Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-03-18
VOL. LIV. NEW SERIES, VOL. XVII.


! THE STRANGE MALADY AFFLICTING THE
INEFFECTIVE ATTEMPTS TO RELIEN
THEM.
! Correspondence of the Philadelphia Timesl
a Frenchtown. N. Straight across I'll
r Delaware from here, and back among u
! hills which run parallel with the river ID
I many miles, lives a family concernnl
\ whom the strangest stories are told. IN
5 father and sons are farmers, and all Inv
, in large, substantial house few var,
from the road to Doylestown. They n
all chronic laughers, having an ai'llctIo
, of the muscles of the mouth and thro,
which compels them to give ent to NJ
g parent merriment at stated nterNali
a The malady first appeared in the fntht
about 10 years ago. He was usually
very quiet man, enjoyed fun, but man
Testing his enjoyment without muc
noise He was seated at the dinner-tabl
one day in the spring of tho year, eatin
steadily and not engaging in any of th
conversation which the other members {
the family were carrying on. Suddenly
without any cause, he burst into lou
fit of laughter, SO extremely diileren
from his accustomed laugh that all wer
attracted by it at once. When asks
what was the reason for his sudden oui
burst be made no reply, bnt continue
his merriment. Some Of the boys though
he had Mysteries and pounded hlm OH tn
back. but it did no good. After fey
moments he made motions for poncil ant
paper, and wtote that he was unable tt
control his risibles, and asked them t,
sent for doctor.
The rural physician came, but coult
give no remedy that stopped the laugh
ter. Peal after peal of what sounded
like the heartiest kind of fun came from
him, and nothing would avail to prevent
it. The doctor finally came to the con
clusion that he was the victim of n nsr
vous attack, and leaving the nervine de
parted The father continued laughing
until about sundown, when he suddenly
stopped and fell on tine floor completely
prostrated. He soon grew better, how
ever, ate hearty supper, and spent the
evening much as usual. No signs of a
return of the old trouble appearing, he
went to bed and was soon fast asleep.
Along about = o'clock III the morning,
however, his wife was awakened by his
laughter, and the same symptoms mani
Tested themselves as on the afternoon
previous. He kept it up until Z o'clock,
laughing loud and strong. At o'clock
the noise suddenly ceased and did not re-
turn again until dinner time. Thus it
continued, recurring each tday shortly
afternoon and in the night about = o'clock,
and has ever since As the week passed
he grew SO accustomed to the disease
that he was caused vely little inconveni-
hx-if 10 lid nnt frat frrNI ont
at first, and soon was able to go about his
work-sowing seed and planting corn,
digging vegetables, and watering the cat
tle-while laughing immoderately, He
could not talk while under one OF the
spells, but carried a slate and pencil
around with him, after the fashion of n
deaf and dumb person.
The trouble was very regular in its
coming and going, and only occasionally
broke forth at unlooked-for seasons.
Once the old man was taken i'll church,
Just when the minister was exhorting his
hearers i'll the most solemn strains, and
spoiled the effect of the discourse, be-
sides disturbing the equilibrium of the
clergyman Another time he was found
by one of his neigbors along the road, ly-
ing beneath bag of flour laughing at a
terrific rate. He had been taken while
driving home from the mill, and the sud
denness of the sounds frightened the
horse, causing it to run away and dump
the man and part of his load out in the
road. For IS months the father was the
only one of theIhouseholda afflicted with the
malady. Several of Them had complain
ed from time to time of an inclination to
Join the father in the laugh, but none OF
them did SO until nearly two years after
he was taken, when Susie, the youngest
child, suddenly burst into similar fit
during one of her fathers attacks. From
that time on she has laughed at about the
same hours her father does. One by one
the remaining members fell victims of
the strange complaint, until :hree years
ago there was but one left free, and that
was Charles, the oldest son. His long
exemption led him TO believe he would
escape the contagion. But he was mis-
taken, and it is said he had his first at
tack while petitiOning for the hand OF
Harrisburg damsel. SO frightened was
the lady by the queer behavior of her
suiter that she ran from the room, and 1t
was weeks before tina proper explanations
could induce her to see hin ahain. She
is now one of the family here, and, escap-
ing the malady, never minds the hideous
chorus of laughter which twice day re-
sounds through the house OF grounds.
1t is regarded as rather strange that none
of the neigbors should have caught the
infection, but such is the case, although
many of them mingle constantly with the
family.
Everything possible has been done to
alleviate or remove the malady, but with
out perceptible effect. Several eminent
physicians from the leading cities have
visited the home and grown interested IN
the case. They all confess themselves
baffied, and want one or two of TIE family
to go to the city, where they can receive
treatment. This thoy refuse to
do. Their peculiar trouble, SO noticeable
and odd, has made them very sensitive,
and they will not travel where they will
be subjected to public scrutiny and
They go to church or the
store i'll the village close by, and at
tend social gatherings occasionally in
the neigberhood in the evenings, but
only among lifelong frields. People
within radius OF Il few miles are so ac-
customed to the thing that they never
mind or mention it, Consequently very
few people outside of the immediate vi
cinity, and the physicians who have at
tended them, are cognizant OF the ciscum-
stances.
The years of incessant laughter have
told somewhat on the faces OF the family,
but not SO as to be very noticeable.
There are scores of lines under the eyes
and above the checks, caused by the
drawing up of the skin. Then their
mouths have become wider, and they
keep them closed with difficulty. The
most marked result of the disease, how
ever. is in the voice. The entire family
talk in the same tone, resembling as near
ly as anything the voice of an alto singer.
Males and females haves the same infec
ton and intonation. Most Of them have
more or less trouble with their eyes, sew
eral having become very near-sighted.
The pupils have contracted and the en-
tire eyeball is diminished in size This is
accounted for by the contractionof the
ewes while laughing and the effort re
quircd i'll working or reading while un-
dergoing an attack, Very little physical
annoyance is caused the laughers They
read and write, sleep and work without
any lTDuilt. lllt tHinS N''U
unable to do while attacked Ii to eat, and
that can be readily understood. Several
grandchildren have been born, and i'll all
but one instance they were taken soon
after birth with stated attacks at the same
hours as their parents. OF course they do
not laugh as the older ones do, but they
crow and express all the signs OF baby
glee twice day, nnd never cry while III
Int state.
TEAPFED.- There Is n story told Of Il lady
and gentleman travelling together "n an
English railroad. They were strangers to
each other Suddenly the gentleman said
Madam | will trouble you To look out ot
the window "A few minutes ] am going Ia
make some change in my wearing apparel"
Certainly, SIR she replied, with great
politeness, rising and turning her bach upon
him.
In very short time lac said
"Now. madam, my change is completed
and you may resume your seat.
L A Il l. l.l-l Il