World War I (1914-1918) and the Spanish Influenza (1918-1920) combined killed an estimated 67 million people worldwide. As those affected began to grieve for their loved ones, spiritualism became popular. Even those renowned for their logic became passionate spiritualists. Sir Author Conan Doyle, famous for Sherlock Holmes, tragically lost his son to the influenza pandemic in 1918 -- this, after his son had survived two bullets at the Battle of the Somme. He turned to spiritualism for comfort:

World War I (1914-1918) and the Spanish Influenza (1918-1920) combined killed an estimated 67 million people worldwide. As those affected began to grieve for their loved ones, spiritualism became popular. Even those renowned for their logic became passionate spiritualists. Sir Author Conan Doyle, famous for Sherlock Holmes, tragically lost his son to the influenza pandemic in 1918 -- this, after his son had survived two bullets at the Battle of the Somme.  He turned to spiritualism for comfort: