Sep 22, 2024Finalist #11 in the Book Review Contest[This is one of the finalists in the 2024 book reviewcontest, written by an ACX reader who will remain anonymous untilafter voting is done. I’ll be posting about one of these a week forseveral months. When you’ve read them all, I’ll ask you to vote fora favorite, so remember which ones you liked]April, 1861 was a cruel month. The American Civil War had juststarted, and across the Atlantic, high in a remote valley in thewestern Alps, in the old market town of Morzines, another war wasraging, this one pitting the locals against the legions ofHell. The regional authorities, confronted with an outbreak oftownspeople writhing in convulsions, entering trances, shrieking inweird tongues, and suffering from other diabolical whatnot, hadbegged the central government for help, writing: “To conclude, we will say: That our impression is that all thisis supernatural, in cause and in effects; according to the rules ofsound logic, and according to everything that theology,ecclesiastical history, and the Gospel teach and tell us, wedeclare it our considered opinion that this is truly demonicpossession.”Dr. Augustin Constans, Inspector General of the InsaneDepartment (inspecteur général du service des aliénés) wasdispatched from Paris to investigate. The Doctor laterreported,“Arriving in Morzines on April 26, I found the entire populationin a state of depression difficult to describe; everyone was deepin morbid gloom, living in constant fear of finding themselves ortheir loved ones consumed by devils.”Dr. Constans’ next action was highly unorthodox. Standardprotocol for treating these afflictions called for accusing someoneof witchcraft, preferably a poor, socially isolated, old woman,(although, in a pinch, anyone of any sex, status, or age would do,and often did), torturing her until she confessed to creating thecalamity by consorting with the Devil, and, after that, lightingher on fire, first strangling her to death, if, at this stage ofthe proceedings, one judged that a modicum of mercy was in order.Undoubtedly aware of this precedent, Dr. Constans rounded up thepossessed and subjected them to: …an examination. From which, allof his new patients emerged non-tortured andunburnt. https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/your-book-review-the-history-of-the
