The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-01-03
From the New York Sun.

~ ONDON.-Science has hurled a
~ terrible epithet against the suf-
- fragettes. DR.. A. e. Shipley. the
eminent zoologist of Cambridge. in let
ter in todays Times affIrms that their
behavior indicates revival of the pc
culiar mental disorder known in the Mid
die Ages as tarantism.
DR.. Shipley has made careful study
of curious diseases, chiefly confined to
the female sex, which spread throughout
Europe, such as ST. Vitus' dance, which
is named after Sicilian youth who suf-
fered martyrdom under Diocletian in the
year 1903, and tarantism, which was wide
spread from the fourteenth to the six
tenth century. He makes his cruel sci
entific analogy in these terms:
From an account of the meeting at
Albert Hall on December 5 under the
presidency of Lady McLaren I am in
clined to think that we are witnessing
revival of those reconcile mental dis
orders which afflicted so many western
countries 500 years ago. In more severe
cases there were howlings, SCREENINGS
and jumpngs and the patients affected,
although they had not complete control
over their understandings, yet were suffi-
GENTLY composed to obey the dir ections
they had received.
1.-THE persistent, monotonous and
rhythmical utterance of word or Of a
short sentence and the abandonment of
self-control were equally characteristic Of
the distemper. Paracelsus who dealt
learnedly on the treatment, recommended
that the patient should be deprived OF
her liberty, placed In solitary confinement
and made to sit in uncomfortable places.
He attempted to allay the excitement of
the nerves by immersion in cold water.
1T is not without significance, with
reference to the organ recital which ap-
parently took place in the intervals be-
tween the attempts of Mr.. LloydGeorge,
the chancellor of the exchequer. to speak,
that the patients are violently affected by
music. and their paroxysms are brought
on and increased by it. 1t Is character
istic of these manias that they attack
women more readily than men, although
some men are capable of being affected
at any rate.
1.-THE marked preference that the pa
tients of tarantism show for certain colors
or combination of colors is another feat
ure which leads me to connect the present
| disorder with the frenzies of the middle
ages. Tarantsm was at its greatest height
| in the seventeenth century long after the
| ST. Vitus dance of northern Europe had
disappeared. The present trouble may be
the third marked outbreak in compare
| lively modern times.
"In conclusion it may be worth men
| tioning that it used to make good deal
| of difference to patient under which
| name his disease was classed. Those who
| suffered from the disorder dedicated to
so holy a martyr as ST. Vitus received
every consideration. whereas the victims
of tarantism were by no means so well
| treated"
DIR. shipley writes in no spirit OF levity'
| but there is q horrible fear among the
militant sufrragettes today lest his dis
ouisition may saddle them with the awful
sobriouet of "tarantulas." Tomorrow they
will claim public attention once more by
| holding a mock funeral in Trafalgar
square over the woman's parliamentary