Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-12-01

NarcOlepsy.

A very strange case OF a little girl,
four years old, suffering from mar
colepsy, has been reported in this city.
This disease is very peculiar one, and
the patient is liable to go off into n
sound sleep at any moment, which may
continue for several hours, and at times,
even two or three days.
A few weeks ago DR.. Robert H. Por-
ter was call to see the child in question
at her home, on Portland avenue. She
first developed symptoms about n year
ago, alter an attack of typhoid fever.
The first indication that the mother had
of the trouble was the restlessness of
the child, which would often have
fnodding SPELLS" These attacks of
sleep gradually increased in severity
and frequency until she used to have at
least twenty o day. and often as many
as five or six at the table while eating.
The attacks lasted for about a minute,
but they were very profound, and it was
passed away. When she recovered the
child Immediately resumed whatever she
had been doing, perfectly innocent of
the intermission that had taken place.
When the. attacks would come on she
would fall forward on her face, and a
large tumor was produced on her fore
head from the frequent contusions. A
few months ago she began to have
spasms in addition to the narcolepsy,
and became very destructive, hay
ing desire to kill everything
she came in contact with, and it re-
quired great care TO restrain her.
The case is very remarkable one,
from the development of the disease so
early in life, as with children the usual
tendency in such cases is to idiocy in
stead OF insanity, as it is very rare oc-
currence for child not over five years
to become insane. The little girl was
put under treatment for the disease,
and is now perfectly recovered, not
! having had an attack for two weeks.
The freaks that have been produced in
cases of this kind are very curious and
sometimes amusing. A couple of years
ago there was man afflicted with
narcolepsy in the city, whose attacks of
| sleep used TO last from two to three
days, and came On once or twice n
month. Some time ago we,l-known
! sporting man, who was narcoleptic,
! lived here and was source of much
curiosity. Occasionally he would as
tonish his friends by going to sleep at
the bar while taking drink and re-
main perfectly unconscious for few
moments, when he wo Id wake up and
take his drink, perfectly unconscious OF
any interruption.
He created considerable excitement
one night at gentleman house by
falling sound asleep while just in the
act OF receiving an introduction to a
young lady, much to her discontinue
and his friends amusement. 1t is inn
possible to arouse the patient out OF
these sleeps. and the attacks are liable
to come on at any moment, no matter
how the victim may be situated. This
mysterious and unaccountab!e disease
was first described ten years ago and
since then it has received much atten-
tion from neurologists, but its classifica.
ton has not yet been definitely settled.
From the spasmodic character of the
disease and its frequent association with
epilepsy, physicians believe it one OF
the branches OF this disease, and ere
long no doubt, it will be given its ap-
propriate position with the epileptic
class. C0urier-J0urldl.