Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-09
Hysteria Aftsss Savages as Well as
Civilized Races.

Civilized Races.
1t is widely believed that hysteria, that
grave, nervous affiction, is especially a
disease of civilized women. The more
refined the class of women the more
subject they are to hysteria is the gen
eral belief which is held by doctors as
well as laymen.
That hysteria in its most serious form
is the result of unrequited love or an in
jury to the affections is also view held
by the most distinguished nerve spec
iaists, although this is not so commonly
known.
Now, it has been found, as result of
Admiral Peary's long journeys among
the Eskimos. that savage women are
about as subject to hysteria as civilized
women. AT the same time strong con-
firmation is given to the specialists view
that the disease is due TO unrequited
love or an injury to the affections. This
Interpretation of Admiral Pearys OBJ
servation is accepted by Professor A. A.
Brill, of Columbia University. one of the
best known American students of ner-
yous diseases.
In his great book, 1.-The North Pole"
Peary says that Eskimo women of the
west coast of Greenland, from Cape
York to Etah frequently go wild with a
form of hysteria which they call
.piblokto.'' Children never have this
disease. men rarely. but some women
have an attack every day or two.
1.-The patient says Peary. usually a
woman, begins to scream and to tear
off and destroy her clothing. If on the
ship she will walk up and down the
deck screaming and gesticulating, and
generally in a state of nudity, though
the thermometer may be in the minus
forties. AS the intensity of the attack
increases she will sometimes leap over
,.le rail upon the ice. running perhaps
half mile The attack may last few
minutes, an hour or even more, and
some sufferers become so wild that they
would eontinupe running about on the
ice perfectly naked until they froze to
death if they were not forcibly brought
back He goes on to say that when the
attack takes place indoors nobody pays
much attention unless the sufferer
should reach for knife or attempt to
injure some one The attack usually
ends in a fit of weeping, and when the
patient quiets down the eyes are blood
shot, the pulse high and the whole body
trembles for an hour or so afterward
Professor Donald b. Macmillan. the
scientist of the Peary expedition, gave
further details concerning the malady:
! asked Professor Macmillan TO tell
me something aoout pblokto. and he de-
scribed the attack as follows: "A wo-
man will be heard softly singing and ac-
eompanying herself by striking the fist
of one hand with the palm of the sec
ond, making three sounds. one long fol
lowed by two short ones. The rhythm
and motion continue to Increase for
some time. during which she usually
tears off her clothing and ends in fit .
crying or screaming, in which the wo-
man may initiate the cry of some famil
lar animal or bird. No two women act
alike; the time singing and yelling.
Others wander away from the houses
into the hills, beating their hands as il
there is certain individuality to every
attack. Some drop down on their hands
and knees and crawl around barking
like dog. One woman used to lie on
her back on the snow ana place some ice
on her breast Some jump into the
water and wade among the ice cakes. al
demented."
As further Illustrations of the individ
ualty of the attacks. Professor Mac
MILAN cited the following cases: ~ In
haloo woman of As years, was very
violent during her attacks. She did moi
| know what she was doing. she appeared
| crazy and demented, and would Bit
| when an attempt was made to restrain
| her. Her speciality was to initiate thu
| call of birds and 10 try to walk on thu
| ceiling. She also put ice on her chest
| t2) Whenever Elkiahsha, nlcknamed Bill
had an attack she would walk arount
the deck OF the Roosevelt and pick III
| everything lying loose and throw it vi
in the air. She also climbed up the rig
| gng and foresheet and stuck her heac
under the sail. CD Inahwaho showe
her attack by walking on the ice sing
ing and beating her hands together. e.
| Aluaha, nicknamed Buster" 25 year
| old, was the only woman who jumped
into the water during her attacks.
The attacks last from one to two ant
half hours, and usually end in sobbini
and falling asleep from which they
wake in perfectly normal state. Tit
attacks are similar to the practise called
running amuck" among Malays. which
| has been attributed to sex causes.
The Eskimos all showed loss of con
seriousness. They were perfectly harm
| less when left to themselves, but of
fered a blind resistance when prevented