88 “ Jumpers ” of Maine . [February, 
might be made without interruption or disturbance. I sat 
down by him, explained to him the objeCt of my visit, con- 
versed with him in regard to his family history and his own 
personal experience and observation of his peculiarity, and 
every now and then during the conversation, I struck him 
without warning on the shoulder or on the back, or mildly 
kicked him ; and every time he was so struck he moved his 
shoulders upward slightly, sometimes moving both the 
shoulders and the arms, with or without the peculiar cry. 
He knew that I was studying his case ; he knew that the 
kicks and strokes came from me, and yet he could not avoid 
making a slight jump or motion, as though startled. 
4. While holding a tumbler in his hand, standing near to 
him, I told him to “ throw it.” He dashed the tumbler 
with great violence to the floor, and then began deliberately 
picking up the pieces in a very quiet and patient way. 
Whenever I struck him quietly, easily, and in such a way 
that he could see I was to strike him, he made only a slight 
jump or movement ; but when the strike or kick was unex- 
pected, though very mild in character, he could not restrain 
the jumping or jerking motion ; but the cry did not always 
appear. 
5. A handkerchief was suddenly thrown before his eyes 
by a person walking stealthily from behind. He jumped, 
just as though he had been struck. 
Another case in the house, a lad sixteen years of age, was 
not so bad as this other, but still presented all these pheno- 
mena : he jumped when he heard any sound from behind 
that was sharp and unexpected, and struck and threw when 
ordered to do so. The crowd around the hotel, partly for 
my benefit, kept him constantly teased and annoyed, so that 
when he approached he had a stealthy, suspicious, and 
timid look in his eye, as though he expected each moment 
to be jumped. 
6. This man, while playing with one of his mates, had 
thrown him to the ground ; some one approached near and 
commanded “ Strike him,” and he struck him very hard and 
explosively with both hands at a time. 
7. When standing by a window, he was suddenly com- 
manded to “ jump” by a person on the other side of the 
window. He jumped straight up, half a foot off the floor, 
with a loud cry, repeating the order which had been given 
to him. 
8. When the two Jumpers were close together, they were 
commanded to “ strike” : each struck the other simultane- 
ously — not mild or polite, but severe and painful blows. I 
