Smyrna times., 1879-01-29
THE Jumping Frenchmau."
By DIR. G. M. BEARD.


During the past year | have been in
Vestlgatlng manifestation of the Invoi-
untary life of the most novel and interest.
ing character. 1t is found among the
French Canadians, and is there known
under the expressions, hampers, or JtnaDt,lg
FTehchneen. 1t appears, according to my
researches, that certain proportion of
that pPOple-mingled French and Indian
oiood-haVe acquired the permanent habit,
winch they cannot control, Of Jumping, or
striking out with their hands when COM
manded to do so, suddenly and authori,
lively, by any one who chances to be near
them. The habit appears to nave been
acquired, in the first instance, by tickling
one another, in the winter camps where
they cut lumber in the Maine woods.
They are somewhat degraded race of
beings; have few resources, very little in
teilect, and no mental discipline; cannot,
usually, read or write, and, in their camps,
whlie away the long winter evenings by
playing upon each others lcklishness
until some of them get into state of ab
| normal susceptibility that conpels them to
| obey, automatically and instantly, any sud
den order, as, to strike, or to catch, or to
Jump, or even to vonit they are at the
| mercy OF their companions, and are fre.
to leave the camp where they are employed.
The more they are played upon the worse
they become; for the habit grows with ex.
ercise. The condition is not an epidemic.
but liked and permanent state; and, 80
TAR forth, Is different from the phenomena
so often witnessed in revivals. 1t is. in
iact, liability to be entranced on slight
| excitatlon; differing from the allied trance
| to which all OF US are liable only in this.
that 1t follows il very much mildpr irrita-
ton. When these Jumpers" are ex.
cited to Jump or strike, or to perform any
| OF their peculiar automatic acts, they
present the appearance of entranced in
dIvldualS; their faces turn pale, their eyes
are fixed and CLASSY, AMI sometimes THEN
limbs tremble. One of these Jumpers is Il
waiter, and when told suddenly to "dro,
it, he at once drops whatever he may have
in his hand, though it may he on the head
ot one OF the guests, or on the floor
Another has so susceptible stomach thai
he at once throws up his meals when any
one but "gags' or makes the motions Of
vomiting in his presence; thus he ha,
grown thin, and at one time was almos
starved. One Jumper" when told t.
"strlke,' struck against q rrd-hot stow,
and burned himself. Accidents Of th
KIND are quite frequent IN their camps
One man, standing on the shore of ponC
with fivedollar gold piece in his hand
was told to throw it, he threw til,
money! large sum for him-into tn,
water. Another was standing near keith
Of lislf he was told to "jump," and H.
jumped into the kettle. When one o
these Jumpers" is addressed sharply an,
quickly in any language with which he i
not familiar, he, at once and automatically
responds in that language.
They grow worse by aggregation, an
better by isolation. Their habit is rea
and serious atfiiction to. these people:
source of anxiety and positive torment
they would rejoice to he delivered from i
On the other side of the world among til
Malavs, in the Island Of Java, according t
the London Medical Rscord. phenomen
! precisely similar to those exhibited by th
jumping Frenchmen," are seen.
! woman carrying a child and seeing on
: even pretend to drop any article may :
> once drop that child. Many other il
teresting illustrations are given.--Jomn
= Of Iaebriety.