"Mysteries at the Museum" Medical Marvels: Special

1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,400 A woman who might be a medical marvel. 2 00:00:04,470 --> 00:00:07,270 She's made an incredible claim that she can 3 00:00:07,270 --> 00:00:09,540 give birth to rabbits. 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:12,710 The explosive truth behind a dental detonation. 5 00:00:12,780 --> 00:00:14,740 The tooth is gone! 6 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,810 It was akin to that of a gunshot. 7 00:00:17,850 --> 00:00:21,050 And a town gripped by a bizarre plague. 8 00:00:21,150 --> 00:00:24,150 WOMAN: No matter how badly these dancers wanted to stop, 9 00:00:24,250 --> 00:00:26,520 they simply couldn't. 10 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,160 This was a dance to the death. 11 00:00:29,230 --> 00:00:31,860 These are the mysteries at the museum. 12 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:40,300 Paintings by Claude Monet, 13 00:00:40,340 --> 00:00:42,570 Vincent Van Gogh, 14 00:00:42,670 --> 00:00:45,310 and Leonardo da Vinci 15 00:00:45,310 --> 00:00:47,740 are just some of the stunning masterpieces 16 00:00:47,740 --> 00:00:50,340 on display at the National Gallery of Art 17 00:00:50,410 --> 00:00:51,980 in Washington, D.C. 18 00:00:55,890 --> 00:00:58,590 But tucked away from these classic works of art 19 00:00:58,650 --> 00:01:02,660 is an obscure creation with a bizarre tale to tell. 20 00:01:02,660 --> 00:01:05,590 GRAWL: It's about 8 inches by 11 inches. 21 00:01:05,590 --> 00:01:07,230 It's yellowed with age. 22 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,330 And it depicts a scene of a woman 23 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,530 in the throes of giving birth. 24 00:01:11,570 --> 00:01:14,800 But as you look closer, you realize she has given birth 25 00:01:14,900 --> 00:01:20,840 not to a bundle of joy but to a bundle of bunnies. 26 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,850 WILDMAN: This strange image was inspired by a mystifying event 27 00:01:24,910 --> 00:01:28,450 that spawned a wave of fear and fascination. 28 00:01:28,550 --> 00:01:32,750 This is a "hare-raising" story of a shocking medical mystery. 29 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,060 WILDMAN: 1726 -- England. 30 00:01:40,100 --> 00:01:43,630 Renowned surgeon Dr. Cyriacus Ahlers 31 00:01:43,630 --> 00:01:46,100 is investigating one of the oddest cases 32 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,340 of his professional career. 33 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:50,900 A young peasant woman named Mary Toft 34 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,970 says she can do something extraordinary. 35 00:01:54,110 --> 00:01:57,040 GRAWL: Mary Toft has made an incredible claim, 36 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,180 that she can give birth to rabbits. 37 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,790 WILDMAN: The very idea seems preposterous. 38 00:02:04,890 --> 00:02:07,050 But several other doctors swear 39 00:02:07,090 --> 00:02:10,990 they have witnessed the woman's unlikely ability firsthand. 40 00:02:10,990 --> 00:02:14,330 They believe that she truly is a medical marvel. 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:18,870 WILDMAN: But while the medical establishment 42 00:02:18,930 --> 00:02:21,940 is fascinated by the weird phenomenon, 43 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,540 the public fears that Toft's strange affliction 44 00:02:25,540 --> 00:02:27,140 could be contagious. 45 00:02:27,210 --> 00:02:28,880 GRAWL: People are very afraid that 46 00:02:28,910 --> 00:02:30,640 if Mary Toft is giving birth to rabbits, 47 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,610 this could happen to them as well. 48 00:02:35,350 --> 00:02:37,220 WILDMAN: Desperate to put the public at ease 49 00:02:37,250 --> 00:02:39,150 and suspecting there's more to the story 50 00:02:39,260 --> 00:02:41,020 than meets the eye, 51 00:02:41,020 --> 00:02:44,020 Dr. Ahlers pays a visit to the peasant woman. 52 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,230 GRAWL: Dr. Ahlers is skeptical about Mary's claim. 53 00:02:47,330 --> 00:02:50,300 But he's interested in getting to the medical truth 54 00:02:50,430 --> 00:02:53,370 of what Mary Toft is doing. 55 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,240 WILDMAN: But shortly after arriving at Toft's home, 56 00:02:56,270 --> 00:03:00,040 Ahlers is met by a stunning sight. 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:01,710 GRAWL: Mary seems to give birth 58 00:03:01,780 --> 00:03:04,810 to a rabbit right before his eyes. 59 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,310 WILDMAN: Ahlers is astonished. 60 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,050 Yet he still thinks there must be 61 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,780 a rational explanation for the phenomenon. 62 00:03:11,820 --> 00:03:13,190 He doesn't believe it's possible 63 00:03:13,220 --> 00:03:15,520 that she could be giving birth to rabbits. 64 00:03:18,060 --> 00:03:19,730 WILDMAN: Dr. Ahlers suspects 65 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,560 that Mary's bizarre bunny-birthing antics 66 00:03:22,700 --> 00:03:26,170 must be the result of some kind of clever trick. 67 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,740 So he resolves to prove that Mary Toft 68 00:03:28,770 --> 00:03:31,610 is nothing but a fraud. 69 00:03:31,740 --> 00:03:33,540 The young woman is placed inside 70 00:03:33,580 --> 00:03:35,810 a locked room all by herself. 71 00:03:35,810 --> 00:03:39,610 And Ahlers keeps her under close observation round the clock. 72 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:41,620 GRAWL: The hope is that isolating Mary 73 00:03:41,620 --> 00:03:45,150 and watching her constantly will finally reveal 74 00:03:45,190 --> 00:03:50,420 how she is pulling off this incredible feat. 75 00:03:50,430 --> 00:03:53,630 WILDMAN: Mary remains under confinement for days. 76 00:03:53,660 --> 00:03:56,230 And just as Dr. Ahlers suspected, 77 00:03:56,370 --> 00:03:59,230 she fails to produce any rabbits. 78 00:03:59,300 --> 00:04:01,770 Dr. Ahlers is feeling vindicated. 79 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,170 He finally has evidence that these rabbits 80 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,310 did not originate inside of Mary Toft. 81 00:04:07,410 --> 00:04:11,980 WILDMAN: But then something incredible happens. 82 00:04:12,110 --> 00:04:15,050 Ah! She's making noises. 83 00:04:15,180 --> 00:04:18,250 It seems as though she's going into labor. 84 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,320 WILDMAN: Toft's apparent labor pains last for days. 85 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,990 But nothing is happening. 86 00:04:25,130 --> 00:04:28,300 She's yet to actually give birth to a rabbit. 87 00:04:31,170 --> 00:04:35,200 WILDMAN: Then the truth is finally exposed. 88 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:37,070 One evening, a porter is caught 89 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:39,340 sneaking into Toft's cell. 90 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:43,210 The man appears to be concealing something furry. 91 00:04:43,250 --> 00:04:46,350 And what he has is a rabbit. 92 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,880 WILDMAN: The young woman has been caught red-handed. 93 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,820 At this point, Mary knows the jig is up. 94 00:04:54,890 --> 00:04:56,690 She finally confesses 95 00:04:56,830 --> 00:04:59,360 that this has all been an elaborate hoax. 96 00:04:59,430 --> 00:05:02,300 WILDMAN: The poor peasant explains that her outrageous deception 97 00:05:02,430 --> 00:05:06,100 had a simple motivation -- money. 98 00:05:06,170 --> 00:05:10,070 With no other way to elevate her station in life, 99 00:05:10,140 --> 00:05:12,810 Mary devised a scheme that she thought 100 00:05:12,910 --> 00:05:15,640 would turn her into a one-woman phenomenon. 101 00:05:15,710 --> 00:05:17,380 GRAWL: Well, she could travel around England, 102 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,510 birthing bunnies for crowds. 103 00:05:19,650 --> 00:05:22,080 She might've been able to become quite wealthy. 104 00:05:24,390 --> 00:05:26,820 WILDMAN: To pull off her cotton-tail con, 105 00:05:26,820 --> 00:05:27,950 she would hide rabbits 106 00:05:28,020 --> 00:05:30,290 in a secret pocket in her dress. 107 00:05:30,290 --> 00:05:32,490 Then, when doctors weren't looking, 108 00:05:32,530 --> 00:05:37,130 she would move the animals into position and feign labor. 109 00:05:37,270 --> 00:05:39,400 And she would pretend to birth that rabbit, 110 00:05:39,530 --> 00:05:42,900 giving the illusion of this incredible marvel. 111 00:05:45,310 --> 00:05:48,880 WILDMAN: Once she was locked up, Toft had no choice 112 00:05:48,940 --> 00:05:51,680 but to have someone smuggle in a rabbit. 113 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,550 Mary Toft returns to her life as a peasant 114 00:05:56,550 --> 00:05:59,350 and never profits from her incredible scheme. 115 00:06:02,020 --> 00:06:05,830 Today, this etching at the National Gallery of Art depicts 116 00:06:05,860 --> 00:06:08,800 one of Toft's legendary births. 117 00:06:08,830 --> 00:06:11,570 It recalls the medical marvel that in the end 118 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:14,100 turned out to be a piece of fluff. 119 00:06:18,770 --> 00:06:21,370 Situated in the Loire Valley of France 120 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,440 is the ancient city of Angers. 121 00:06:24,450 --> 00:06:26,880 It's known for its rolling vineyards, 122 00:06:27,020 --> 00:06:31,450 Gothic cathedral, and stunning medieval château. 123 00:06:31,450 --> 00:06:33,920 And just steps away from the historic quarter 124 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:35,360 is an institution dedicated 125 00:06:35,460 --> 00:06:38,290 to a 19th-century French sculptor -- 126 00:06:38,290 --> 00:06:40,460 the Galerie David d'Angers. 127 00:06:44,530 --> 00:06:48,000 Its collection includes stone statues of eminent figures, 128 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:50,740 such as a physician from the 1500s 129 00:06:50,740 --> 00:06:53,740 who tended to the French royal family, 130 00:06:53,810 --> 00:06:56,440 a 17th-century naval commander, 131 00:06:56,580 --> 00:06:57,880 and Johannes Gutenberg, 132 00:06:57,950 --> 00:07:02,320 the famed inventor of the printing press. 133 00:07:02,450 --> 00:07:03,820 Yet there is one item here 134 00:07:03,950 --> 00:07:07,390 that's made not of stone, but of metal. 135 00:07:07,420 --> 00:07:10,220 It's just 7 1/2 inches in diameter. 136 00:07:10,230 --> 00:07:13,990 It's made from bronze, and it's circular in shape. 137 00:07:14,030 --> 00:07:15,730 There are shiny spots on the bronze 138 00:07:15,860 --> 00:07:18,430 where the artifact has been worn down with time. 139 00:07:18,470 --> 00:07:21,170 And it's almost 200 years old. 140 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,410 WILDMAN: This medallion recalls the electrifying tale 141 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,280 of a young girl with an inexplicable power. 142 00:07:31,350 --> 00:07:33,110 There was no rational explanation 143 00:07:33,150 --> 00:07:34,250 for what was going on. 144 00:07:39,220 --> 00:07:42,760 WILDMAN: It's 1846 in Normandy, France. 145 00:07:42,890 --> 00:07:45,530 The Cottin family lives on a small farm 146 00:07:45,660 --> 00:07:48,330 where they eke out a meager existence. 147 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,100 The parents' pride and joy 148 00:07:50,170 --> 00:07:53,130 is their 14-year-old daughter, Angelique. 149 00:07:53,270 --> 00:07:55,470 Angelique was a normal 14-year-old girl 150 00:07:55,540 --> 00:07:57,440 with a happy family life. 151 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,410 WILDMAN: But one day, 152 00:08:01,540 --> 00:08:06,480 the Cottins' peaceful domestic life is turned upside down. 153 00:08:06,620 --> 00:08:08,650 When Angelique sits down to dinner, 154 00:08:08,750 --> 00:08:13,490 the table suddenly starts to shake violently. 155 00:08:13,490 --> 00:08:16,420 What had been a perfectly-still table 156 00:08:16,430 --> 00:08:19,560 started to shudder and shake the moment Angelique touched it. 157 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,190 And then, strangely, 158 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:23,360 the moment Angelique pulled her hands away, 159 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,970 the table then stopped moving. 160 00:08:26,100 --> 00:08:29,570 WILDMAN: The Cottins are flabbergasted. 161 00:08:29,700 --> 00:08:32,670 They've never seen anything like this before. 162 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,980 WILDMAN: And this bizarre turn of events doesn't stop. 163 00:08:40,020 --> 00:08:45,490 When Angelique gets in her bed, it too shakes uncontrollably. 164 00:08:45,550 --> 00:08:49,860 At that point, what was concern turned into absolute terror. 165 00:08:52,060 --> 00:08:54,660 WILDMAN: When news of Angelique's frightening ailment 166 00:08:54,700 --> 00:08:55,860 spreads across town, 167 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,500 the community leaps to a terrifying conclusion. 168 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,540 They thought that she had been possessed by the devil. 169 00:09:05,370 --> 00:09:07,340 WILDMAN: Angelique's parents insist 170 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:09,580 her problem must be medical. 171 00:09:09,650 --> 00:09:11,080 HULLAND: It was really clear that Angelique 172 00:09:11,210 --> 00:09:15,520 desperately needed help and she needed it really fast. 173 00:09:15,620 --> 00:09:19,950 WILDMAN: So Angelique's desperate parents take her from doctor to doctor, 174 00:09:20,020 --> 00:09:22,120 but their efforts are in vain. 175 00:09:22,260 --> 00:09:24,790 No one is able to diagnose her condition. 176 00:09:24,890 --> 00:09:26,160 HULLAND: With this condition, 177 00:09:26,190 --> 00:09:28,500 Angelique would never be able to hold down a job. 178 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:32,330 It seems that Angelique was fated to a life of poverty. 179 00:09:35,370 --> 00:09:38,310 WILDMAN: But later that year, the family learns of a scientist 180 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:40,670 who might be able to help. 181 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:43,140 His name is François Arago. 182 00:09:43,180 --> 00:09:45,780 He was really keen on solving mysteries, 183 00:09:45,810 --> 00:09:47,710 so when the Cottin family presented him 184 00:09:47,780 --> 00:09:48,880 with their mystery -- 185 00:09:48,950 --> 00:09:50,780 the biggest medical mystery of the time -- 186 00:09:50,790 --> 00:09:52,320 of course he couldn't say no. 187 00:09:55,220 --> 00:09:58,320 WILDMAN: To determine the cause of her bizarre condition, 188 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,400 Arago conducts a series of tests on Angelique. 189 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,660 He places various objects in front of her 190 00:10:04,730 --> 00:10:07,600 to see what happens. 191 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,670 Incredibly, according to his observations, 192 00:10:10,740 --> 00:10:12,470 each of the objects moves 193 00:10:12,610 --> 00:10:15,940 without the teenager touching them. 194 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,680 But the most fascinating thing of all happens 195 00:10:18,750 --> 00:10:22,780 when Arago places a magnet in front of the young girl. 196 00:10:22,820 --> 00:10:24,080 Angelique tells him 197 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:27,090 she feels a weird sensation in her body, 198 00:10:27,090 --> 00:10:30,220 then, amazingly, she is able to accurately state 199 00:10:30,230 --> 00:10:34,630 which end is the magnet's north pole and which is the south. 200 00:10:34,630 --> 00:10:38,570 This really was a major clue. 201 00:10:38,570 --> 00:10:41,900 WILDMAN: The tests lead Arago to a stunning theory -- 202 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:45,440 Angelique must somehow be magnetic. 203 00:10:45,470 --> 00:10:47,540 HULLAND: This was a bold theory. 204 00:10:50,510 --> 00:10:55,750 WILDMAN: So, what's behind the teenager's mysterious magnetic malady? 205 00:11:01,420 --> 00:11:03,860 It's 1846 in Normandy, France. 206 00:11:03,990 --> 00:11:06,030 Teenager Angelique Cottin 207 00:11:06,060 --> 00:11:08,090 suffers from a bizarre condition. 208 00:11:08,230 --> 00:11:11,900 She can make metal objects move without touching them. 209 00:11:11,930 --> 00:11:15,900 This strange affliction has an unfortunate side effect -- 210 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,940 it makes it impossible for her to live a normal life. 211 00:11:19,940 --> 00:11:22,880 So, what's the cause of this mysterious malady? 212 00:11:25,110 --> 00:11:27,250 After a succession of examinations, 213 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,980 Dr. Arago is unable to cure Angelique 214 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:33,490 or even say what is causing her strange symptoms. 215 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:35,520 Finally, the girl's parents conclude 216 00:11:35,590 --> 00:11:37,920 that they will have to make the best of the situation. 217 00:11:37,990 --> 00:11:39,630 HULLAND: Angelique's parents may not have been able 218 00:11:39,630 --> 00:11:41,190 to help their daughter medically, 219 00:11:41,330 --> 00:11:44,230 but they were determined to come up with a creative way 220 00:11:44,230 --> 00:11:46,270 to help her life move forward. 221 00:11:49,810 --> 00:11:52,570 WILDMAN: So, to secure their daughter's financial future, 222 00:11:52,670 --> 00:11:54,870 the Cottins take an unusual step -- 223 00:11:55,010 --> 00:11:57,280 They set up a show in Paris 224 00:11:57,350 --> 00:12:00,550 and charge people a small fee to see her perform. 225 00:12:00,620 --> 00:12:02,780 This must have been a very bittersweet decision 226 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:04,280 for the Cottin family, 227 00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:06,350 but they have to make sure that she could earn a living. 228 00:12:06,350 --> 00:12:09,090 WILDMAN: Over the course of just a few months, 229 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:13,090 Angelique becomes a hugely-popular attraction, 230 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:17,060 drawing in thousands of people with her unique talents. 231 00:12:17,170 --> 00:12:19,370 HULLAND: Angelique made objects move around, 232 00:12:19,430 --> 00:12:21,400 and, of course, this had a real "wow" factor 233 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:23,470 for the delight of the crowds. 234 00:12:23,570 --> 00:12:25,370 WILDMAN: Angelique's success allows her 235 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,070 to live out her days in relative comfort. 236 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:32,780 Over the decades, 237 00:12:32,850 --> 00:12:36,050 other people have reported the same magnetic affliction 238 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:38,720 Angelique Cottin experienced, 239 00:12:38,750 --> 00:12:42,790 but none have been able to identify a cause. 240 00:12:42,790 --> 00:12:45,360 Today, the Galerie David d'Angers 241 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:46,990 in Angers, France, 242 00:12:47,060 --> 00:12:50,860 displays this bronze medallion depicting François Arago, 243 00:12:50,930 --> 00:12:55,470 the scientist who first studied this bizarre phenomenon. 244 00:12:55,470 --> 00:12:57,040 It recalls the young girl 245 00:12:57,110 --> 00:13:00,310 who truly had a "magnetic" personality. 246 00:13:04,850 --> 00:13:07,050 A jaw recovered from an ancient Egyptian 247 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,250 archeological site, 248 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,420 dentures worn by a 16-century Japanese samurai, 249 00:13:12,550 --> 00:13:15,820 and a jukebox that plays dental jingles 250 00:13:15,890 --> 00:13:18,290 are just a few of the items that visitors 251 00:13:18,430 --> 00:13:21,630 can sink their teeth into at the National Museum of Dentistry 252 00:13:21,630 --> 00:13:23,430 in Baltimore, Maryland. 253 00:13:25,870 --> 00:13:28,100 But amid this eclectic collection 254 00:13:28,100 --> 00:13:31,040 is a seemingly ordinary set of antique instruments. 255 00:13:31,170 --> 00:13:34,440 WYNDBRANDT: The artifact is wooden. 256 00:13:34,580 --> 00:13:36,780 Inside the box arranged 257 00:13:36,780 --> 00:13:38,910 within the velvet cordons 258 00:13:39,010 --> 00:13:41,980 are a series of tools of identical size, 259 00:13:42,050 --> 00:13:44,120 six inches in length, 260 00:13:44,190 --> 00:13:46,720 metal with ivory handles, 261 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,890 and they are more than 150 years old. 262 00:13:52,690 --> 00:13:54,930 WILDMAN: These tools are connected to an explosive 263 00:13:55,060 --> 00:13:57,060 medical mystery. 264 00:13:57,130 --> 00:13:59,930 WYNDBRANDT: This was one of the greatest phenomenons 265 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,670 in dental history. 266 00:14:04,740 --> 00:14:08,140 WILDMAN: It's the 1850s in Cleveland, Ohio. 267 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,210 William Atkinson is one of the nation's most respected dentists. 268 00:14:12,250 --> 00:14:15,410 His standardized set of tools 269 00:14:15,450 --> 00:14:17,520 for filling cavities, now on display 270 00:14:17,650 --> 00:14:19,720 at the National Museum of Dentistry, 271 00:14:19,820 --> 00:14:22,090 have revolutionized the field. 272 00:14:22,190 --> 00:14:25,960 Dr. Atkinson was one of the pioneers of modern dentistry. 273 00:14:25,990 --> 00:14:28,630 Patients flocked to him. 274 00:14:28,660 --> 00:14:30,900 WILDMAN: But a peculiar molar malady 275 00:14:30,930 --> 00:14:33,500 will put his expertise to the test. 276 00:14:33,500 --> 00:14:36,970 One day, a colleague tells Atkinson 277 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,710 an incredible tale-- the dentist claims 278 00:14:39,810 --> 00:14:43,240 that a patient came to him suffering from an intense toothache, 279 00:14:43,310 --> 00:14:45,810 but before the man could be examined, 280 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,250 there was a muffled bang in his mouth. 281 00:14:48,250 --> 00:14:50,520 WYNDBRANDT: It was later said to be 282 00:14:50,650 --> 00:14:53,190 akin to that of a gunshot. 283 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,730 WILDMAN: When the dentist looked inside the patient's mouth, 284 00:14:58,730 --> 00:15:02,460 he found a gaping hole where the troublesome tooth used to be. 285 00:15:02,460 --> 00:15:04,800 The tooth is gone! 286 00:15:04,830 --> 00:15:07,470 There was some shattered fragments 287 00:15:07,540 --> 00:15:09,800 and some lesions on the side 288 00:15:09,870 --> 00:15:12,610 of the tooth where, perhaps, some shrapnel 289 00:15:12,610 --> 00:15:15,070 might have creased the gums. 290 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,810 WILDMAN: The tooth apparently exploded. 291 00:15:18,950 --> 00:15:22,220 The dentist is at a complete loss 292 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,350 to explain the unusual incident, 293 00:15:24,490 --> 00:15:26,750 and his report intrigues Atkinson. 294 00:15:26,820 --> 00:15:29,420 Dr. Atkinson is determined to find out 295 00:15:29,490 --> 00:15:32,490 the mystery of the exploding teeth. 296 00:15:32,490 --> 00:15:35,760 WILDMAN: The dentist researches the bizarre malady 297 00:15:35,900 --> 00:15:38,960 and soon learns that this is not an isolated incident. 298 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,570 Since the early 1800s, 299 00:15:41,570 --> 00:15:45,370 exploding teeth have been reported across the region. 300 00:15:45,410 --> 00:15:49,240 And the cause baffles even as experienced a dentist 301 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:51,040 as Atkinson. 302 00:15:51,110 --> 00:15:53,010 Enamel is among the strongest 303 00:15:53,150 --> 00:15:55,110 material found in the human body. 304 00:15:55,250 --> 00:15:58,450 This isn't something that just can poof! go away 305 00:15:58,590 --> 00:16:01,050 with a little bit of hardship put on it. 306 00:16:05,130 --> 00:16:07,860 WILDMAN: At first, Atkinson thinks that the strange cases 307 00:16:07,860 --> 00:16:10,600 might all be related to the rising popularity 308 00:16:10,730 --> 00:16:13,230 of hard candy-- it's possible that 309 00:16:13,300 --> 00:16:15,540 the rock-hard treats could be cracking teeth 310 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,070 and shattering them to pieces, 311 00:16:18,140 --> 00:16:20,540 but there's no evidence that any of 312 00:16:20,610 --> 00:16:22,940 the victims had much of a sweet tooth. 313 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,280 So Dr. Atkinson embarks 314 00:16:25,410 --> 00:16:27,580 on a full investigation. 315 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,220 He scours the literature more than he ever has. 316 00:16:30,250 --> 00:16:32,450 He talks to colleagues. 317 00:16:32,590 --> 00:16:35,890 WILDMAN: Atkinson eventually comes up with a theory related 318 00:16:35,890 --> 00:16:38,160 to one of dentistry's most common ailments-- 319 00:16:38,230 --> 00:16:40,960 cavities. 320 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,300 Cavities normally form 321 00:16:43,330 --> 00:16:45,630 on the outside of a person's tooth, 322 00:16:45,700 --> 00:16:49,240 but Atkinson theorizes that if a cavity were to form 323 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,840 within a tooth, gas could build up 324 00:16:51,870 --> 00:16:54,110 inside this hole. 325 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,510 Eventually, this pocket of gas could create enough pressure 326 00:16:57,510 --> 00:17:00,450 to cause a tooth to explode. 327 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,780 But Atkinson is unable to find any research 328 00:17:03,820 --> 00:17:06,390 to support his claim, and his colleagues 329 00:17:06,420 --> 00:17:08,190 dismiss the theory. 330 00:17:08,260 --> 00:17:11,460 WYNDBRANDT: Frankly, whatever pressure any gas could build 331 00:17:11,490 --> 00:17:14,060 through there would not be sufficient to shatter a tooth. 332 00:17:17,830 --> 00:17:20,530 WILDMAN: Atkinson passes away in 1891 333 00:17:20,570 --> 00:17:23,470 and goes to his grave without ever having determined 334 00:17:23,510 --> 00:17:25,610 the cause of this phenomenon. 335 00:17:25,740 --> 00:17:27,770 No one has any answers. 336 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,880 This bizarre medical condition needs an explanation. 337 00:17:30,950 --> 00:17:34,680 WILDMAN: So what's the truth behind these exploding teeth? 338 00:17:40,070 --> 00:17:42,370 Back in the 19th century, dentists were perplexed 339 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:46,010 by a bizarre ailment-- exploding teeth. 340 00:17:46,110 --> 00:17:49,810 In the years since, the cause has remained a mystery. 341 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,950 So what's at the root 342 00:17:52,050 --> 00:17:54,380 of these combustible cuspids? 343 00:17:56,450 --> 00:18:00,320 By the 1920s, the episodes finally subside. 344 00:18:00,460 --> 00:18:03,930 For years, the explosive affliction confounds dentists. 345 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:06,330 The condition goes down 346 00:18:06,460 --> 00:18:09,470 as one of the great mysteries in the history of dentistry, 347 00:18:09,530 --> 00:18:11,930 but almost 100 years later, 348 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,270 an investigator takes up the case. 349 00:18:14,340 --> 00:18:17,010 This explosive mystery 350 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,640 is about to be blown wide open. 351 00:18:21,950 --> 00:18:24,210 WILDMAN: 2016, London. 352 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:26,850 Chemistry professor, Andrea Sella, 353 00:18:26,980 --> 00:18:29,650 comes across an old account of the infamous case 354 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,050 of the exploding teeth. 355 00:18:32,060 --> 00:18:34,390 It immediately piques his interest. 356 00:18:34,490 --> 00:18:36,530 Although not a dentist, Dr. Sella decides 357 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:40,060 he will be the person to solve the dental mystery 358 00:18:40,060 --> 00:18:43,330 that has persisted for 200 years. 359 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,610 WILDMAN: Before long, he identifies the culprit. 360 00:18:51,910 --> 00:18:53,880 As an expert in chemistry, 361 00:18:53,910 --> 00:18:56,680 Sella zeroes in on the various materials used 362 00:18:56,710 --> 00:18:59,250 to treat cavities during the 19th century. 363 00:18:59,250 --> 00:19:01,620 They could be copper, tin, lead, 364 00:19:01,750 --> 00:19:05,150 silver...all sorts of things put together. 365 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,820 WILDMAN: When some of these metals are combined, 366 00:19:07,890 --> 00:19:10,830 they produce a volatile gas-- hydrogen. 367 00:19:10,860 --> 00:19:13,430 Hydrogen is explosive. 368 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,500 Ultimately, that buildup could create 369 00:19:16,530 --> 00:19:19,470 a small explosion sufficient to shatter the tooth. 370 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,640 WILDMAN: It wasn't until the 1920s 371 00:19:25,710 --> 00:19:28,910 that dentists started making fillings out of more stable metals, 372 00:19:28,980 --> 00:19:32,110 like gold and silver, and that's exactly 373 00:19:32,150 --> 00:19:35,580 when reports of exploding teeth stopped. 374 00:19:35,650 --> 00:19:37,990 It took two centuries, but finally, 375 00:19:38,020 --> 00:19:39,920 there was a rational explanation 376 00:19:40,060 --> 00:19:42,290 for what could cause exploding teeth. 377 00:19:45,930 --> 00:19:47,860 WILDMAN: Today, a dental toolkit, 378 00:19:47,930 --> 00:19:50,400 designed by William Atkinson, is on display 379 00:19:50,470 --> 00:19:52,870 at the National Museum of Dentistry. 380 00:19:52,970 --> 00:19:55,600 It recalls the explosive case 381 00:19:55,670 --> 00:19:57,770 that blew up in people's faces. 382 00:20:02,510 --> 00:20:03,550 According to legend, 383 00:20:03,550 --> 00:20:05,880 the charming French City of Saverne 384 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:10,350 once had its water supply purified by a unicorn's horn. 385 00:20:10,360 --> 00:20:12,920 Today, the mythical creature is celebrated 386 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,160 as the city's local mascot. 387 00:20:15,290 --> 00:20:18,330 And visitors can learn more about the region's heritage 388 00:20:18,330 --> 00:20:20,260 at The Rohan Castle Museum. 389 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:26,070 Its collection includes gravestones dating back 390 00:20:26,140 --> 00:20:29,170 to the Roman occupation of Saverne, 391 00:20:29,310 --> 00:20:32,310 an iron furnace from 1780, 392 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,780 and an array of 19th century swords. 393 00:20:37,850 --> 00:20:40,420 But amongst these prized artifacts is 394 00:20:40,550 --> 00:20:43,250 an item that recalls one of the weirdest events 395 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,190 in world history. 396 00:20:45,220 --> 00:20:48,460 This artifact is 500 years old 397 00:20:48,590 --> 00:20:51,590 and it is in remarkably good condition. 398 00:20:51,630 --> 00:20:55,160 It's 10 inches high by 15 inches wide. 399 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:56,930 It's made out of wood. 400 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:58,970 It's vibrantly painted. 401 00:20:58,970 --> 00:21:03,340 It is of three adult figures and a child. 402 00:21:03,470 --> 00:21:06,780 And one, very bizarrely, is in a cauldron. 403 00:21:09,350 --> 00:21:11,480 WILDMAN: Despite its pious appearance, 404 00:21:11,550 --> 00:21:16,220 this elegant carving is linked to a diabolical phenomenon. 405 00:21:16,290 --> 00:21:19,650 RUBENHOLD: The mayhem that erupted in relation to this icon 406 00:21:19,690 --> 00:21:21,790 has never quite been paralleled. 407 00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:28,900 WILDMAN: 1518 -- Strasbourg. 408 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:33,700 This bustling city in eastern France is in crisis. 409 00:21:33,710 --> 00:21:36,140 A crippling drought has left many of its residents 410 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,180 in a desperate struggle for survival. 411 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,680 It was a time of famine, 412 00:21:41,750 --> 00:21:44,710 of crop failure, of disease. 413 00:21:44,820 --> 00:21:48,180 They had terrible quality of life. 414 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,120 WILDMAN: But things are about to get even worse. 415 00:21:53,190 --> 00:21:55,520 On July 14th, 416 00:21:55,660 --> 00:22:00,330 a curious spectacle unfolds in the town square. 417 00:22:00,370 --> 00:22:03,130 A woman was in the center of Strasbourg 418 00:22:03,230 --> 00:22:05,330 and just, for no apparent reason, 419 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,600 started dancing in the street. 420 00:22:08,670 --> 00:22:11,610 WILDMAN: But what makes the scene so odd is 421 00:22:11,710 --> 00:22:14,010 that there's no music playing. 422 00:22:14,110 --> 00:22:17,950 RUBENHOLD: It was a strange sort of hopping and swaying motion. 423 00:22:18,020 --> 00:22:20,280 It had no rhythm to it. 424 00:22:20,390 --> 00:22:23,550 WILDMAN: And that's not all. 425 00:22:23,620 --> 00:22:27,020 Not only are her movements erratic and unpredictable. 426 00:22:27,090 --> 00:22:29,990 The woman's expression is strangely grim. 427 00:22:30,090 --> 00:22:33,830 It started to look as if she was completely 428 00:22:33,870 --> 00:22:36,470 out of control, she couldn't help herself, 429 00:22:36,530 --> 00:22:39,540 and she looked as if she wasn't enjoying herself at all. 430 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,570 It was as if this was some terrible labor 431 00:22:42,570 --> 00:22:45,440 that she had to perform. 432 00:22:45,540 --> 00:22:48,580 WILDMAN: And when her husband tries to make her stop, 433 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,580 it's to no avail. 434 00:22:51,650 --> 00:22:55,020 Even by the next morning, she is still dancing. 435 00:22:55,090 --> 00:22:58,390 She kept dancing, and she kept dancing and dancing. 436 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:05,030 WILDMAN: And then, something even stranger happens. 437 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:09,800 Other villagers also begin dancing uncontrollably. 438 00:23:09,870 --> 00:23:14,740 In fact over the next 10 days, 50 more residents join in 439 00:23:14,740 --> 00:23:18,610 until most of the town is locked in this mysterious trance. 440 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:23,750 The people who joined her did so, it seemed, 441 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,480 in the same state that she was in 442 00:23:26,550 --> 00:23:30,550 in that they were dancing not because they wanted to 443 00:23:30,620 --> 00:23:33,620 but because they couldn't help themselves. 444 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,160 Everybody flailing about and hopping around and swaying 445 00:23:37,230 --> 00:23:40,730 and crying out, and there wasn't a single 446 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,500 joyful look on a single face. 447 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,770 They were all full of misery and fear. 448 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:50,410 People were thinking there's something really wrong here. 449 00:23:54,310 --> 00:23:57,010 WILDMAN: Area physicians are called in to help. 450 00:23:57,010 --> 00:23:58,750 And they offer what they think is 451 00:23:58,780 --> 00:24:02,520 a plausible explanation for the bizarre behavior. 452 00:24:02,550 --> 00:24:04,250 The doctors suggest that the region's 453 00:24:04,260 --> 00:24:07,790 unprecedented hot temperatures are to blame. 454 00:24:07,860 --> 00:24:09,390 RUBENHOLD: The physicians' diagnosis was 455 00:24:09,390 --> 00:24:13,800 that these people were suffering from something called hot blood 456 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,170 and this made them want to dance impulsively. 457 00:24:19,370 --> 00:24:21,740 WILDMAN: And to cure this bewildering condition, 458 00:24:21,810 --> 00:24:25,540 these men of medicine prescribed a rather surprising remedy. 459 00:24:25,610 --> 00:24:30,510 The physicians believed that the cure for hot blood 460 00:24:30,620 --> 00:24:32,610 was that the people should keep dancing 461 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,520 because this would help them dance it out of their systems. 462 00:24:36,620 --> 00:24:39,560 WILDMAN: On the doctor's advice, officials bring in musicians 463 00:24:39,620 --> 00:24:41,020 to play for the crowd. 464 00:24:41,090 --> 00:24:44,090 RUBENHOLD: The decision was that if people had to dance, 465 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:48,030 if it was a medical imperative to dance, let's make it good. 466 00:24:48,100 --> 00:24:51,370 Let's make it fun. Let's support them. 467 00:24:51,370 --> 00:24:55,240 So let's lay on food and drink to help lift their spirits. 468 00:24:55,310 --> 00:24:57,410 Let's bring in musicians. 469 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,480 WILDMAN: But despite the doctor's orders, 470 00:25:02,510 --> 00:25:05,110 the situation only worsens. 471 00:25:05,220 --> 00:25:07,220 People were collapsing. 472 00:25:07,290 --> 00:25:08,820 People were dying of heart attacks. 473 00:25:08,890 --> 00:25:12,050 People were suffering from heat stroke. 474 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:15,260 They were literally dancing themselves to death. 475 00:25:21,250 --> 00:25:24,180 It's 1518 in Strasbourg, France. 476 00:25:24,250 --> 00:25:27,520 Hundreds of townspeople have suddenly come down 477 00:25:27,590 --> 00:25:30,720 with an uncontrollable urge to dance. 478 00:25:30,830 --> 00:25:34,460 But this bizarre phenomenon is no joke 479 00:25:34,530 --> 00:25:37,100 as the dancers start to drop dead. 480 00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:41,470 So what's behind this diabolical 481 00:25:41,540 --> 00:25:43,770 dancing fever? 482 00:25:45,770 --> 00:25:48,970 With the dancers showing no signs of stopping, 483 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:50,740 the villagers begin to fear 484 00:25:50,810 --> 00:25:53,550 that it is the work of a sinister force. 485 00:25:53,610 --> 00:25:56,210 RUBENHOLD: When the medical explanation failed them, 486 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,550 they turned to a religious cause. 487 00:25:59,620 --> 00:26:01,690 People started to think 488 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,890 this is a curse from heaven. 489 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,830 WILDMAN: The villagers believed the dancers have upset 490 00:26:08,900 --> 00:26:11,960 a well-known spiritual figure, 491 00:26:12,030 --> 00:26:13,830 St. Vitus. 492 00:26:13,870 --> 00:26:16,570 Although worshipped as a patron saint of healing, 493 00:26:16,700 --> 00:26:19,410 he also has a dark side. 494 00:26:19,510 --> 00:26:22,640 When he is angry, St. Vitus is said to unleash 495 00:26:22,710 --> 00:26:24,980 a particular form of punishment. 496 00:26:25,110 --> 00:26:28,580 RUBENHOLD: He had the power to take over people's minds 497 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:30,820 and force them to dance. 498 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,450 WILDMAN: So, to break this spell, 499 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:37,920 the town's people organize a pilgrimage 500 00:26:38,060 --> 00:26:41,160 to the nearby village of Saverne. 501 00:26:41,260 --> 00:26:45,560 There, they will pray before statues of St. Vitus, 502 00:26:45,700 --> 00:26:48,000 like this carved relief depicting the saint 503 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,500 in a cauldron on display at The Rohan Castle Museum. 504 00:26:51,510 --> 00:26:53,810 RUBENHOLD: And the hope was 505 00:26:53,940 --> 00:26:56,540 that collectively, this would be heard 506 00:26:56,540 --> 00:26:59,210 by St. Vitus. 507 00:26:59,250 --> 00:27:02,550 This is a last-ditch attempt 508 00:27:02,620 --> 00:27:06,390 to appease this saint. 509 00:27:06,450 --> 00:27:10,420 WILDMAN: They pray for eight straight weeks. 510 00:27:10,460 --> 00:27:14,060 Finally, the incessant dancing abates. 511 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,230 RUBENHOLD: There was great relief in the community, 512 00:27:16,300 --> 00:27:20,030 and things could start to go back to normal again. 513 00:27:20,130 --> 00:27:23,040 WILDMAN: The so-called Dancing Plague of Strasbourg 514 00:27:23,140 --> 00:27:24,400 goes down in history 515 00:27:24,510 --> 00:27:28,340 as one of the most bizarre episodes of all time. 516 00:27:31,010 --> 00:27:33,580 Today, some historians have suggested 517 00:27:33,650 --> 00:27:35,980 that the incident was caused not by heat stroke 518 00:27:36,020 --> 00:27:37,520 or an angry saint 519 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:41,290 but by the victims having eaten poisoned bread. 520 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,590 A fungus called Ergot can grow in flour 521 00:27:43,590 --> 00:27:46,960 and cause vivid hallucinations if ingested. 522 00:27:47,030 --> 00:27:50,200 But this theory doesn't explain why the dancing continued 523 00:27:50,260 --> 00:27:53,330 long after the mold's effects would've worn off. 524 00:27:53,470 --> 00:27:58,140 Five hundred years later, we still have no clear sense 525 00:27:58,270 --> 00:28:00,810 of exactly what happened here. 526 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,580 WILDMAN: It seems the true cause of the Dancing Plague 527 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,510 will remain a mystery. 528 00:28:06,580 --> 00:28:09,250 Meanwhile, this carving of St. Vitus is preserved 529 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,150 at The Rohan Castle Museum. 530 00:28:12,190 --> 00:28:14,220 It recalls the village's part 531 00:28:14,220 --> 00:28:17,120 in a literal case of dance fever. 532 00:28:22,430 --> 00:28:24,630 Vienna, Austria, is renowned 533 00:28:24,770 --> 00:28:27,100 for its imperial palaces, 534 00:28:27,170 --> 00:28:31,900 magnificent cathedrals, and historic musical halls. 535 00:28:31,940 --> 00:28:33,740 But few know it's also home 536 00:28:33,770 --> 00:28:36,310 to the largest graveyard in Europe -- 537 00:28:36,340 --> 00:28:38,510 the Central Cemetery. 538 00:28:38,610 --> 00:28:40,250 And located among the tombs 539 00:28:40,310 --> 00:28:42,310 and mausoleums is an institution 540 00:28:42,450 --> 00:28:43,850 dedicated to the rituals 541 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,520 and ceremonies surrounding death -- 542 00:28:46,590 --> 00:28:48,750 the Funeral Museum Vienna. 543 00:28:51,460 --> 00:28:55,490 The collection showcases grand funeral costumes, 544 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:57,930 a horse-drawn hearse, 545 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:04,240 and a reusable coffin created to save on funeral expenses. 546 00:29:04,270 --> 00:29:08,470 But one item here recalls a fate worse than death. 547 00:29:08,610 --> 00:29:12,440 You've got a 6-foot-long cast-iron black pole. 548 00:29:12,450 --> 00:29:15,550 And these wires seem to lead to a black wooden box 549 00:29:15,620 --> 00:29:18,380 with weights and bells inside. 550 00:29:18,450 --> 00:29:20,150 WILDMAN: This gizmo was designed 551 00:29:20,150 --> 00:29:23,320 to give hope to those in the darkest of situations. 552 00:29:23,420 --> 00:29:25,760 GREEN: This device can actually receive messages 553 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,290 from beyond the grave. 554 00:29:31,270 --> 00:29:34,730 WILDMAN: 1824, Edinburgh, Scotland. 555 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:36,500 At the local surgeons college, 556 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:38,700 an instructor prepares to give his class 557 00:29:38,740 --> 00:29:42,040 an anatomy lesson by dissecting a male corpse. 558 00:29:42,110 --> 00:29:44,180 But when he cuts into the corpse, 559 00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:47,910 he gets the shock of his career. 560 00:29:47,980 --> 00:29:52,780 At that exact point, he begins shaking uncontrollably all over. 561 00:29:52,850 --> 00:29:56,520 It appeared as though a dead man had come back to life. 562 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:58,120 The whole room erupted. 563 00:30:00,090 --> 00:30:03,060 WILDMAN: The body is alive. 564 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,060 When the man sits up and speaks, 565 00:30:05,100 --> 00:30:09,270 he says that his name is John McIntire. 566 00:30:09,300 --> 00:30:12,070 And he tells the assembled surgeons and students 567 00:30:12,070 --> 00:30:15,170 that he's gone through a nightmarish ordeal. 568 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:16,610 He claims that days ago, 569 00:30:16,610 --> 00:30:17,940 he was stricken by fever 570 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,350 that left him totally paralyzed. 571 00:30:20,350 --> 00:30:21,810 He could see and hear. 572 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:24,380 But he was unable to move or speak. 573 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:26,690 GREEN: The nurse announced to the family 574 00:30:26,750 --> 00:30:28,320 that he was dead. 575 00:30:28,390 --> 00:30:32,160 But, in fact, he was still entirely alive. 576 00:30:32,190 --> 00:30:33,560 He could hear his family talking 577 00:30:33,630 --> 00:30:36,360 about what a wonderful man he had been. 578 00:30:36,430 --> 00:30:39,500 And all the time, he was trapped in his own body. 579 00:30:39,500 --> 00:30:42,700 And he was absolutely numb with terror. 580 00:30:45,610 --> 00:30:48,240 WILDMAN: Declared dead, McIntire was taken 581 00:30:48,310 --> 00:30:50,310 from his bed to a mortuary 582 00:30:50,340 --> 00:30:52,510 where an undertaker prepared him for burial. 583 00:30:52,580 --> 00:30:54,980 He hasn't got a clue what's gonna happen to him. 584 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:58,520 He's wondering what kind of fate is gonna befall him. 585 00:30:58,590 --> 00:31:02,320 Eventually, he feels himself being picked up and moved. 586 00:31:02,390 --> 00:31:04,520 And it slowly dawns on him, "Oh, my God. 587 00:31:04,530 --> 00:31:08,830 I'm being lowered into a coffin." 588 00:31:08,830 --> 00:31:12,930 WILDMAN: Terrified, he felt the casket being lowered into the ground. 589 00:31:12,930 --> 00:31:14,600 He's hoping that they're gonna realize 590 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,270 that there's been some terrible mistake. 591 00:31:16,270 --> 00:31:18,400 And his mind's going crazy. 592 00:31:18,410 --> 00:31:21,610 WILDMAN: Then, he heard dirt being heaved on top. 593 00:31:21,740 --> 00:31:24,880 He realized he was about to be buried alive. 594 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,010 And there's nothing he could do to stop it. 595 00:31:29,950 --> 00:31:31,350 WILDMAN: But a little while later, 596 00:31:31,390 --> 00:31:35,220 he heard scraping at the coffin's roof. 597 00:31:35,290 --> 00:31:41,160 And he thinks, "Thank God. I've been rescued. This is it." 598 00:31:41,300 --> 00:31:45,100 WILDMAN: But he quickly learned he wasn't being saved. 599 00:31:45,170 --> 00:31:48,230 The men who dug him up were grave robbers. 600 00:31:48,270 --> 00:31:51,840 McIntire overheard the man say they plan to sell his body 601 00:31:51,970 --> 00:31:54,970 to a surgeons college to be operated on. 602 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,210 GREEN: That could mean only one thing. 603 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,750 He's about to be dissected. 604 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,320 WILDMAN: It was only when the instructor's knife 605 00:32:04,350 --> 00:32:05,250 pierced his skin 606 00:32:05,390 --> 00:32:08,120 that he regained his ability to move. 607 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:10,960 GREEN: It seems that the pure terror 608 00:32:11,030 --> 00:32:13,960 of the situation had shocked his mind, 609 00:32:13,990 --> 00:32:18,600 his body, and his faculties back into action. 610 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:20,470 And within an hour, 611 00:32:20,530 --> 00:32:22,400 whatever disease that he'd been suffering from 612 00:32:22,540 --> 00:32:25,540 seemed to have completely vanished. 613 00:32:25,570 --> 00:32:27,340 WILDMAN: But the question remains -- 614 00:32:27,370 --> 00:32:30,210 What caused this mysterious malady? 615 00:32:35,700 --> 00:32:38,630 It's 1824, Edinburgh, Scotland. 616 00:32:38,770 --> 00:32:40,500 A man named John McIntire 617 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:42,170 comes down with a strange illness 618 00:32:42,310 --> 00:32:45,470 that leaves him unable to move or even speak. 619 00:32:45,510 --> 00:32:48,840 Doctors assume he's dead and order an autopsy. 620 00:32:48,950 --> 00:32:50,750 But just before he's about to be cut up, 621 00:32:50,850 --> 00:32:52,380 he shocks everyone, 622 00:32:52,380 --> 00:32:54,620 suddenly springing back to life. 623 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:58,220 So, what's behind this mysterious malady? 624 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,860 After John McIntire's mysterious resurrection, 625 00:33:02,930 --> 00:33:05,130 doctors across Europe try to figure out 626 00:33:05,260 --> 00:33:07,800 what could've caused his strange affliction. 627 00:33:07,900 --> 00:33:11,270 Medical diagnosis wasn't particularly accurate. 628 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:14,370 And there were many conditions that did mimic being dead. 629 00:33:17,010 --> 00:33:19,470 WILDMAN: Physicians zero in on one ailment 630 00:33:19,540 --> 00:33:22,140 which can cause such extreme symptoms. 631 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:24,810 It's called narcolepsy catalepsy. 632 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,280 People who suffer from this sleep disorder 633 00:33:27,380 --> 00:33:31,690 experience extreme drowsiness and even paralysis. 634 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:33,090 GREEN: They were still alive. 635 00:33:33,160 --> 00:33:34,620 It just appeared that they were dead. 636 00:33:34,660 --> 00:33:38,090 WILDMAN: The actual affliction John McIntire suffered from 637 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:39,860 remains a mystery. 638 00:33:39,930 --> 00:33:42,900 But it doesn't stop people from panicking that they, too, 639 00:33:43,030 --> 00:33:44,570 may be buried alive. 640 00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:46,700 Lots of people were like, "Well, if this is happened to him, 641 00:33:46,770 --> 00:33:50,400 it could quite easily happen to me." 642 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,910 WILDMAN: In response, a unique device is invented. 643 00:33:53,940 --> 00:33:56,110 Undertakers and funeral directors alike 644 00:33:56,150 --> 00:33:59,180 start to sell coffin alarms. 645 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:00,650 Inside the coffin, 646 00:34:00,650 --> 00:34:02,720 a lever would be attached to a rope 647 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:04,850 that would extend aboveground. 648 00:34:04,860 --> 00:34:07,060 At the end of the rope would be a bell. 649 00:34:07,190 --> 00:34:08,390 Should you find yourself buried alive, 650 00:34:08,390 --> 00:34:10,160 all you need to do is pull the strings. 651 00:34:10,230 --> 00:34:12,860 And then the bells ring. 652 00:34:12,860 --> 00:34:15,530 WILDMAN: The hope was that somebody would hear the bell 653 00:34:15,630 --> 00:34:19,030 and come to the rescue of the unfortunate individual. 654 00:34:22,110 --> 00:34:24,940 Today, this coffin alarm is on display 655 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:28,380 at the Funeral Museum Vienna in Austria. 656 00:34:28,380 --> 00:34:30,610 It's a bizarre reminder of one man's 657 00:34:30,650 --> 00:34:33,780 harrowing journey back from the grave. 658 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:42,760 San Diego, California, is home 659 00:34:42,830 --> 00:34:47,430 to one of America's largest concentrations of naval ships -- 660 00:34:47,430 --> 00:34:48,860 the Pacific Fleet. 661 00:34:48,970 --> 00:34:51,300 But the city is also the site 662 00:34:51,300 --> 00:34:54,800 of a renowned center of medical research -- 663 00:34:54,870 --> 00:34:56,710 The Brain Observatory. 664 00:34:56,710 --> 00:34:59,370 Founded in 2005, 665 00:34:59,410 --> 00:35:03,950 it houses a collection of over 250 human brains. 666 00:35:04,010 --> 00:35:07,650 But amidst this bewildering array of specimens, 667 00:35:07,650 --> 00:35:10,650 one rather delicate example stands out. 668 00:35:10,790 --> 00:35:13,790 It's encased between two pieces of glass. 669 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:15,060 It's very, very thin. 670 00:35:15,130 --> 00:35:16,760 It's about the thickness of a human hair. 671 00:35:16,860 --> 00:35:18,530 WILDMAN: This sample was at the center 672 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,000 of an experimental surgery 673 00:35:21,030 --> 00:35:23,930 that changed our understanding of the brain forever. 674 00:35:26,070 --> 00:35:28,270 It's safe to say that this artifact 675 00:35:28,310 --> 00:35:32,840 comes from the most studied individual in medical science. 676 00:35:32,910 --> 00:35:35,280 WILDMAN: Whose brain is this, 677 00:35:35,410 --> 00:35:38,780 and how did it unlock the innermost secrets 678 00:35:38,780 --> 00:35:40,320 of the human mind? 679 00:35:43,490 --> 00:35:46,020 1953, Connecticut. 680 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,260 Ever since a childhood accident, 681 00:35:48,290 --> 00:35:50,990 27-year-old Henry Molaison has suffered 682 00:35:51,090 --> 00:35:52,860 from a form of epilepsy -- 683 00:35:52,930 --> 00:35:55,300 a condition that causes its victims 684 00:35:55,430 --> 00:35:58,500 to experience seizures and shake uncontrollably. 685 00:35:58,570 --> 00:36:01,640 In the face of this debilitating illness, 686 00:36:01,740 --> 00:36:05,240 Henry is unable to work, live independently, 687 00:36:05,340 --> 00:36:07,840 or lead any kind of normal life. 688 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,850 ANNESE: If you have these attacks that you cannot predict, 689 00:36:10,910 --> 00:36:12,250 you're constantly under siege, 690 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,380 you're constantly kind of watching your back. 691 00:36:14,520 --> 00:36:16,980 WILDMAN: Doctors prescribe Henry 692 00:36:17,020 --> 00:36:20,250 an aggressive cocktail of prescription drugs 693 00:36:20,290 --> 00:36:21,890 but to little effect. 694 00:36:21,890 --> 00:36:24,530 His seizures got worse over time, 695 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:27,700 and they increased in frequency. 696 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:31,670 I think what he might have experienced was desperation. 697 00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:36,070 WILDMAN: But one man thinks he can help. 698 00:36:36,210 --> 00:36:39,540 A neurosurgeon named William Beecher Scoville 699 00:36:39,610 --> 00:36:43,710 tells Henry there is a procedure that might offer hope -- 700 00:36:43,780 --> 00:36:45,150 a partial lobotomy. 701 00:36:45,250 --> 00:36:48,420 Scoville believes that by removing a portion 702 00:36:48,450 --> 00:36:50,420 of the medial temporal lobe, 703 00:36:50,450 --> 00:36:52,550 the area of the brain believed 704 00:36:52,590 --> 00:36:55,120 to be responsible for the attacks, 705 00:36:55,260 --> 00:36:58,130 it could stop Henry's seizures for good. 706 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:02,000 But there is no guarantee of success. 707 00:37:02,070 --> 00:37:05,000 This was a, frankly, experimental surgery. 708 00:37:05,070 --> 00:37:08,300 WILDMAN: Desperate to put an end to his misery, 709 00:37:08,410 --> 00:37:10,940 Henry agrees to go under the knife. 710 00:37:11,010 --> 00:37:14,310 On August 25, 1953, 711 00:37:14,310 --> 00:37:16,610 Dr. Scoville carefully removes 712 00:37:16,610 --> 00:37:19,980 large pieces of Henry's medial temporal lobe. 713 00:37:20,050 --> 00:37:22,980 In the hours following the surgery, 714 00:37:22,990 --> 00:37:25,390 Henry's seizures do not return. 715 00:37:25,420 --> 00:37:28,990 It appears as if the procedure is a success. 716 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:33,760 But then, Henry starts to exhibit a troubling side effect 717 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:35,460 that no one had anticipated. 718 00:37:35,530 --> 00:37:40,000 ANNESE: If you were to introduce yourself to Henry, 719 00:37:40,070 --> 00:37:43,640 20 seconds later, he would say, "Oh, hello", 720 00:37:43,710 --> 00:37:48,080 and he would not know that he has met you before. 721 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:54,150 This person would be permanently erased from his consciousness. 722 00:37:54,220 --> 00:37:56,280 WILDMAN: Henry has trouble 723 00:37:56,390 --> 00:37:59,290 remembering the most basic information. 724 00:37:59,420 --> 00:38:03,260 He even reads the same magazine over and over again 725 00:38:03,290 --> 00:38:06,590 with no knowledge of having seen it before. 726 00:38:06,660 --> 00:38:08,630 Dr. Scoville is shocked. 727 00:38:08,730 --> 00:38:12,770 It appears he's traded his patient's old problem 728 00:38:12,770 --> 00:38:16,940 for a new and potentially far more difficult one -- 729 00:38:17,010 --> 00:38:19,770 Henry cannot form new memories. 730 00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:22,510 The before and after was very striking. 731 00:38:22,580 --> 00:38:26,180 WILDMAN: Amazingly, Henry can still vividly recall 732 00:38:26,250 --> 00:38:29,450 every detail of his life before his surgery. 733 00:38:29,590 --> 00:38:33,250 And he has no trouble remembering family and friends. 734 00:38:33,260 --> 00:38:36,860 Henry is discharged and allowed to return home. 735 00:38:36,930 --> 00:38:40,060 But now he's faced with a new problem -- 736 00:38:40,130 --> 00:38:44,000 How will remember to do even the most simple tasks? 737 00:38:44,070 --> 00:38:45,330 In order to adjust, 738 00:38:45,470 --> 00:38:48,140 caretakers leave notes around his house 739 00:38:48,170 --> 00:38:52,210 with written reminders of what daily tasks he needs to perform. 740 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:55,780 ANNESE: He adapted by habit. 741 00:38:55,850 --> 00:39:00,280 He was able to draw from resources that helped him cope. 742 00:39:00,350 --> 00:39:02,150 WILDMAN: The same strategy 743 00:39:02,250 --> 00:39:05,820 also helps him gain employment at a local factory, 744 00:39:05,890 --> 00:39:07,720 and Henry amazes everyone 745 00:39:07,720 --> 00:39:10,830 by managing to live a somewhat normal life. 746 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,560 There is something very powerful 747 00:39:13,660 --> 00:39:17,700 about seeing a person transcend this handicap. 748 00:39:17,770 --> 00:39:20,500 WILDMAN: But the mystery remains -- 749 00:39:20,570 --> 00:39:23,570 Why is Henry able to retain old memories 750 00:39:23,670 --> 00:39:25,510 but not create new ones? 751 00:39:29,430 --> 00:39:31,860 It's 1953 in Connecticut. 752 00:39:31,930 --> 00:39:34,770 Hoping to end his debilitating seizures, 753 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,840 27-year-old Henry Molaison undergoes a risky 754 00:39:37,940 --> 00:39:40,370 and experimental partial lobotomy. 755 00:39:40,470 --> 00:39:42,870 Henry's seizures diminish, 756 00:39:42,880 --> 00:39:45,480 but there's an unforeseen side effect -- 757 00:39:45,510 --> 00:39:49,150 He loses the ability to form new memories. 758 00:39:49,180 --> 00:39:53,020 So what will it take to unlock the secret of Henry's brain? 759 00:39:55,420 --> 00:39:57,020 As the years continue, 760 00:39:57,160 --> 00:39:59,760 scientists study Henry to answer the question 761 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:03,360 of how the brain creates and stores memories. 762 00:40:03,460 --> 00:40:07,500 Eventually, by comparing Henry's outcome with other patients, 763 00:40:07,630 --> 00:40:09,870 they zero in on a particular part 764 00:40:09,940 --> 00:40:12,400 of the brain called the hippocampus. 765 00:40:12,410 --> 00:40:14,870 ANNESE: This particular region of the brain 766 00:40:14,940 --> 00:40:17,080 was not really well known. 767 00:40:17,210 --> 00:40:19,080 It was still a mystery. 768 00:40:19,180 --> 00:40:20,580 WILDMAN: Previously, 769 00:40:20,580 --> 00:40:23,680 most neurologists had believed that all memories, 770 00:40:23,820 --> 00:40:26,950 old and new, were stored in one part of the brain. 771 00:40:27,090 --> 00:40:30,760 But Henry's condition leads them to a different conclusion. 772 00:40:30,820 --> 00:40:32,960 The ability to form new memories 773 00:40:32,990 --> 00:40:35,430 must be linked to the hippocampus, 774 00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:39,100 much of which had been removed during Henry's surgery. 775 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:44,640 In 2008, Henry Molaison passes away at the age of 82, 776 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:47,370 but his death only marks another chapter 777 00:40:47,510 --> 00:40:49,510 in his contribution to science. 778 00:40:49,540 --> 00:40:52,840 Henry's brain is donated to The Brain Observatory. 779 00:40:52,980 --> 00:40:56,580 There, Dr. Jacopo Annese and his team 780 00:40:56,620 --> 00:41:02,390 painstakingly divided it into 2,401 micro-thin slices. 781 00:41:02,390 --> 00:41:06,620 Each slice is mounted on a glass slide just like this one 782 00:41:06,660 --> 00:41:09,530 before being scanned into a computer. 783 00:41:09,660 --> 00:41:12,730 ANNESE: The project had very ambitious goals -- 784 00:41:12,770 --> 00:41:15,530 to build a three-dimensional map of the brain 785 00:41:15,670 --> 00:41:18,470 that could be studied by different researchers 786 00:41:18,610 --> 00:41:20,810 or wide via the web. 787 00:41:20,810 --> 00:41:24,010 WILDMAN: Neurologists continue to unlock the secrets 788 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:26,010 of Henry Molaison's brain 789 00:41:26,010 --> 00:41:28,810 hoping to use it to help other patients. 790 00:41:28,950 --> 00:41:32,050 I don't believe the case of Henry will ever become obsolete. 791 00:41:32,150 --> 00:41:37,890 WILDMAN: Today, this sample remains at The Brain Observatory, 792 00:41:37,890 --> 00:41:40,960 a memory of one man's remarkable journey 793 00:41:40,960 --> 00:41:43,330 and his contribution to science. 794 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:48,630 From a deadly dancing plague 795 00:41:48,700 --> 00:41:51,100 to exploding teeth. 796 00:41:51,170 --> 00:41:53,300 A magnetic malady 797 00:41:53,440 --> 00:41:55,640 to an unlikely bundle of bunnies. 798 00:41:55,740 --> 00:41:58,880 I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum.