"No fiction author would have had the temerity to invent a disorder of such incredible clinical diversity and puzzling behavior."

In the winter of 1916-1917, as World War I raged, physicians in Europe began noticing bizarre cases of brain illness. Thousands arrived at hospitals with high fevers, headaches, confusion, and a host of other factors - suspected at first to be meningitis or even poisoning - yet none of the explanations fit. What all of these patients shared was either an overwhelming drowsiness or psychotic agitation.

By late 1918, as the great influenza pandemic struck, this new "sleeping sickness" had spread across Europe and Beyond. Earlier that year, outbreaks were noted in England and the first American case was reported in September. By 1919, enough cases had surfaced worldwide that health officials realized they faced an epidemic of a baffling new illness...



Research & writing by Micheal Whelan and Amelia White

Hosting & production by Micheal Whelan

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