Why Did This Pandemic Left 1 Million Victims Frozen Like Statues?

Amaze Lab

Between 1915 and 1926 there was an epidemic that swept across the world. It was called encephalitis lethargica, more often referred to as “sleepy sickness” as its most notable symptom was a motionless state in the victims.

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00:00between 1915 and 1926 there was a pandemic that swept across the world it was called encephalitis

00:10lethargica more often referred to as sleepy sickness as the most notable symptom was emotionless

00:15state in its victims some were described as statue-like where the afflicted individuals

00:20could not speak with some even entering a coma-like state experts estimate that at least a million

00:26people contracted the disease during its height with around 500 000 dying from the illness yet one

00:32day the sleepy sickness disappeared and to this day experts are still searching for the cause

00:37however recent research is attempting to divine how it all happened as understanding past pandemics can

00:42better prepare us for future ones previous studies have attempted to link encephalitis lethargica to

00:47other illnesses especially considering it arose around the same time as the spanish flu however

00:52experts now say it might more likely be linked to our body's own autoimmune processes they found

00:58that nearly half of all of those who are afflicted with sleepy sickness may have also had autoimmune

01:02encephalitis they add that while the infections don't fit patterns we see today it could be a lead

01:07meaning the true cause of encephalitis lethargica will remain a mystery for a little while longer

01:13mer can be a mystery for a little while longer

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