Strange Epidemics

Author: Danny Sowell

In July 1518, residents of Strasbourg were struck by a sudden and uncontrollable urge to dance. Hundreds of people danced for days without rest, and some even danced to their deaths. The cause of this dancing plague remains a mystery, though theories range from mass hysteria to ergot poisoning.

There was also the Tanganyika laughter epidemic in 1962, when there was an outbreak of uncontrollable laughter in Tanzania that spread through several villages, affecting hundreds of people.

In the 15th century, there were the meowing nuns of France, a convent of nuns who began meowing like cats and continued for hours, causing widespread confusion and concern.

During the medieval period, the residents of Aachen, Germany, experienced a spontaneous outbreak of uncontrollable dancing, similar to the Strasbourg incident. This mystery dance epidemic left many puzzled about its origins.

In 1840, in a small town in Quebec, Canada, there was an epidemic of uncontrollable weeping. The cause was never identified, but the phenomenon lasted for several weeks.

The laughing saint of Peru in the 16th century is another strange case. A single man’s laughter became contagious, spreading throughout the town and leading to a communal fit of laughter that lasted for days.

In 1977, a 'crying epidemic' affected the students of a girls' school in Malaysia. The phenomenon persisted for weeks before subsiding, leaving many questions unanswered.

In 1939, a collective fainting spell struck a small village in Italy. Many villagers fainted simultaneously without any apparent cause, leading to numerous theories but no concrete answers.

In medieval England, a town experienced an outbreak of uncontrollable barking. The epidemic lasted for several months, creating considerable confusion and fear among the villagers.

In 1966, the residents of a tribal community in Uganda were afflicted by a mysterious epidemic causing them to walk in a trance-like state for days. The cause remains unknown.

In the 19th century, a small village in Russia experienced an outbreak of hysterical laughter among its residents, leading to widespread concern and various unproven theories about its origin.

In the 1950s, a village in India suffered from a strange illness causing individuals to break out into spontaneous fits of dance. The phenomenon baffled researchers and remains unexplained.

In the early 2000s, a school in the United Kingdom experienced an epidemic of uncontrollable coughing among students. The epidemic lasted for months, and despite numerous investigations, the cause was never determined.