Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-10-23
THE INITIATIVE DISEASE.
a CURIOUS AFFLICTION THAT IS
COMMON AMONG MALAYS.

a Form OF Nervous Excitement Pecu-
liar to Single Race-Symptoms
of the "Latah."
I seldom happens that any form
OF disease presents an aspect rs
Il purely ludicrous in its ordinary
manifestations rs to be fit sub
ject for lay discussion. Such, how
ever, Is the singular and as yet unex
planned affection known by the Malay
name of "latah." AS might be inferred
from its title, it is, although not I'M
known amongst other nationalities, an
almost purely Malay disease, and has
naturally attracted the attention of
Europeans residing in the countries
peopled by the race in question. 1t
is at the same tlr,-- questionable, SAYS
the Pail Mall Gazette, whether one
person in ten thousand in Great Britain
has ever heard the word, or known
that such curious afiliction prevails
amongst any portion of the human
race.
How to define latah is somewhat
puzzling, If any short equivalent be
desired, it may be described rs an ir-
resistible impulse to initiate the words
or,actions of those around them. An
other form of the disease, very often
not less startling to the onlooker, is
the exhibition of intense nervous ex-
citement when some particular word
is mentioned-usually in the form of
most abject fear. A third and less
noticeable form is the exhibition of
alarm at some unusual but not ordin-
arily terrifying sight or sound, much
as n child will start at the sound of n
gun, or grown person on suddenly
discovering corpse.
The two first-named manifestations
are, of course, those which strike the
spectators and auditors as most strange
and inexplicable. The nervous i'm
pressionability of the Malays in other
ways is well known to all who have
lived among them. A very slight
cause will change an ordinarily placid
and inoffensive native into very de-
mon of rage, the extreme illustration
of such mental condition being
known as running amok"-or, as
foreigners usually call it, "amuck. +"
Over and above readiness to take Of
fense at unjust blame, or what he con-
siders disrespectful treatment, native
public opinion considers Malay dis
honored who does not avenge q blow
by taking the lie of the party giving
it, not at the moment, but on some
subsequent occasion when the intend
ed victim is off his guard. 1t would
Ibe going too far to say that tendency
ito sulk and take revenge nc
counts for the Malay liability
to latah, as many other peo-
pies among whom the disease is un-
known develop the same disposition,
while almost destitute of the child
like good temper and unaffectedly
good manners of the Malayan tribes.
All that can be asserted is that such
n disease would never exist among a
phlegmatic race. Nor, again, must it
be imagined that latah is of everyday
occurrence. Many people have lived
in the Straits Settlements for over
twenty years without ever seeing q
single case of it.
Let us then describe its peculiar fea-
lures. The impulse to initiate the
words or actions of others is some-
time evinced in not merely ludicrous
but most distressing way. In some
cases it should be promised the attack
occurred only ut long intervals; in
others the patients are habitually sub
jected to the disease, and can at almost
any time be compelled to exhibit it.
When this results in any unpleasant
consequence the latah lit is customary
to apply the word both to the disease
and to the paticnt), while quite unable
to resist the strange influence exerted
will keenly resist the practical joke.
An absurd manifestation Of the dis
ease was provided by Malay woman,
who, on seeing her master tear up a
letter and throw it out of the window,
at once followed suit with basket of
clean clothes she was carrying. No
great harm, of course, resulted in this
case, but tragical affects have more
than once followed practical Jokes
with latahs. The following instance,
related by Mr.. O'Brien, happened while
the writer was residing at the place
where it occurred.
The ships cook of one OF the local
coasting steamers happened to be
pronounced sufferer from the disease,
and, as but too commonly happens in
such cases, was continually victimized
by his shipmates. As rule the effects
were simply ludicrous, and hugely
amused the crew, who shared the fond
ness for horseplay proverbial among
European sailors. On the occasion in
question the cook was dandling his
baby on the forward deck. One of the
men, noticing this, picked up billet
of wood, and. standing in front of the
latah, commenced nursing it in the
same way as the latter was dandling
the baby. Presently he began tossing
the billet up to the awning, the cook
initiating his motions with the baby.
Suddenly the sailor opened his arms
and the billet fell to the deck. The
unfortunate latah did the same, and
the child, falling on the planking, was
instantly killed.