History of Mold

Science shows MOLD as the culprit in several dark moments in history!

Recent scientific evidence takes the mystery out of several historic occurrences from leprosy to famine. As far back as Biblical times, it seems that some people taken for 'lepers' actually had fungal infections. The Bible makes note of the purification process that included typical methods of mold removal, including replacing mildew damaged stones and re-plastering walls.

Salem witch trials mere hallucinations?

People have always wondered about the group hysteria behind the 1692 Salem witch trials. It turns out it may have been the result of the mold-induced food poisoning, ergotism. A fungus (Claviceps Purpurea), believed to have infected the rye crops of Salem, creates a chemical known as ergot. Ingesting ergot can cause a range of effects including hallucinations, seizures, mental disturbances, miscarriages, and even death in small children. All easily mistaken for witchcraft or satanic influences during the time.

Irish Famine Of 1845

Almost 200 years later in Ireland, mold struck again. Half of Ireland's eight million people survived on a primarily potato diet. When a long period of rain came in 1845 the leaves of the potato plants developed a fungus (Phyophthora Infestans), which caused entire fields to rot within weeks. Farmers were forced to use their uninfected seed potatoes as food, leaving nothing left to plant the next year. Starvation spread throughout the country and as a result, three and a half million people died from starvation and disease or were forced to leave the country.

Mummy curses due to burial items

More recent discoveries have found an answer to the age-old question about the cursed mummy tombs of ancient Egypt. Many tombs hold the promise of 'death to all who enter,' and when many tomb explorers suffered illness and death, the curses seemed to be fulfilled. The truth is that most Egyptians buried gems and food with the dead for use in the afterlife. This food provided the perfect breeding ground for molds like Aspergillus sp., which causes the exact symptoms so many 'cursed' explorers had suffered. In 1999 a German microbiologist analyzed 40 mummies and found each of them to contain several potentially dangerous types of mold spores. Because of these discoveries and evidence, scientists now take extra precautions when exploring new tombs.

Even today those molds and fungi capable of causing such dark moments in history are still wreaking havoc in indoor environments.