When did the hysteria begin?

it started in 1692

some teenage girls ate rye bread that has a poison in it called ergot. the girls were "bewitched" which has symptoms of convulstions, tingly fingers, and halusinations (sp?). ergot poisoning causes halusinations, convulsions and it constricts arteries and you loose blood flow to the extremities (fingers and toes). and, the power of suggestion caused all of Salem to freakk out.