Tanganyika laughter epidemic
Tanganyika laughter epidemic
The Tanganyika laughter epidemic (pronunciation: tan-guh-nee-kuh laf-ter epi-demic) is a unique phenomenon in the field of psychology and sociology, which occurred in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in 1962.
Etymology
The term "Tanganyika laughter epidemic" is derived from the location where the event occurred, Tanganyika, and the primary symptom, uncontrollable laughter. The word "epidemic" (from the Greek epi, meaning 'upon', and demos, meaning 'people') is used to describe a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time.
Description
The Tanganyika laughter epidemic began on January 30, 1962, at a mission-run boarding school for girls in Kashasha. The laughter started with three girls and spread throughout the school, affecting 95 of the 159 pupils, aged 12–18. Symptoms lasted from a few hours to 16 days in those affected. The school was forced to close down on March 18, 1962.
After the school was closed and the students were sent home, the epidemic spread to Nshamba, a village that was home to several of the girls. In April and May, 217 people had laughing attacks in the village, most of them school children and young adults. The Kashasha school was reopened on May 21, only to be closed again at the end of June. In June, the laughing epidemic spread to Ramashenye girls’ middle school, near Bukoba, affecting 48 girls.
The laughter reports were widely accompanied by descriptions of fainting, flatulence, respiratory problems, rashes, attacks of crying, and random screaming. In total, 14 schools were shut down and 1000 people were affected.
Related Terms
- Mass hysteria: A phenomenon that transmits collective illusions of threats, whether real or imaginary, through a population in society as a result of rumors and fear.
- Psychogenic illness: An illness whose physical symptoms are thought to be the direct result of psychological or emotional factors.
- Epidemiology: The study and analysis of the distribution, patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in defined populations.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tanganyika laughter epidemic
- Wikipedia's article - Tanganyika laughter epidemic
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