A Strange Affliction.
The American papers report a strange story of the “unaccountable affliction of a Rochester boy,” the son of Leonard Westveer, a paper-hanger, who resides at 11, Huntington-street.
Five weeks ago the boy was seized apparently with a form of St Vitus’s dance, and for fully fifteen minutes was unable to control the muscles of his lower limbs. The fit passed off and no other symptoms appeared until he retired in the evening. After getting into bed he was seized again with a shock, which apparently affected all the muscles in his body. The boy cried for help and his parents entered the room.
As they did so they were astounded to see the chairs and other furniture moving up and down seemingly in unison with the movements of his muscles. The chairs would rise six or eight inches, while the bed and a bureau would shake perceptibly. Finally the shock passed away, and the motions ceased, only to be followed, as the family state, by noises or rappings which seemed to come from the walls and ceilings of the room. The rapping also died away.
Since that time the boy has had the fits or shocks at intervals of two or three days. They are now increasing in frequency, and hardly a day passes without one, though they do not increase in violence. In each instance the shocks were accompanied by the moving of articles in the vicinity of the boy.
Residents of the neighbourhood soon heard of the peculiar case, and it was generally believed that the story told by the family was a hoax. Several prominent residents called at the house one evening to see for themselves. While there the boy was attacked so strongly that it required two men to hold him in his chair. Meanwhile everything in the room, except the carpet, was in motion; chairs rose to 2 ft. high, and a heavy centre table was lifted several inches above the floor.
Since the evening mentioned parties have been at the house almost daily to witness the strange phenomena. The physicians are all puzzled by the symptoms. They say he is not troubled with St. Vitus’s dance or epilepsy. The victim of this strange malady is perfectly conscious when under its influence, and can converse. He is, however, entirely powerless to control himself and cannot move a muscle until the trouble passes off. When the attack seizes him he generally has had strength enough, if not in bed, to sit in a chair; but of late is generally under its influence about ten o’clock in the evening or just after going to bed. He feels no pain, but the doctors say he is becoming weaker and weaker, and that, should the fits continue much longer, he will die from exhaustion.
There is nothing peculiar in his countenance when attacked, except that the pupils of the eyes dilate and grow more brilliant like a person’s in a fever. Occasionally articles in another room from that in which he is are affected, but only when the spells are very violent. The articles nearest him move more than others. As an illustration of the power of these movements, it is related that the boy was in the yard about two weeks after the attacks began, and was seized with one. About ten feet away were two planks, each two inches thick and several feet in length. The ends nearest him were raised over two feet in the air, but immediately dropped to the ground.
The strange case has attracted widespread interest, and crowds visit the house nightly. Superstitious persons firmly believe young Westveer is the victim of an evil spirit, or is bewitched, while Spiritualists say he is a medium.
St James’s Gazette, 11th October 1886.
A Mystery.
(From the New York Herald.)
For some weeks the people living in the vicinity of Huntington-street, Rochester, N.Y., have been mystified and excited by singular occurrences at the residence of William Westveer, a prominent citizen, who lives at No. 11 on that street. About five weeks ago, his son Arny, a boy twelve years old, was attacked by jumping spells, and it was impossible for him to control the action of his limbs. After a few days, the attacks became more violent, and also increased in frequency. Previous to that time, the family had heard mysterious knockings all about the house – on the walls, on the doors, and under the floor – which they could not account for.
After he began to have these jumping spells, the boy’s struggles became so violent when he was under their influence, that three strong men could not hold him in the chair. Then the tables and chairs began to fly about the rooms, the pictures and the looking glasses to fall from the walls, and the whole house was in confusion. The centre table, which weighs fully eighty pounds, was overturned, and there is not an article of furniture in the house that was not thrown about. His parents had to take all the furniture out of the room in which Arny sleeps, and made a bed for him on the floor.
When the boy has these jumping spells his arms and legs twitch, and his body is twisted into all sorts of shapes. When the furniture flies around and falls over, he is always quiet – that is, he is not under the influence of this unknown power. He never loses consciousness, and always knows what he is about; yet when the paroxysms have passed off he is very much exhausted, and perspires freely. He is gradually growing weaker, and is now hardly able to walk about.
Neighbours of the family, including ministers, have seen these phenomena, but are utterly at a loss to explain them. Physicians who have examined the boy say that he has heart disease, but otherwise appears free from physical troubles.
Glen Innes Examiner and General Advertiser (NSW), 23rd November 1886.