forces at work. Doctor Griggs's assessment of Betty illustrates the hystericalatmosphere of Salem's society as the majority of citizens immediately look to witchcraft and supernatural phenomena to explain her mysterious illness.

Prior to the opening scene of Arthur Miller's classic American play The Crucible, Dr. Griggs has been to Reverend Samuel Parris's house to examine Rev. Parris's 10-year-old daughter, Betty.

Rev. Parris's niece, Abigail Williams, as well as his daughter, Betty, and his slave, Tituba, were dancing in the woods. When Rev. Parris suddenly came out of the bushes and confronted them, Betty fainted, and she hasn't regained consciousness since she fainted.

Dr. Griggs then returned home and searched in his medical books for information about possible cures or remedies for Betty's condition.

In the opening scene of the play, Susanna Walcott, Dr. Griggs's servant girl, is back at the Parris home to tell Rev. Parris that Dr. Griggs is unable to find any remedy for what seems to afflict Betty.

SUSANNA: Dr. Griggs he bid me come and tell you, Reverend sir, that he cannot discover no medicine for it in his books.

Rev. Parris isn't satisfied with that response and suggests that Susanna tell Dr. Griggs to search further in his books for medical guidance.

SUSANNA: Aye, sir, he have been searchin‘ his books since he left you, sir, but he bid me tell you, that you might look to unnatural things for the cause of it.

Rev. Parris quickly denies that any such kind of cause exists. He's very much concerned about his standing in the community if any word gets out about the reason for Betty's condition, particularly since members of his congregation are in his parlor at this very moment talking about witchcraft.

Rev. Parris tells Susanna to go straight home and not to speak to anyone about "unnatural causes."

When Susanna arrives at Reverend Parris's house from speaking with Dr. Griggs, she tells Parris that the doctor "cannot discover no medicine" for Betty's strange malady in his medical books.  When Parris suggests that he continue to search, Susanna says that he has been searching for a cause of Betty's illness since he saw her earlier earlier that morning.  "But he bid me tell you," Susanna says, "that you might look to unnatural things for the cause of it."  In other words, Dr. Griggs suggests that Betty's condition is not physical; rather, it must be spiritual because he can find no physical cause for her to be so oddly ill.  She seems unable to wake, and he cannot figure out why; therefore, he assumes that her problem cannot be within the realm of his knowledge.