After a violent attack of fits, a girl believes it is the work of witchcraft. The treatment of her illness? Drawing blood from the witch. With help from her mother, siblings and an arsenal of your garden variety household objects, a plan of attack brewed in 19th Century Devonshire…
“SUPERSTITION.- On the 30th ult. the Magistrates of Milverton, Somerset, committed to prison a woman named Bryant, and her three daughters, for cutting and maiming an inoffensive creature who earns a livelihood by collecting rags. It appears that one of the daughters had for some time laboured under violent attacks of fits, and she and her mother unaccountably conceived that the poor old woman, the rag-gatherer, was the sole cause. In consequence, they applied to Baker, the Devonshire conjuror, who, after drawing from their suspicions, told them that she was certainly the cause of the daughter’s illness, and that the fits would be removed by drawing blood of the witch. On their return, they agreed that the next time the old woman came near their dwelling, she should be assailed for the purpose of carrying the receipt into effect : this soon reached the old woman’s ears, who, alarmed at being branded by such an opprobrious name, took an acquaintance with her, and proceeded to Byrant’s house to ask particulars. No sooner had she approached the door, than they fell on her with the utmost violence, cutting her arms in a shocking manner, with pins, nails and scissars, and had not the old woman and her companion alarmed the neighbours, the consequence must have been still more dreadful.”
Stamford Mercury, 24 January 1823.