In 19th-century Rhode Island, tuberculosis was a relentless killer — and desperation gave rise to vampire folklore. Families exhumed loved ones, cut out hearts, and burned them in hopes of stopping the disease, while the state built almshouses and asylums that only spread the contagion further. From the famous case of Mercy Brown to hidden deaths inside Exeter and Howard, this episode traces how fear, folklore, and failed institutions blurred the line between medicine and superstition. Based on original research from the Ladd School Historical Society and Archives.

Music: “Endless Nightmare” by Oliver Garcia, licensed via Motion Array