Encephalitis lethargica

(Sleeping sickness)
(Svari, Riga, 1921)

Advice on scientific research

(Lachen links, Berlin, 1926)

Mixes up simple numbers–telephone operator.

Opens mouth up to 42 cm–people’s representative.

Keeps looking eastward–communist party secretary.

Has an unusually hard posterior–defense minister.

Suffers from chronic sleeping sickness, awakes only as the office is closing–office worker.

Buckles his belt to the last hole–worker.

Fashionable disease

“There you are, doctor… We went to attend a psychological comedy last night, and since then he has been in this state…”
“Encephalitis lethargica! Since music is the only known cure, all you have to do is take him to the opera.”
(L’Avenir, Paris, 1920)

A good excuse

“…lazybones, five o’clock and still in bed!!!”
“But no, my dear, I am suffering from encephalitis lethargica.”
(Le Matin, Paris, 1920)

Fashionable illness

“He’s not moving anymore, you–knocked him out.”
“Not at all, I think he is suffering from encephalitis lethargica!”
(Le Journal, Paris, 1920)

Encephalitis lethargica

“Is that a parliamentary deputy? He’ll sleep for four years.”
(Le Matin, Paris, 1920)

The League of Nations is sick

“What does she have?…”
[Woodrow Wilson] “Encephalitis lethargica…”
(L’Avenir, Paris, 1920)

A lengthy illness

“Poor old man! In the 30 years that I’ve known him, I have always seen him sleep in the office like this.”
“My goodness! It’s a long time since he invented encephalitis lethargica!!!”
(Le Petit Journal, Paris, 1920) (Presumably punning on the sense of languor.)

The bad times

Make sure you’ve understood, Marie: I have encephalitis lethargica; you will not make any wake-up calls until after the end of the holiday season.
(Le Siècle, 1926)

The adventures of Mr. Guineapig, French citizen

(Le Journal, Paris, 1920)

Mr. Guineapig, having read the newspapers, thinks that the headache which he is experiencing could well be the symptom of encephalitis lethargica.

His tailor having come to ask him for a fairly large sum for developing a very small waistcoat, Mr. Guineapig feels, without a doubt, that he must be suffering from it.

His plumber having presented him with an invoice for 1,100 francs, responsible for having opened and closed a faucet, Mr. Guineapig feels that encephalitis lethargica is making frightening progress.

His girlfriend having come to present him with some observations concerning the high cost of living, Mr. Guineapig feels quite sure that his days are definitely numbered.

Fortunately, having received a visit from a debtor who brought him a small deposit, Mr. Guineapig feels that encephalitis lethargica is not so dangerous and that it can be cured very well in some cases.

The benefits of encephalitis lethargica

“Poor fellow, your wife has the sleeping sickness.”
“Ah!… Can I hope that she will sleep for a long time?”
(Le Journal amusant, Paris, 1920)

Sleeping sickness

A sleeping sickness cartoon that is actually more about workplace discipline.
(Caras y caretas, Buenos Aires, 1936)

Sarrasqueta attacked by sleeping sickness

Sarrasqueta, without knowing why, is attacked by encephalitis lethargica: an irresistible slumber takes hold of him and there is nothing to wake him up.
His landlady enters announcing that it is office time and bringing him hot chocolate. Sarrasqueta, who is still in his lethargy, turns around.
The landlady disappears, Sarrasqueta takes the chocolate, then throws the cup on the ground, as if it had been broth. He goes back to sleep like a dormouse.
……
And when the maid told him that, according to the summary from the lottery, he had won the big one, he jumps out of bed and is finally delethargized.
(Caras y Caretas, Buenos Aires, 1920) (The available scan is rather low resolution, so it’s not worth breaking up into individual panels.)

Sarrasqueta and happiness in hospitals

(one panel of eight featuring this recurrent character)
Playing the gramophone with tango records and noisy military marches, applied to those who suffer from persistent migraine or encephalitis lethargica, awakens, rejoices, and relieves them.
(Caras y Caretas, Buenos Aires, 1922)

It’s already been years… No progress…

Whoever does nothing, sleeps; whoever sleeps, dreams; whoever dreams, is delirious; and… His Excellency has got “encephalitis lethargica.”
(O Malho, Rio de Janeiro, 1920)