The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-07
HIS ANNUAL AGONY.
Remarkable Case of Spasms Which
Como Once a Year.
Description of an Erie County, Penn
syivania, Mans SuGfeFings---A
Problem the Doctors Are
Unable to Solve,

ERIE, Pa, Feb. Erie county has mys,
FERROUS case of human suffering, the most
remarkable III the annals of disease, and ono
which has baffied the skill of the best medical
| talent of the country. The victim of tue
remarkable manifestations is William B.
Furgoson, Of Springfield, this county. When
young man of l. he was select with a
sharp pain in his right hand which "a an
hour or so, and returned at about ...r same
hour daily for period of week or two,
ami annually and semi-annually ever since.
and he is now as years of age What started
IN sharp pain developed into series of
paroxysms, which on account of their pc,
culiarity have attracted the attention OF
the medical fraternity all over the
country The spasms usually commence
aboat the last week of January and last two
weeks, and invariably begin at exactly :
O'Clock in the evening The season of the un,
fortunate mans sufferings is now at it.
height, and the following is an account Of
them from au eyewitness:
company Of physicians had assembled
from neighboring cities to witness the recur
renee Of the mysterious malady at which
medical science has despaired for over thirty
years. The victim is a fine looking man, OF
excellent form and powerful physique
Shortly after o'clock Mr. Furgeson lay
down on the bed, A few minutes before be
explained that the sensation which annol need
the approach Of the trying ordeal had com
menced and there was feeling of numbness
IN his hands and pricking sensation In his
fingers, precisely, he said, as II they were
going to sleep" The sensation invariably
begins in the right hand, followed in a few
moments by repetition Of them in the left
though less severe, and this is true of ali
manifestations on the lefS side. The numb
ness aud pricking in the fingers soon gave
place to sharp shocks of pain, or more prop,
eriy in succeeding ana severer DEVELOPMENTS
which the sufferer said were similar to severe
electrical shocks, Passing from the hands
TIE shocks shot up and down the forearm a
minute, ana then into the shoulders. Up to
this time there was some twitching of the
muscles and sharp continuous pains, but nc
cramping
At this stage OF the ordeal Mr.. Furgeson
arose and walked somewhat YEARLY and de
Jectediy to another room, which had beer
cleared Of its furniture Removing his coat
and boots, he lay down on buffalo robe. h
lay there fully three minutes, and from tbs
expression Of his face it was not difficult te
surTnise the tenor Of his thoughts. About
O;55 O'clock he began to roll from side te
SIDE, throwing ont his arms to their fullest
extent or claSping them above his head. fIs
meanings grew louder and his motions more
frequent and violent.
Suddenly, and precisely at : o'clock. there
was quick convulsive movement, as ouich
as fash Of lightning, and the moaning hao
ceased and the sufferer Law still as dealt
c!oso1 Up in a ball with his head and knee.
tonchlng. TINS was the beginning of series
ii spaS.ns which lasted an hour and a half !
the horrors of which no pen car
describe The last two |
minutes after which the muscles relaxed |
and the sufferer threw himself wildly about. |
shouting expressions Ct pain which arose tc
Ahricks Of agony. During his frightful con.
vulsions the poor fellow threw his distorted |
franc about as if il hal been jumping |
jack, the shrieks of agony kissing through |
his teeth with the force of steam escaping
under high pressure. This expressions being |
Lord have mercy" in rapid re
iteration.
Du7ng the worst paroxyslns respiration
was entirely suspended, although the pulsa
tons Of the heart were only slightly retarded |
On coming out Of them he painted like q dog,
At times the spasTrs seemed to leave the
Iody and shoot to the head and the Door
elbow would BECOME unconscious. While
he entire head seemed to b involved. the
'ain was especially severe in the fegton Of
he right eye and the right side of the Upper
Fart OF the bead. It required the combined
strength Of several men to restrain him from
5ouging out his eye. The periods of such ex
IRENE agony in the head lasted from one to
en minutes. When the paroxysms are con.
med to tho body Furgesoa is CONSCIOUS, but
he agony attending the powerful coutortions
S 50 overpowaring that he is unable to con
rol himself
1t is singular circumstance that his head
urlns the spasms never points long in any
ther direction than toward the north TIE
aroxysms cease as suddenly as they began
nd after rest Of twenty minutes the
anent Is able to arise. Furgeson in a few
lays viii be free from the spasms until next
cal at this time, although he escaped them
ne y ear and that was during a stay in Cali
ornia He has never had them in warm
FEATHER excepting once, and that was in
]all1ornIa in August during a cold snap, but
was comparatively slight
The shorter period Of these paroxvsms was
our days, and the longest twenty-three
ometlmes they have appeared twice year.
hey are Of irregular duration, lasting not
lore than twenty minutes at the outset and
Increasing IN length until they pass the eli
AJAX, when they last about two hours, and
hen gradually diminish. Intoxicants and
nesthetios put off the attacks, but as soon
S the effects had passed off the spasrus re-
lrned with increased severity All sorts of
smedies have been resorted to, but without
ny beneficial results
Outside Of this inflrmity he is a strong
'ealthy man, and his children are the pic
lres Of health Ee has spent fortune
aGrching for relief, Medical science has
cen unable to give any solution of what the i
isease Is or from whence it came.
1t is runored that Furgeson was birth {
larked and that his mother during CESSATION
al gazed upon a snake which had been I
lrown into fire and was terribly impressed :
18th its contorti0ns and evidences of agony.