Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-02-18
AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE
A Strange Malady which
Battles the Doctors.
A Farmer who is Attacked at the Same
Hour Once Every Year.

Hour Once Every Year.
A recent letter to the New York
Sun says: William B, Furgeson, a
prominent farmer Of Springfield, this
county, is the victim of a distressing
malady which battles medical skill, and
has been the topic Of extended discus
sion in medical journals. Mr.. Furge-
son is farmer, and is the father of a
bright and intelligent family of chill
dren. lie is AZ years old, of fine
physique, and excellent address. His
trouble began when early in his teens.
While doing the chores on his fathers
farm he was seized with violent pain
in his right hand. Bathing and other
treatment gave him relief in the course
ofan hour and half. Precisely at
the same hour e o'clock on the fol-
lowing evening he was again attacked,
the paroXysms continuing as before
for an hour and half In the fol-
lowing February, one year afterward,
the malady appeared again in more
violent form. Every year since then
he has, with one exception, suffered
from an attack, the exception being
the year he spent in California, but he
attributed his relief that year to the
change of climate. lie has never had
the paroXysms in warm weather except
once and that was in California dur
ing an unusually cold spell in August,
and then his suiferings were of short
duration.
The correspondent accompanied a
number of physicians to the home of
Mr.. Furgeson on Friday evening last
and found the unfortunate man pre-
pairing for the return of tho spasms.
Mr.. Furgeson was reclining on the
bed when the visitors entered. lie
convcrsed cheerfully until about g. p,
NJ, when the malady began to manifest
itself in the right hand, which he
opened and closed In few minutes
the left hand became affected and the
sufferer began to twist and pull the
fingers. AS the hour of Z approached
the manipulation of The fingers became
more and more active. Mr.. Furge-
son explained that there was a feeling
of numbness in the hands and prick
ling sensation in the fingers, as though
they were in that condition commonly
described as asleep These sensa-
lions began in the right hand, just as
they did more than thirty years ago.
This numbness was followed by shoot
ing pains similar to electric shocks,
each succeeding pain becoming Sc
verer. Up to this time there was
some twitching of the muscles, but no
cramping.
At tive MINUTES to I Mr.. Furgeson
arose, and, walking dejectedly to the
sitting room, which had been cleared
of furniture by his wife, he Invested
himself of coat and boots, buttoned his
vest tightly, kissed his wife and child
rem affectionately and then dropped
down upon a buffalo robe stretched on
the floor Almost Immediately he be-
gan to roll from side to side, wringing
his hands and throwing his arms out
at full length. These motions were
accompanied by means, at first almost
inaudible, then stronger as the motions
were accelerated. Suddenly there was
aquiver, and then, like a flash, the
writhing body of Furgeson was locked
in ball, with the head between the
knees, and all still as death, without
any indication of life. This was the
beginning of a series of spasms which
lasted over two hours. The first spas
modic action lasted two minutes, then
the muscles relaxed, and the sufferer
threw himself wildly and convulsively
about, shouting expressions Of pain
with the sole of his foot pressed firmly
against the abdomen from one to six
minutes at time. When the pains
reached the head the sufferer seemed
to lose all consciousness. During
this period he seemed to be laboring
under the delusion that he was being
pursued SuddeDly his right eye be-
came affected and he made desperate
efforts to gOuge it from its socket
These periods of eXcruciating agony
lasted from one to ten minutes and
while they continued the sufferer emit.
ted noises, first like the yelping of a
dog and then like the Kissing of a
snake. When the paroxysms end, the
victim lies motionless and exhausted.
The shortest period was four days and
the longest twenty-three.
Mr.. Furgeson is sometimes attacked
with the paroXysms twice year, but
usually once only. In the latter case
they last twice as long. They nvaria-
bly, begin at I p. NJ, lasting from one
and half to two hours. in spells of
from fifteen to twenty minutes at the
outset, and increasing until the climax
Is passed. At one time the victim
was kept under the influence of liquor,
and twice powerful anesthetics were
used with view to STAYING off the at
lack. This treatment was Immediate
" followed by terrible paroxysms
which continued all night with great
yincreased severity. Hop baths and
electricity have been tried, but in vain.
was suggested with some plausbili-
ty that inasmuch as the attacks do not
come on in summer warm climate
might furnish The long sought for