In August 1951, the small town of Pont-Saint-Esprit in southern France was struck by a mysterious outbreak of madness, hallucinations, and violence, which left several dead and dozens hospitalized. Initially attributed to mass hysteria or poisoning, the event was later linked to ergot-contaminated bread, but it also fueled rumors of CIA experiments with LSD. The panic has become a landmark case in the study of mass psychogenic illness and the impact of toxins on the mind.

The Pont-Saint-Esprit poisoning has been the subject of numerous literary works, including novels, poems, and plays that explore the boundaries between reality and hallucination, and the vulnerability of communities to unseen threats. The event has inspired writers to delve into the psychology of fear and the role of rumor in shaping perception. It also resonates with themes of paranoia and conspiracy, which have been central to much 20th-century literature, from the works of Albert Camus to contemporary poetry.