The Dancing Plague of 1518
The bizarre true story of how an entire medieval city danced themselves to death.
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The bizarre true story of how an entire medieval city danced themselves to death.
Full transcript of The Dancing Plague of 1518
In 1518, a woman stepped into a medieval street and started dancing. It wasn't a celebration. It was the deadliest, most bizarre plague ever. Within a week, thirty-four people joined her. By month's end, four hundred citizens were thrashing wildly. Their feet bled on the cobblestones, faces twisted in agony. They physically could not stop. The panicked city council consulted doctors, who blamed hot blood. Their brilliant cure? Force them to dance it out. They built a massive wooden stage in the town square. They even hired professional musicians to play day and night. The plan backfired. The music only fueled the hysteria. Dozens dropped dead from exhaustion and heart attacks. Today, scientists believe they ate rye bread infected with ergot. A toxic fungus containing the exact chemical found in LSD. The dancing plague wasn't a viral disease. An entire city accidentally tripped themselves to death.