In 1892, the small town of Exeter, Rhode Island, became home to one of the most infamous vampire cases in American history. Mercy Brown, a young woman who succumbed to tuberculosis, became the center of a desperate and chilling ritual—one designed to stop what her family believed was a supernatural force draining their lives.

But was Mercy truly a vampire? Or was her story a tragic intersection of outdated medical practices and deep-rooted folklore? In this episode, we explore how tuberculosis fueled vampire legends, the shocking exhumation of Mercy’s body, and the lasting impact of her tale on both medical advancements and vampire mythology.

🔍 Topics Covered:

• Tuberculosis in the 19th century and its misunderstood effects
• How disease contributed to vampire folklore
• The ritual performed on Mercy Brown and its significance
• Connections between Mercy Brown and Dracula
• The evolution of vampires in mythology and pop culture

Follow the Path Further If this episode left you lingering in the shadows, there’s more to explore. Follow @downthecrookedpath on TikTok and Instagram for haunting visuals, behind-the-scenes lore, and updates on upcoming episodes. Every post is another breadcrumb deeper into the strange, the forgotten, and the beautifully unsettling. Stay curious… and keep walking.