A century ago, the world was gripped by an enigmatic illness known as “sleepy sickness,” or encephalitis lethargica, which caused uncontrollable deep sleep. First identified in northern France in 1916, this disease led people to fall into prolonged slumber rather than mere fatigue.
The epidemic rapidly spread across continents, affecting India, Central America, North America, and Europe. Victims would often slip into a deep sleep, waking only weeks or even months later. Tragically, 30 to 40% of those infected succumbed to the illness, primarily due to respiratory failure.
The outbreak subsided almost entirely by 1930, yet the precise cause, mode of transmission, and potential for recurrence remain unknown. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, encephalitis lethargica is a rare disease with no established cause, though researchers suspect a viral origin. Despite the widespread pandemic from 1916 to 1930, no similar epidemic has been reported since.
Interestingly, some survivors of encephalitis lethargica later developed Parkinson’s disease, sometimes as long as a year after recovering. Treatments for Parkinson’s, such as levodopa, may be used to manage symptoms of encephalitis lethargica, although the disease’s progression varies based on individual complications or coexisting disorders.
A vivid account of the disease was uncovered in a Scientific American article, where Eleanore Carey, a young New Yorker, described the illness as feeling “like being buried in a pit as deep as the centre of the Earth.” She recounted the paradox of her experience: “After two months of illness, I was in little pain; in fact, I was very comfortable, provided they did not prod me, stand me on my head, turn me over in bed, or dash cold water on my face to wake me.”
Carey’s narrative captures the helplessness felt by many victims. “It was so heavenly just to be allowed to sleep, but these people around me seemed determined to prevent my being comfortable! When the idea finally crept through my sleeping brain that I must wake up, it seemed to be a physical impossibility. I wanted to be obliging, but I just could not,” she recalled.
Despite the advancements in medical science, the mystery of sleepy sickness remains unsolved, leaving a lingering question about whether such an epidemic could ever recur.
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