Encephalitis Lethargica (Noun)
Meaning
An encephalitis that was epidemic between 1915 and 1926; symptoms include paralysis of the extrinsic eye muscle and extreme muscular weakness.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The epidemic of encephalitis lethargica in the early 20th century affected millions of people worldwide.
- During the outbreak, many patients with encephalitis lethargica lost all muscle tone in their eyelids, making it difficult to keep them open.
- One of the most devastating symptoms of encephalitis lethargica was extreme muscular weakness, which often left patients unable to move or perform even simple tasks.
- Some victims of encephalitis lethargica reported vivid dreams and hallucinations, which were often so realistic that they seemed more real than their waking lives.
- Historians believe that the physical and emotional toll of World War I may have contributed to the spread of encephalitis lethargica in the years immediately following the war.