A STRANGE MALADY. Students Lose Their Reason and Self-Control,

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 354, 27 March 1889, Page 3

A STRANGE MALADY. Students Lose Their Reason and Self-Control,

Chicago, February 8. — Many people have visited the Soldiers' Orphan Home at McAllisterville, attracted by the story of a peculiar nervous epidemic spreading among the inmates of that institution. The cases are declared to be the most novel on record, and were it not for the authenticated reports of physicians would be a credit to Mulhafcton in his palmiest days. It seems one boy several weeks ago became apparently' idiotic in his speech and actions, and several others speedilyfollowed suit till twenty were affected* They could talk, butt not intelligently, and their actions were those of imbeciles.- The principal of the home told a "correspondent that a boy named Michael !Briney, aged 15" years, was ,the first attacked. Four weeks ago he became exceedingly stupid, and although wide* awake he would insist that he w,as sleeping:. He -was not.boisterous^aud recovered'his senses in a few days.- "•" The next attacked was Augustus Spitler, whose mariia'was -directed to the destruction of articles in his room. "He,- too, soon recovered. Several other boys had an attack. Tilden Lymes, who is now labouring under an attack of the mania, was>seen by your correspondent. ,He was lying on the . floor of a room and, frequently putting his hand to His mouth. „Wh?n asked,, ' What are you doing ?' lie said, ' Eating cheese ; I like it.' . ,; A number of the boys .are now under treatment,, and three of the most, serious cases sftow a tendency to^ distort' ? familar objects into other things, "which would be ludicrous if it were not for the thought that the boys' minds may become permanently impaired. These three boys were (approached by Superintendent Sherwood, who took a penknife from his pocket and , asked one of them what it was. •• A sledgehammer,' said the boy promptly. 'Let me see your tongue,' said, Sher- ' wood to another. • I have no tongue,' said 1 the lad. i ' The general symptom's of the trouble are a nervous twitching of the body, as though i the patients were afflicted with St. Vitus's | dance, and a perversion or stupidity of the ' mind. There have been intimations' that 1 perhaps the character of food given the ! children had something to do with it,butthab .is regarded as groundless. The sanitary 'condition of the school is excellent, and ■ Superintendent Sherwood is greatly worried. - < - , 1 ' I