216;fits’, in addition to temporary loss of hearing, speech, sight, and memory. Probably more frightening for the people of Salem Village was the hallucinations they saw and felt being pinched and bitten (Hansen, 1969). At first Parris and other members of the community tried prayer. When this didn’t work, they turned to the supernatural for an explanation. The girls were bewitched. However, during this era young girls did not have any way to reduce tension, like the boys did. Children are aware of conflicts that are going on around them—as Betty did. In addition, Betty’s condition was diagnosed by men, not women. Even doctors confirmed this witchcraft affliction. Although these symptoms were common in hysteria cases, they were also recognized as characteristics of witchcraft (Hoffer, 1996).Using Satan as an explanation for mental disorders during the seventeenth century was common for both doctors and ministers. However, panic often accompanies hysteria. In addition, some girls said they were choking, which is common in asthma patients. This choking sensation could have been brought on by a number of things: stress combined with physical exertion; sudden changes in room temperatures; and, pollution by mold spores or other viruses. However, these conditions were often unseen and not obvious. Another possibility was epilepsy. In Betty’s case, after she was moved from her home and sent away (to avoid being contaminated again), her seizures seized. Some felt the children were lying to get attention (Hansen, 1969), while others came up with stress and trauma (Hoffer, 1996). Remember, during this time the Puritan’s were in a fight with the ‘red demon’ (Native Americans). Several of the afflicted were orphans as a result of the Indian raids. All they had to do to relive the horrible slaughter was close their eyes. It is probable that these accounts of the raid were told to the children, which al...
