In 1894, an outbreak of fits and seizures affected 60 students at a ladies' seminary in Montreal, Canada, with some students suffering from the episodes for as long as two months. The incident, which was attributed to mass hysteria, highlighted the vulnerability of young women in institutional settings to psychological contagion. The outbreak subsided without a clear cause, but it remains a notable example of epidemic hysteria in a school environment.

The Montreal seminary hysteria has been cited in psychological and sociological studies of mass psychogenic illness and has been referenced in literature exploring the pressures faced by young women in the 19th century. The event resonates with themes of female vulnerability, institutional control, and the mysterious nature of collective behavior, which have been explored by poets and writers interested in the psychology of groups and the dynamics of repression.