by static electricity around metallic
objects at sea... or up high... or something....
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Scott Chase
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Thursday, May 3, 2001 12:53 am
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: RE: Dance craze
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
> >Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> >To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
> >Subject: RE: Dance craze
> >Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 13:56:28 +0100
> >
> >I was thinking ergot, but then worried I was getting confused with
> >ingots...
> >
> My confusion could be stemming from memory interference between Saint
> Anthony's fire which according to my dictionary (_Merriam Webster's
> Collegiate Dictionary_ (10th edition)) could relate to ergotism and a skin
>
> condition versus Saint Vitus's dance which is defined as chorea.
>
> I recall ergotism being linked to something historical, but I'm at a loss
> for the specifics.
>
> My dictionary also defines something called St. Elmo's fire, which brings
> us
> back to Demi Moore (a famous alumnus of General Hospital)> I guess my
> memory
> for soap operas is better than for obscure historical events and their
> putative causes.
> >
> >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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > >
> > > ===============================================================
> > > This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
> > > Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
> > > For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
> > > see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
> > >
> >
> >===============================================================
> >This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
> >Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
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> >see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
> >
>
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> ===============================================================
> This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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