The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-24
ST. virus, DANCE
Becomes an Epitlemic at the
Ursuline Convent.
The School Closed and the Scholars
s Taken Home.

About four weeks ago the malady known
as st. Vitus' dance made its appearance at
the Usaline Convent in Brown County,
near the line Of the NJ. 4 G. Railroad: and
spread SO ralidly that the school was en-
trely broken up and will not be resumed
until fall. r
The first person seized with the malady
was a twelve-year-old girl OF Mrs. Man
COLES, of CINCINNATI and granddaughter
of Hemann, the banker who failed couple
of years age. The symptoms in her case
were those usually accompanying this dis
ease; first, an Involuntary motion of
the shoulders, then 4 growing of
the symptoms into the other por-
tions of the body, contraction
of the muscles of the arms and face,
slight nausea and headache. The physi-
clan Of the institution, DR.. Hall, Of Fay
etteville, was called In. and the ordinary
prescription for such cases administered.
The patient, miss Of perhaps twelve,
stated that she had never been subject to
any attacks Of this nature, but that an
older sister had been so troubled.
Next day, to the surprise OF the
Mother Superior snd the physician, two
more of the pupils were similarly attacked.
On the following day there were more and,
as the days and weeks went by, more and
more of the inmates Of the Convent became
subject to this strange illness, until
probably twenty or more OF the ph-
pills and dozen or more OF the Sis
ters in attendance had been attacked
with this strange and unaccountable
epidemic, for such itnnw appeared to be.
Day before yesterday morning the doctor
was Sent for III great haste, ana OH arriving
found ten new patients jerking and
hopping and gaping and twisting their
faces into ihconceivable shapes; and even
while he was present two or three
more were taken with the strange symp-
toms and fell to Jerking and Twisting
in the safne manner as tliUse who Lad
preceded Them in this singular expe-
rence Then the doct # and sisters who
had been gradually growing alarmed took
thorough fright, and the school was called
up the portion able to answer to the call,
and hurriedly dismissed; the daily omni-
bus and barouche and convenient spring
wagon pressed into service, and as many of
the pupils as could be got of OH sd short a
notice hurried to the depot and sent To
their homes by the first train.
AT the convent there were about seventy
pupils and like number of sisters and Of
these about tW twenty-five pupils and fifteen
sisters have been affected With the malady.
but in no case is 1T expected that 1t will
prove fatal. .r
The scholars are now al their various
homes under treatment, and the authori-
ties expect to see the disease wiped out by
fall, and do not contemplate any serious
injury to the school. There are also sever
al cases reported in the neighborhdod ol
the Convent.
The disease is one that is generally
brought on by INDIGESTION or the defange
fnent Of sume of the vital functions. 1t i:
not epidemic, but often spreads. as in the
present case, by irritation and by its effec
upon the imagination. 1t Is never consid
cred fatal, and passes away in time.