The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-17
A FAMILY OF LAUGHERS.
The Strange Malady Affecting thcm-Inef-
fective Attempts to Relieve them.
FRENcHToWN. N. J.. February 26.

The Strange Malady Ahliotine them-Inef
fective Attempts to Relieve them.
FRENcHrowN, N. j., February 26.
Straight across the Delaware from here
and back among the hills which run par.
allel with the river for many miles, lives
a family concerning whom the strangest
stories are told. The father and sons are
farmers, and all live in large, substan.
tial house few yards from the road tc
Doylestown. They are all chronic laugh.
era, having an affliction of the muscles Of
the mouth 8 I'd throat which compele
them to give vent to apparent merriment
at stated intervals. The malady first
appeared in the father about ten years
ago. He was usually very quiet man,
enjoying fun, but manifesting his enjoy:
ment without much noise. He was seated
at the dinner table one day in the spring
of the year, eating steadily and not en-.
gaging in any of the conversation which
the other members of the family were car-
rying on. Suddenly, without any cause,
he burst into loud fit of laughter, so ex.
tremely different from his accustomed
laugh that all were attracted by it at
once. When asked what was the reason
| for his sudden outburst he made no reply
but continued his merriment. Some of
the boys thought he had Mysteries and
pounded him on the back, but il did no
good. After a few moments he made
motions for pencil and paper, and wrote
| that he was unable to control his risib!es,
and asked them to send for doctor.
The rural physician came, but could
give no remedy that stopped the laughter.
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 departed. The father con.
tinued laughing until about suudown,
when he suddenly stopped and fell on the
floor completely prostrated. he soon
grew better, however, ate a hearty supper
and spent the evening much as usual.
No signs of return of the the old trouble
appearing, he went to bed and was soon
fast asleep. Along about 2 o'clock in the
morning, however, his wife was awaken
ed by his laughter, and the same symp-
toms manifested themselves as on the at
ternoon previous. He kept it up until
7 o'clock, laughing loud aud strong. At
Z o'clock the noise suddenly ceased and
did not return again until dinner time.
Thus it continued, recurring each. day
shortly after noon and in the night about
2 O'Clock, and has ever since. AS the
week passed he grew so accustomed to
the disease that he was caused very little
Inconvenience by it. He did not get
tired out, as at first, and soon was able to
20 about his work-sowing seed and
planting corn, digging vegetables and
watering the cattle-while laughing i'm
moderately. he could not talk while
under one of the spells. but carried slate
and pencil around with him after the
fashion of deaf and dumb person.
The trouble was very regular in its com
ing aud going, and only occasionally
broke forth at unlocked for seasons.
Once the old man was taken in church,
just when the minister was exhorting r.
followers in the most solemn strains, and
spoiled the effect of the discourse, besides
disturbing the equilibrium Of the clergy
man. Another time he. was found by
one of his neighbors along the road, ly.
ing beneath bag of -four, 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 eighteen months the father
was the only one of the household afflicted
with the malady. Several of them had
complained from time to time OF an inc!i-
nation 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 a sim
liar 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 vic.
tins to the strange complaint, until three
years ago there was but one left free,
and that was Charles, the oldest son.
His long exemption led him to be-
liere he would escape the con-
tagion. But he was mistaken, and it is
said he had his first attack while petition.
| ing for the hand of Harrisburg damsel.
So frightened was the lady by the queer
behavior of her suitor that sue ran from
the room, and it was weeks before the
proper explanations could induce her to
see him again. She is now one of the
family here, escaping the malady, never
minds the hideous chorus of laughter
which twice day resounds through the
house or grounds. It is regarded as
rather strange that none of the neighbors
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
baffled; and want one or two of the family
to go to the city, where the can receive
constant treatment. This LAey refuse to
do. Their peculiar trouble, so noticea-
BILE and odd, has made them very sensi-
tive, and they will not travel where they
will be subjected to public scrutiny and
remark. They 60 to church or the store
in the village close by, aud attend social
gatherings occasionally in the neighbor-
hood in the evenings, but only among
lifelong friends. People within a radius
of few miles are so accustomed to the
thing that they never mind ormention it.
Consequently very few people outside Of
the Immediate vicinity, and the physicians
who have attended them, are cognizant Of
the circumstances.
The years of incessant laughter have
told somewhat on the face of the family,
but not SO as to be very noticeable.
There are scores of lines under the eyes
and above the cheeks, 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
as anything the voice of an alto singer
Males and females have the same inaec.