Sleepy sickness studied

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33958, 26 September 1975, Page 4

Sleepy sickness studied

In the early 1920 s a mysterious disease struck down more than a million people. It was called “sleepy sickness” and caused by an unknown virus which affected the brain. Those who did not die were left fearfully afflicted. Constant tremors, often violent, racked their limbs while others lapsed into a trance-like zombie state. However, the patients' minds were not affected. In 1967 Dr Oliver Sacks treated sleepy sickness patients at the Beth Abraham Hospital in New York with L-dapa, a drug which has proved helpful in treating Parkinson’s disease. The result was miraculous, but lasted only for a week before the patients lapsed back into their former state. However, in that one week the patients became ordinary people again, entire in their faculties.

A reporter, Simon Welfare, and an executive producer, Duncan Dallas, put

together “Awakenings,” which shows patients affected by the disease, some of them for 40 years. The immediate effect of the L-dapa drug is- shown when a flapper of the 1920 s steps out of her wheelchair and begins singing and dancing — but in the language of the 19205.

Old monochrome film clips and movies provide contrasts to the colour shots of patients in various stages of their illnesses.

Some were taken from the doctor’s own archives, and the information is presented simply, without too much medical vocabulary.

If the cure had been complete it would have been a latter day miracle. To see the hapless patients degenerate back to their catatonic states is quite depressing, but there is evidence of a continuing struggle to find a cure.

“Discovery: Awakenings” will be shown on TVI on Monday night.