The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-10-30 00:00:00

A STRANGE AFFLICTION.

The American papers report a strange story of the
"unaccountable affliction of a Rochester boy," the
son of Leonard Westveer, a paper-hanger, who resides
at 11, Huntington-street. Five weeks ago the boy
was seized apparelitly with a form of St. Vitus's dance,
and for fully tifteen minutes was unable to control the
muscles of his lower limbs. The fit passed off and no
other symptoms appeared until he retired in the even-
ing. After getting into bed he was seized again with
a shock, which apparently affected all the muscles in
his body. The boy cried for help and his parents
entered the room. As they did so they were astounded
to see the chairs and other furniture moving up and
down seemingly in unison with the movements of his
muscles. The chairs would rise six or eight inches,
while the bed and a bureau would shake perceptibly.
Finally the shock passed away, and the motions
ceased, only to be followed, as the family state, by
noises or rappings which seemed to come from the
walls and ceilings of the room. The rapping also
died away. Since that time the boy has had the fits
or shocks at intervals of two or three days. They are
now increasing in frequency, and hardly a day passes
without one, though they do not increase in violence.
In each instance the shocks were accompanied
by the moving of articles in the vicinity of the boy.
Residents of the neighbourhood soon heard of the
peculiar case, and it was generally believed that the
story told by the family was a hoax. Several promi-
nent residents called at the house one evening to see
for themselves. While there the boy was attacked so
strongly that it required two men to hold him in his
chair. Meanwhile everything in the room except the
carpet was in motion; chairs rose to 2ft. high, and a
heavy centre table was lifted several inches above the
floor. Since the evening mentioned parties have been
at the house almost daily to witness the strange phe-
nomena. The physicians are all puzzled by the symp-
toms. They say he is not troubled with St. Vitus's
dance or epilepsy. The victim of this strange malady
is perfectly conscious when under its influence, and
can converse. He is, however, entirely powerless to
control himself, and cannot move a muscle until the
trouble passes off. When the attack seizes him he
generally has had strength enough, if not in bed, to
sit in a chair; but of late is generally under its influ-
ence about 10 o'clock in the evening or just after going
to bed. He feels no pain, but the doctors say he is
becoming weaker and weaker, and that, should the fits
continue, he will die from exhaustion. There is
nothing peculiar in his countenance when attacked,
except that the pupils of the eyes dilate and grow
more brilliant like a person's in a fever. Occasionally
articles in another room from that in which he is are
affected, but only when the spells are very violent.
The articles nearest him move more than others. As
an illustration of the powers of these movements, it is
related that the boy was in the yard about two weeks
after the attacks began, and was seized with one.
About ten feet away were two planks, each two
inches thick and several feet in length. The ends
nearest him were raised over two feet in the air, but
immediately dropped to the ground. The strange case
has attracted widespread interest, and crowds visit
the honse nightly. Superstitious persons firmly
believe young Westveer is the victim of an evil spirit,
or is bewitched, while Spiritualists say he is a
medium.