Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-11
An EXTRAORDINARY CASE
4 Strange Malady which
Bafnes the Doctors.
A Farmer who IS Attacked at the Same
Hour Once Every Year

Sun says: William b. Furgeson.
prominent farmer Of Springfield, this
county, Ii the victim Of distressing
malady which battles medical skin, and
has been the topic Of extended discus
sion In medical journals Mr.. Furge
son is farmer, and is the father of
bright and intelligent family Of chill
dren. He is AZ years old. Of fine
physique. and excellent address. His
trouble began when early in his teens.
While doing the chores on bis 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 a half. Precisely at
the same hour z 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 a 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. He 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 sufferings were of short
duration.
The correspondent accompanied
number Of physicians to the home Of
Mr.. Furgeson on Friday evening last.
and found the unfortunate man pre-
pairing Tor the return Of the spasms.
Mr.. Furgeson was reclining on the
bed when the visitors entered. He
conversed cheerfully until about 81 P.
NJ, when the maIady 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 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-
tions 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 five m nutes to z 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 door. Almost Immediately he be-
gan to roll from side to side. wringing
bis hands and throwing his arms out
ut full length. These motions were
accompanied By means. at FIRST almost
inaudible. then stronger as the motions
were accelerated. Suddenly there was
q quiver. and then, like a flash, the
writhing body Of Furgeson was locked
in a ball. with the head between the
knees. and all still as death, without
any indication Of life. This was the
beginning Of 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 conyulsively
about. shouting expressions Of pain.
with the sole Of his foot pressed frmly
against the abdomen from one to six
minutes at time When The pains
reached the head the sufferer seemed
to lose al consciousness. During
this period he seemed to be laboring
under the delusion that he was being
pursued. Suddenly bis right eve be- |
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