The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-02-25
BAFFLED.
An Afiiction Whose Cause Can
Not Be Solved.
The Terrible Maiahy which Afnlcts an
Erie County (Pa.) Farmer On the Same
Day and at the Same Hour Once
Every Year.
Erie CPa) Cor. N. Y. SUM-

rlcNfuJO Oors ~. l. ounl
William B. Furgeson, a prominent
farmer of Springfield, this county, is the
victim of distress ng malady which baf-
fes medical skill, and has been the topic OF
extended discussion in medical Journals
Mr.. Furgeson is farmer, and is the father
of bright and intelligent family of chill
dren. He is forty seven 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 treat
nent gave him relief in the course of an
hour and a half Precisely at the same
hour (seven o'clock) on the following oven-
ing he was again attacked, the paroxysms
continuing as before for an hour and
half. In the following 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 attrib-
uted 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 during an unusually
cold spell in August, and then his suffer-
ings were OF short duration.
The correspondent accompanied num-
Der OF physicians to the home of Mr.. Fur
geson on Friday evening last and found
the unfortunate man preparing for the re-
turn of the spasms. Mr.. Ferguson was re-
clining on the bed when the visitors
entered. He convers ed cheerlully until six
p. M, when the malady began to manifest
itself in the right hand, which he opened
and closed. In n few minutes the left hand
became affected, and the sufferer began to
twist and pull the fingers. As the hour Of
seven approached the manipulation of the
fingers became more and more active. Mr..
Furgeson explained that there was feel
ing Of nnmbness in the hands and prick
ling sensation in the fingers, as though
they were in that condition commonly
described as "asleep." These sensations
began in the right hand, just as they did
more than thirty years ago. This numb
ness was followed by shooting pains SINH
lar to electric shocks, each succeeding pain
becoming severer. Up to this time there
was some twitching of the muscles, but no
craInping.
At five minutes to seven Mr.. Furgeson
arose, and, walking dejectedly to the sit
ting-room, which had been cleared of fur
niture by his wife, he diyested himself OF
coat and boots, buttoned his vest tightly
Kissed his wife and children affectionate-
ly, and then dropped down upon buffalo
robe stretched on the floor. Almost imme-
diately he began to roll from side to side,
wringing his hands and throwing his arms
out at full length. These motions were ac..
companied by means, at first almost in
audible, then stronger as the motions wero
accelerated. Suddenly there was quiver,
and then, like fash, the writhlng body
OF Ferguson was locked in aball, with the
head between the knees, and all still rs
death, without any indication Of life. This
was the beginning OF a series OF spasms
which lasted over two hours. The first
spasmodic action lasted two minutes,
then the muscles relaxed, and the sufferer
threw himself wildly and convulsively
ahont shoutino exnressiona of main which
arose 10 sbrIeks Of agony. Atno time did
ba Iie in one position a minute His limbs
we're drawn nm. with the sole Of his foot
nresssd erm,v ag,,nst the abdomen from
ono to six n1inntes AZ n time. Wbsn tha
najps reached the head the sufferer seemed
10 Loco ali cons,iousness During this
nsr,od bs sasmed N be Iaboriny under the
Selusiop tb AZ ba was beiny nursued. sud.
donlv his riobt ave became Affected and he
mads deosrste sfrorts IN pouge u from It's
eocket These neriods Of excruciatin0
agony lasted from one 10 ten minutes. and
vbils ,bav continued the sufferer emitted
noisos a,st like the vslnin0 Of n dog and
then like tho bissinv a. a sneke. When the
naroYvsms and the victim lies montionless
and eybapsted1 Tbs shortest perlod was
four dovs and tha longest twenty .tbree.
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