144 A CONTRIBUTION TO) THE PSYCHOLOGY: OF **LATATT] 
From a study of the material at my disposal I have divided 
“latah ” into three types, all having one feature in common, a 
greatly enhanced susceptibility to suggestion from without, but 
the manner in which a suggestion may radiate differs in each. 
Type I Crass J—-A Malay gentleman, 40 years of age, “ latah” 
for many years. He is aman of considerable attainments and can 
discuss any contemporary subject with analytical keenness. I ex- 
perimented with him by his permission. Suddenly, in the midst 
of ordinary conversation, I shouted out the word “ Strike,” accom- 
panying it by a corresponding action. He immediately repeated 
the word and launched out at the nearest person, who happened 
to be a visitor like myself. The act of striking was immediately 
followed by another, a purposive act, as if to grasp and take back 
the previous action and this was accompanied by an apologeny 
expression of countenance and also of speech. 
After a time I repeat, unexpectedly, the order. Again he 
responds so far as repeating the word, but no action results. A 
third time I attempt ‘to catch him but this time neither response 
to word or act is elicited. 
Another instructive example of this type is that of an Abyssin- 
ian who is the chief tracker to a well-known big game hunter. In 
his times of leisure, when it may be reasonably assumed that he is 
in a more or less abstracted mood, the slightest stimulus, either 
as a sudden noise or abrupt action, will send him into “ latah ” 
action, but while he is tracking, an elephant gun may be fired over 
his head without causing any disturbance of his equanimity. 
Cuass II—To this class belongs the well-known “latah mulut,” 
recognised by the Malays themselves as one of the mildest types 
of “latah.” The subject is, almost invariably, a woman at or over 
middle age. Jn the early days of the bicycle, while it was still 
more or less a novelty, it was a common occurrence to witness in- 
stances of this class in the street. A bicycle coming up noiselessly 
from behind would flash past a Malay woman, the subject of 
“latah.” At once she would stand rigidly still and, after a brief 
pause, begin to pour out a stream of language. The catalepsy, 
although of brief duration, is complete and she has often to be 
pulled aside to avert an accident. Soon the catalepsy passes off | 
and she resumes her journey, still talking. But the more usual 
occurrence, and the more instructive in that it enables the observer 
to follow the course of events, is on entering a room in which the 
affected person is. At the moment of entry there is a brief inter- 
val of tense silence, the “latah” drops whatever she may have 
been employed on, and the “language” begins. After a copious 
flow of speech, it is interrupted by an apologetic cough for a mo- 
ment, and then goes on again. Gradually these interruptions be- 
come more frequent, their duration longer and the periods of 
talking correspondingly briefer, until she entirely regains control. 
Jour. Straits Branch 
