In this episode of Monstrous, we dive into the terrifying and baffling history of encephalitis lethargica, the mysterious sleeping sickness that swept the world in the early 1900s. What began as flu-like symptoms soon turned into a nightmare of extreme sleepiness, paralysis, violent spasms, and a terrifying aftermath that left many survivors trapped in their own bodies for decades.

From World War I and the Spanish Flu to Constantin von Economo’s first observations, the global spread of the disease, the failed treatments, and the haunting work of Oliver Sacks, this episode explores one of the strangest medical mysteries in history.

If you love strange true stories, medical horror, and historical mysteries that still don’t have clean answers, this one is for you.

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