By Jacob Osborne, Infectious Diseases Pharmacist and Lead Contributor
Introduction
Vampires have captured the fear and fascination of the public for centuries. From Dracula to Twilight, some of the most popular stories ever told have plots revolving around the undead blood-suckers. Surprisingly, the idea of vampirism predates the legendary 1897 fictional work of Bram Stoker.
The oldest mention of vampirism goes back to the middle ages in Bulgaria. They viewed vampires as spirits that spread disease. In 1686, Bulgaria was conquered by the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany) and thus their superstitions spread.
The first mention of vampires in English literature was 1732 when an Austrian doctor named Johannes Flückinger was sent to examine the body of Arnold Paole, who had died after being “plagued” by a supposed vampire. After his death, several other villagers had died. Dr Flückinger and others exhumed the body and after seeing how well it was preserved, along with how much blood was in the coffin, diagnosed him with vampirism. This clinical depiction transformed the vampire legend from supernatural to pseudo-scientific and birthed the modern idea of vampirism.
The Story of Mercy Brown
Fast forward to the late 19th century. In Exeter, Rhode Island, George Brown was experiencing a string of tragedies: in 1883 his wife, Mary Brown, succumbed to a mysterious illness. Six months later, his 20-year-old daughter, Mary Olive Brown, also fell ill and died. Within the next several years, his 19-year-old daughter, Mercy Brown, was also dead, and George’s teenage son Edwin Brown, became suddenly frail and sick. The village doctor diagnosed all of the deceased and Edwin with “Consumption,” but the villagers had more supernatural suspicions.
In March 1892, as the ground started to thaw from the Winter deep freeze, the village hatched a plan to save Edwin. They exhumed the bodies of the entire Brown family. The body of both Marys had properly decayed, but the body of Mercy Brown, which had been buried 2 months prior, was still full of blood and she looked to be asleep. Out of fear, the villagers removed the heart from Mercy’s corpse, burned it, and added the ashes to Edwin’s medicine. Despite all this homeopathic hooplah, Edwin still died 2 months later.
News of this incident spread through New England. This “Vampire Panic” resulted in dozens of bodies being exhumed and dismembered for fear of them rising again as the undead. The panic was so great, it inspired a young Irish author to write what would become the most famous horror novel in history: Dracula.
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. Nearly 80 years earlier, Samuel Sallady of Scioto County, Ohio died of Consumption after immigrating from Switzerland. After several other family members fell ill, a large congregation of Ohioans (including Major Amos Wheeler, the founder of Wheelersburg) exhumed Sallady’s body, disemboweled it, and burned it in front of a large crowd. There are an additional 5 well known documented cases of exhuming the dead in an effort to stop suspected vampirism.
Tuberculosis
Often referred to as “Consumption” or “White Death,” tuberculosis (TB) has been around for over 17,000 years under many different names. Clinical TB is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB most often affects the lungs and is spread by sneezing, coughing, or singing. That being said, TB can also attack virtually any part of the body, including the brain, eyes, bones, and lymph nodes.
While anyone can get tuberculosis, some people are at an increased risk of contracting tuberculosis:
- Cancer patients on chemotherapy
- HIV/AIDS
- Transplant recipients
- Persons on immunotherapy
- Persons living in crowded homes
- Persons frequently gathering in crowds (ie churches, sporting events, bars, clubs)
Tuberculosis can be latent or active. Persons with latent TB may not have any symptoms at all feeling some fatigue and feverish after the initial infection. Active TB tends to have progressive, severe symptoms:
- Cough with bloody mucus
- Chest pain
- Painful breathing
- Persistent fevers
- Chills
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
It is suspected that the bloody sputum and pale complexion of TB patients inspired the appearance of the character Dracula, and by extension every other modern vampire story. Unlike the Colonial period, TB is now curable! TB can be diagnosed either by blood test or skin test. Additionally, many employers now test for TB prior to hiring employees, so many cases seen in the US are latent TB. Depending on the stage and severity of TB, treatment can last anywhere from 3 months to a year. If you have symptoms of TB or a known exposure, follow up with your doctor ASAP.
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