The New England Vampire Panic
The\xa0New England vampire panic\xa0was the reaction to an outbreak of\xa0tuberculosis\xa0in the 19th century throughout\xa0Rhode Island, eastern\xa0Connecticut, southern\xa0Massachusetts,\xa0Vermont, and other areas of the\xa0New England\xa0states.[1]\xa0Consumption (tuberculosis) was thought to be caused by the deceased consuming the life of their surviving relatives.[2]\xa0Bodies were exhumed and internal organs ritually burned to stop the "vampire" from attacking the local population and to prevent the spread of the disease. Notable cases provoked national attention and comment, such as those of\xa0Mercy Brown\xa0in Rhode Island and Frederick Ransom in Vermont.
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