SCIENTISTS RECONSTRUCT THE FACE OF A 19TH-CENTURY ACCUSED VAMPIRE WITH THE HELP OF DNA

New England's past is rife with superstitions and folklore. Although the late 17th-century Salem witch trials are well known for causing widespread panic and almost 20 hangings, a different, less well-known panic struck the region a century later. The tuberculosis epidemic of the 1800s, when victims were frequently branded as vampires by curious locals during a period when the illness was misdiagnosed, is linked to the Great New England Vampire Panic.

Because of this belief, the victims' bodies were dug up so they would not be able to crawl out of their graves and infect others with tuberculosis. Their femur bones would frequently be crossed over their chests when their bones were rearranged in their caskets. The remains of John Barber, a 55-year-old farmer who passed away from tuberculosis, are one example of this.

Children in Griswold, Connecticut, while playing in 1990 found these remains. They have been the subject of in-depth research over the years, and now Parabon NanoLabs and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory have collaborated to provide an image of this "vampire."

The labs started doing extensive DNA analysis in 2019, and they recently released their results. Their investigation revealed that Barber had black or brown hair, brown or hazel eyes, and fair skin. Nathan Barber, his first cousin, whose DNA was also examined for the study, was buried next to him. The fact that Nathan's remains remained undisturbed indicates that no one had thought of him as a vampire. Sadly, John had not experienced the same luck.

According to a statement from Parabon, "communities hit with epidemics turned to folklore for explanations." "They frequently attributed to vampires the physical changes, unstable conduct, and demises of their acquaintances and relatives who, in reality, were afflicted with diseases like pellagra, rabies, tuberculosis, and porphyria."

John had probably been among the first in his family to fall ill with the fatal illness. He was held responsible for its spread to the other members of the family. According to Nicholas Bellantoni, the archaeologist who excavated Barber's remains in 1990, "Of course, J.B. was not a vampire, but it was believed to be undead in his grave, capable of leaving the housing of his grave and [feeding] on living family members spreading consumption/tuberculosis." This mattered to public health. Addiction was widespread in New England during the 1800s. They had no idea how the disease spread and did not know germ theory. They hoped to prevent the disease from taking the lives of [his] family members by returning to his grave and rearranging his skeletal remains. Therefore, this behaviour is motivated by love and fear rather than what we would consider "vampirism." 

The labs' extensive knowledge of Barber's appearance represents a significant advancement in forensic technology. It is very difficult to extract DNA from brittle, deteriorated bones. These scientists have successfully extracted DNA from these ancient bones, demonstrating that even with great difficulty, extraction is still achievable.