At 03:46 PM 1/27/02 -0500, you wrote: >Hey Dave...you know history... > >Now isn't it true that even in Salem the poor ladies had a chance to have >their day in court and see their accusers head on with witnesses before >they got hung??? True nuff, the jury was a bit addled and not really >rational...but there was at least a day in court. Right? Jan..... I know a little ....just a 'little'..... particularly about these folks at Salem <used to live at 262 Davis Street, North Marboro, MA. in 1980....beautiful place especially in Autumn.... My SNOW roots' go ALL THE WAY BACK to PLYMOUTH and 'the Rock'.......... Interesting times these were....... Most people think the Witch Hunts' went-on for a generation....when in fact, they lasted only about a year... Seems the local folks went 'nuts'....<kinda like now...(inside joke girl)>... Scientific, Historical and Religious researchers have tried to determine the aberrant nature of the local peoples actions for some time now......and most have reached a general conclusion..... THe people went 'NUTS' from the ingestion of ERGOTAMINE..... Ergotamine is the precursor to LSD....Lysergic Acid Diethylamide....the psychedelic drug of the "60's Generation and Timothy Leary".....and also used as the 'tartrate' salt to treat Migraine Headaches....I now because I've had it prescribed for exactly that cause......'good drug'......particularly if you take a 'few' to many...it is a powerful psycho-active drug particularly when consumed in toxic quantities..... Ergotamine is extracted from the 'rust' or mildew that forms on the grain 'rye' when it ferments in cold, damp conditions <particularly as existed around Salem> during the Witch Hunt days.... Current research indicates that the residents of Salem were HIGH on ergotamine during the Trials' due to the ingestion of contaminated rye grain.......throw in some religious zealots <Taliban types> and you end-up with HUMAN SACRIFICE in the Name-of-God....amazing isn't it ??? <that's a rhetorical question....no answer required>.....do you know these folks went so far, as to, convene a 'court' of adulescent, IMMATURE women, to ACT as a JURY, toward those brave Women who were condemned as Witches.....and then burned-alive, drowned, stoned............Pray, God keep up safe from the Zealots, Amen. Another rhetorical question......the infamous 'Inquisiton' was not officially ended by the Roman Catholic Church until 1851....Wonder what their excuse was.......???? Drugs...as with the Salem religious zealots.. Bigotry...as with the KKK.. Power....pick whoever you want here <Clinton comes to mind>.... Stupidity and Inhumanity are not reserved to the Past.......Our Salem Ancestors just had an excuse......'good drugs'.... Dave