THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 

 MONTHLY. 



JUNE, 1889. 



NEW CHAPTERS IN THE WARFARE OF SCIENCE. 



VI.— DIABOLISM AND HYSTERIA. 



Br ANDREW DICKSON WHITE, LL.D., L.H.D., 



EX-PBESIDENT OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY. 



PART II. 



ABOUT forty years later than the New England epidemic of 

 " possession " occurred another typical series of phenomena 

 in France. In the year 1727 there died in the city of Paris a sim- 

 ple and kindly ecclesiastic, the Archdeacon of Paris. He had lived 

 a pious, Christian life, and was endeared to multitudes by his 

 charity ; unfortunately, he had espoused the doctrine of Jansen on 

 the subject of grace and free will ; and, though he remained in 

 the Gallican Church, he and those who thought like him were 

 opposed by the Jesuits, and finally condemned by a papal bull. 



His remains having been buried in the cemetery of St. Medard, 

 the Jansenists nocked to say their prayers at his tomb, and soon 

 miracles began to be wrought there. Ere long they were multi- 

 plied. The sick being brought and laid upon the tomb, many 

 were cured. Wonderful stories were attested by eye-witnesses. 

 The myth-making tendency — the passion for developing, enlarg- 

 ing, and spreading tales of wonder — came into full play and was 

 given free course. 



Many thoughtful men satisfied themselves of the truth of these 

 representations. One of the foremost English scholars came over, 

 examined into them, and declared that there could be no doubt as 

 to the reality of the cures. 



This state of things continued for about four years, when, in 

 1731, more violent effects showed themselves. Sundry persons 

 approaching the tomb were thrown into convulsions, hysterics, 

 and catalepsy ; these diseases spread, became epidemic, and soon 



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