Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-10-29
NERVOUS PHENOMENA.

The power of the imagination over the
nervous system and the seat of intelligence,
and consequently upon muscular action,
has often been commented upon in these
columns. Especially in the case of the
stigmata manifestations which were re-
newed about SIX years ago in the persons
OF girls in two or three sections of Europe.
The RECORD UNION took occasion to review
the whole history of nerve and muscular
abnormal action induced by the operation
OF mental strain. We have also remarked
on more than one occasion upon the
contagious influence of mental excitation
aud nervous arrangement. This is man.
fist in marked degree in times of great
religious excitement, when the nervous
system IN an ecstacy of excitaIion induces
muscular contortion or leads the subject
into EXPLANATIONS of delight and Joy or
into manifestations of the deepest woe, and
the excitement of one person is rapidly
communicated to and similarly affects
many others.
A remarkable case is now reported from
Wilkesbaerr. Pa. In a silk mill in that
place large number of young women are
employed. Normally they are healthy and
strong, in fact body of youth CT exception
al physical excellence. Recently one of
the young women was taken with an
epileptic fit. As she had never before been
thus visited, and there was nothing in her
physical condition to indicate predisposi-
ton in that direction, the surprise in the
work-room was very great and the alarm
concerning the girls welfare excessive. She
was Frustrated upon the floor, and varied
her contortions with occasional piercing
cries of agony. Her workmates were
gathered about her, solicitous to render her
aid, but naturally were much excited.
Presently, and without any warning indi-
cations Of the affection, one of the girls ut
tered wild cry that ended in a painful
shrek, and the young woman fell over ID
bit, closely resembling that of
the epileptic at her side. Nat
uraily this event greatly increased the
alarm and in a few moments another
girl went into hysteria of the EXTREMIST
character, and then in rapid succession
another and another was seized and con-
vulsed in the most violent form, until
no less than sixteen had either fallen to the
floor, or reeled about in frenzy o. hysteri-
Cal madness. When the physicians reached
the scene they experienced great difficulty
in restoring the young women secondarily
affected, while the one who had the true
epileptic fit yielded readily to the res.ora-
tives applied. Several days elapsed before
any of the young women were sufficiently
nerve settled to resume their places in the
mill.
There can De no mistake concerning these
cases; they were examples of CONTAGIOUS
hysteria of the most valuable character to
medical scieTce, for probably no instances
have been recorded that were of greater
significance, as they were very sudden and
very rapid in their succession. Unlike
most former cases there was preceding them
no long period of mental strain, no ex-
tended brooding or abnormal disturbance
OF the intellectual powers, no contemporary
period of long continued and eliminating
excitement and gradually increasing men
tai tension.