Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-05
Narcolepsy.
A Kansas City Child who Drops Into
 Sound Sleep Without Warning at any

A Kansas City Child who Drops Into
 Sound Sleep Without Warning at any
 Minute of the Day.
 very strange case of a little girl four years old suffering from narcolepsy, has been reported in Kansas City The disease is a go off into 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. Porter was called to see the child in question at her home on, Portland avenue. She first developed symptoms about year ago, .atter an attack of typhoid fever. The first indication the mother had of the trouble was the restless ness of the child, which would often have " nodding spells" These attacks of sleep gradually increased in severity and frequency until she used to have at least twenty day, and often as many as five or six at the table while eating. These attacks only lasted for about minute, but they were very profound and it was impossible to wake her until the spell passed away When she recovered the child would immediately resume whatever she had been doing, perfectly innocent of the intermission that had taken place. When the attacks would come on she would fall for ward on her face and large tumor was pro- duced on her forehead from the frequent con- tusions few weeks ago she began to have spasms in addition to the narcolepsy, and be- came very destructive, having desire to kill everything she came in contact with and it re- quired great care to restrain her.
 The case is 8 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 instead of insanity, as 1t IS very rare occurrence 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 couple of weeks.
 The freaks that have been produced in cases of this kind are very curious and some times amusing. A couple of years ago there was man afflicted with narcolepsy whose at- tacks of sleep used to last two or three days, and come on once or twice a month. Some time ago well known sporting man, who was a narcoleptic, was source of much curi- osity. Occasionally he would astonlsh his friends by going to sleep at the bar while talk ing drink and remain perfectly unconscious for few moments, when he would wake up and take his drink, perfectly unconscious of any interruL tion. He created considerable excitement one night at a gentleman's house by falling sound asleep just in the act of re- ceiving an introduction to young lady, much to her discontinue and his friends amusement It is impossible to arouse the patient out of these sleeps, and the attacks are liable to come on at any moment, no mat ter how the victim may be situated.
 This mysterious and unaccountable disease was first described ten years ago, and since then 1t has received much attention from and its classification has not yet been definitely settled. From the spasmodic character of the disease and it's frequent as- ,ociation with epilepsy, physicians believe 1t one of the branches of this disease, and ere ong no doubt, it will be given it's appropri- ate position with the epileptlc class.