Accidents Mistaken for Magic

In the past, when scientific knowledge was less advanced, many random accidents were mistaken for the effects of spellsde Plancy, J. C., (1863). Dictionnaire Infernal. 6ed. pg.5. Some historical examples are given below:
* In 1841, Adele Mercier from near Saint-Gilles was bitten on the neck by a fly which, presumably, had just been sucking on a rotting animal corpse. Matter from the corpse entered the bite wound, causing sharp, unbearable pain in Miss Mercier, and as such she was taken home to bed. The bite area started quickly swelling, and she developed a fever. Doctors attempted to cauterise and alkalise the bite, but she died in agony the next day.
* In June 1841, the Journal du Rhone reported that a peasant from near Bourgoin climbed a cherry tree and spent 20 minutes eating cherries from it. Then he had a sudden throat inflammation, and managed to say "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" before dying half an hour later. It was deduced that the caterpillars who had infested the tree had left a poisonous substance on the cherries, which killed the man who ate them without washing them. 
== References ==
Category:Dictionnaire Infernal
Category:Debunked Magic