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The Black Death and the Dancing Mania
Justus Friedrich Karl Hecker was a German physician and medical writer, whose works appear in medical encyclopaedias and journals of the time. He particularly studied disease in relation to human history, including plague, smallpox, infant mortality, dancing mania and the sweating sickness, and is often said to have founded the study of the history of disease. The account of “The Black Death” here translated by Dr. Babington was Hecker’s first important work of this kind. It was published in 1832, and was followed in the same year by his account of “The Dancing Mania.” The books here given are the two that first gave Hecker a wide reputation.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionScience
130 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1888
About the author
Justus Friedrich Karl Hecker
52 books1 followerJustus Friedrich Karl Hecker was a German physician and medical writer.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 27, 2015
Ever since I’ve heard about the Black Death and the Dancing Mania — in history class or in the Horrible Histories TV series — I wanted to understand better how they appeared, why, which were the symptoms of these odd diseases and how they died out.
The book I'm going to talk about today comprises of two studies — The Black Death and The Dancing Mania — written by the German Professor of Medicine Justus Friederich Karl Hecker, also is considered the father of historical pathology. In these two works published in 1832, the physician analyzes the main characteristics of the two pandemics, the causes which led the way to their spreading, the diseases viewed from the religious perspective, their various forms, the cures or procedures used by famous doctors of the Middle Ages and the way in which these diseases affected the human mind.
Even though Prof. Hecker doesn’t say anything about rats or fleas — which carried the plague from Asia to Europe and Africa — he gives an account of how the plague manifested itself in different countries of the world. Documents show that some people died from respiratory problems while others had blisters and buboes on their skin – located especially in the axilla and in the groin area – or other victims bled through the nose or other anatomical orifices. Through incisions and the opening of the buboes, some patients recovered, but these procedures took place towards the period when the epidemic began to decrease.
From a psychological and religious point of view, people saw the Black Death as a punishment sent from God, in order to make them pay for their sins. Medieval people, especially those from the lower ranks of the feudal system, were strong believers in supernatural phenomena because they were illiterate and poor, living in filth and ignorance. They were rude and their minds were subdued by the Church, which was very powerful. Meanwhile, the kings and noblemen lived in luxury and debauchery without caring too much for their subjects.
Due to the circumstances mentioned above, it is impossible to know the exact number of plague victims, but in the main European cities somewhere around ~10.000 and 100.000 people died. Because of this huge number of deaths, the deceased were randomly buried in large pits or in layers or even thrown into the river – such was the case in Avignon. Hecker writes that some plague victims were buried alive because of the general hysteria regarding the pandemic. Eventually, the pestilence died out and most of the towns and cities were depopulated or some were even abandoned because people had fled after the disease broke out, leaving behind sick children, parents, relatives and friends.
The Dancing Mania appeared in Western Europe and it probably had its roots in the human psyche. It might have been a negative mental response to the Black Death. During convulsions, the victims moved uncontrollably as in a dance, had hallucinations regarding religion, shouted and eventually fell with exhaustion or even dropped dead. People used to gather in public places to see the gruesome scenes and some of the spectators caught the mysterious dancing virus; therefore they joined the group affected by the disease. Priests began to perform exorcisms on the people possessed by the strange illness – known also as St. John’s Dance or St. Vitus's dance – and that proved to be effective. The physician believes that the Dancing Mania might be an ‘ancestor’ of epilepsy, chorea and of hysteria. A particular branch of this unusual mania manifested itself in Italy — spreading from Apulia to the entire country — and it was called Tarantism, the cause of the illness being the bite of a tarantula.
In the last chapter, Professor Hecker reveals other lesser known mental disorders, convulsions and hysterical fits which alarmed people from certain communities during the seventeenth and nineteenth century. The examples the author gives show that women were most affected because: “Now every species of enthusiasm, every strong affection, very violent passion may lead to convulsions — to mental disorders — to a concussion of the nerves, from the sensorium to the very finest extremities of the spinal cord” (Page 127). It sounds a bit like hysteria, doesn't it? Well, I'm not a medical student to tell if Hecker was right or wrong about those mysterious diseases, but we mustn't forget that the affected women usually belonged to the lower class. Who knows how hard and how many hours a day they were working and in what terrible conditions they lived? In this chapter you will also find three awkward manias which resemble St. John's Dance, fanatical sects, such as the Convulsionnaires in France and the Jumpers in Britain, religious ecstasy and the terrifying treatments of the convulsive people.
I will end this review here, hoping that it was an interesting read for you and I invite you to look through these two fascinating works of Justus Friederich Karl Hecker, if these subjects interest you
The book I'm going to talk about today comprises of two studies — The Black Death and The Dancing Mania — written by the German Professor of Medicine Justus Friederich Karl Hecker, also is considered the father of historical pathology. In these two works published in 1832, the physician analyzes the main characteristics of the two pandemics, the causes which led the way to their spreading, the diseases viewed from the religious perspective, their various forms, the cures or procedures used by famous doctors of the Middle Ages and the way in which these diseases affected the human mind.
Even though Prof. Hecker doesn’t say anything about rats or fleas — which carried the plague from Asia to Europe and Africa — he gives an account of how the plague manifested itself in different countries of the world. Documents show that some people died from respiratory problems while others had blisters and buboes on their skin – located especially in the axilla and in the groin area – or other victims bled through the nose or other anatomical orifices. Through incisions and the opening of the buboes, some patients recovered, but these procedures took place towards the period when the epidemic began to decrease.
From a psychological and religious point of view, people saw the Black Death as a punishment sent from God, in order to make them pay for their sins. Medieval people, especially those from the lower ranks of the feudal system, were strong believers in supernatural phenomena because they were illiterate and poor, living in filth and ignorance. They were rude and their minds were subdued by the Church, which was very powerful. Meanwhile, the kings and noblemen lived in luxury and debauchery without caring too much for their subjects.
Due to the circumstances mentioned above, it is impossible to know the exact number of plague victims, but in the main European cities somewhere around ~10.000 and 100.000 people died. Because of this huge number of deaths, the deceased were randomly buried in large pits or in layers or even thrown into the river – such was the case in Avignon. Hecker writes that some plague victims were buried alive because of the general hysteria regarding the pandemic. Eventually, the pestilence died out and most of the towns and cities were depopulated or some were even abandoned because people had fled after the disease broke out, leaving behind sick children, parents, relatives and friends.
The Dancing Mania appeared in Western Europe and it probably had its roots in the human psyche. It might have been a negative mental response to the Black Death. During convulsions, the victims moved uncontrollably as in a dance, had hallucinations regarding religion, shouted and eventually fell with exhaustion or even dropped dead. People used to gather in public places to see the gruesome scenes and some of the spectators caught the mysterious dancing virus; therefore they joined the group affected by the disease. Priests began to perform exorcisms on the people possessed by the strange illness – known also as St. John’s Dance or St. Vitus's dance – and that proved to be effective. The physician believes that the Dancing Mania might be an ‘ancestor’ of epilepsy, chorea and of hysteria. A particular branch of this unusual mania manifested itself in Italy — spreading from Apulia to the entire country — and it was called Tarantism, the cause of the illness being the bite of a tarantula.
In the last chapter, Professor Hecker reveals other lesser known mental disorders, convulsions and hysterical fits which alarmed people from certain communities during the seventeenth and nineteenth century. The examples the author gives show that women were most affected because: “Now every species of enthusiasm, every strong affection, very violent passion may lead to convulsions — to mental disorders — to a concussion of the nerves, from the sensorium to the very finest extremities of the spinal cord” (Page 127). It sounds a bit like hysteria, doesn't it? Well, I'm not a medical student to tell if Hecker was right or wrong about those mysterious diseases, but we mustn't forget that the affected women usually belonged to the lower class. Who knows how hard and how many hours a day they were working and in what terrible conditions they lived? In this chapter you will also find three awkward manias which resemble St. John's Dance, fanatical sects, such as the Convulsionnaires in France and the Jumpers in Britain, religious ecstasy and the terrifying treatments of the convulsive people.
I will end this review here, hoping that it was an interesting read for you and I invite you to look through these two fascinating works of Justus Friederich Karl Hecker, if these subjects interest you
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2020
this was a weird read.
it is a very long book--longer than i bargained for.
it includes a third epidemic--the English sweating fever--which is not in the title for some reason.
the analyses are really interesting and the descriptions are nuts and the contextualization of the epidemics are fascinating.
not being a doctor and not being a science-person more generally, i only understood a particular level of what was written here. and my eyes often glazed with boredom/incomprehension. but Justus did not write this for me, so i understand that that was my bad, not his.
it was a very interesting read in covid times, anyway.
it is a very long book--longer than i bargained for.
it includes a third epidemic--the English sweating fever--which is not in the title for some reason.
the analyses are really interesting and the descriptions are nuts and the contextualization of the epidemics are fascinating.
not being a doctor and not being a science-person more generally, i only understood a particular level of what was written here. and my eyes often glazed with boredom/incomprehension. but Justus did not write this for me, so i understand that that was my bad, not his.
it was a very interesting read in covid times, anyway.
September 13, 2017
Descriptions of the apocalyptic destruction and death rates of the 13th-14th Century bubonic plague, which wiped out whole towns in England, France and Italy. Ninety percent of city populations died. Survivors looked like corpses and roamed loose in empty streets. Townsfolk reacted in every imaginable way .. some helped the dying and died themselves, others prayed in seclusion, while others indulged in every pleasure. The Catholic Church blamed Jews for causing the infection by poisoning wells. Jews were pulled from their homes and killed in retaliation.
November 15, 2020
Un libro que forma parte de la historia de la medicina y que describe en forma detallada como se desarrollo la epidemia de peste en 1342, de consecuencias desastrosas para la humanidad, con notas muy interesantes sobre la etiología, sintomatología, la evolución, con anotaciones valiosas sobre su desarrollo. Además aborda un tema que no deja de ser impresionante como la danza de San Vito y sus diversas manifestaciones en diferentes épocas y lugares.
Un libro que bien merece ser leído y releído y que además permite dimensionar las ingentes diferencias con la medicina actual.
Muy recomendable sobre todo en estos tiempos sombríos.
Un libro que bien merece ser leído y releído y que además permite dimensionar las ingentes diferencias con la medicina actual.
Muy recomendable sobre todo en estos tiempos sombríos.
March 7, 2018
I've heard of the black death and in fact wrote a thesis on it, however this Dancing Mania is something different. I have a degree in Medieval Studies and have been doing historical reenactment for the appropriate time period for over 20 years. I had never heard of the latter.
If anyone has any recommendations for books that were *not* self published on the Dancing Mania, please drop me a note.
If anyone has any recommendations for books that were *not* self published on the Dancing Mania, please drop me a note.
June 11, 2019
Excellent account of the Black Death and the following 'diseases' St Vitus' Dance and others.
November 20, 2021
Fairly in-depth and thankfully short. It seems a lot was repeated to some extent and at times was boring.
December 13, 2012
A chilling, efficient portrait of two devastating illnesses that ravaged Europe during the Middle Ages and beyond. It's written from a distant, factual perspective, which removes some of the intimate humanity, but with subjects that are on such a massive scale, it's impossible to get too personal. This was one of the most depressing, horrific books I've read, and it really opened my eyes to a real-life nightmare that changed the history of the world.
May 14, 2012
Very interesting. Of course I'd heard of the Black Death, but I had never heard about the Dancing Mania. While at times the book got a bit too detailed, I did find it a very interesting historical read, and enjoyed learning new things about the past!
October 9, 2013
The chapters on the dances of St. John and St. Vitus were very interesting!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews