Reports of the “jerking mania” surfaced occasionally throughout the nineteenth century. This account of a protracted outbreak that began in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, in 1860 circulated in the eastern prints alongside news of the Civil War.
THE JERKS.—It seems that the remarkable religious “disease” is prevailing to such an extent in Jo Davies county, Illinois, and is producing such excitement, that a committee has been raised to investigate the malady, who have made a report.
The “jerks” were introduced during a protracted meeting in the township of Chelsea, in that county, in the fall of 1860. The meeting was under the management of the Rev. Mr. Will and wife; the woman having principal direction. The first person attacked was a girl of fifteen, of good character and family, and then other young women became affected. These victims supposed they were thus affected by some other person, and that if such person would come out and embrace religion the “jerks” would cease, and there were circumstances that went to prove this.
Others thought the jerks were God’s manifestations in answer to prayer. Many young women were first affected during the protracted meeting, and then married women and young men, but no elderly person.
These cases have continued since the meeting. Children have, in two cases been attacked but were relieved by being kept from the meeting. In almost every family that has attended upon the meetings have the jerks prevailed, but in none save those who have attended the meetings. The jerks commence, in some cases, by trembling, in others, by hiccups, and in the paroxysms the victims do themselves bodily injury, and some act as if in an epileptic fit; some are thrown down, and one case of insanity has occurred. The report says:
As we have referred particularly to the protracted meeting which was held last winter, it may be proper to remark that, the religious enthusiasm or zeal did not abate but little if any, for a long time after the meeting ceased. It was generally supposed that as the busy season came on, the religious zeal would somewhat abate, the meeting be less frequent and the jerkings would cease. But that has not proved to be the fact. Spring, summer and fall have come and gone, and winter has gone, and winter has again set in and the affliction continues.
Other protracted meetings have been held by the same preacher, in which there has been no appearance of jerks, but in these meetings the interest and excitement were less intense.
But a few only of those who are afflicted with this jerking mania commenced during the protracted meeting, but as the religious zeal continued for weeks and even months after the protracted meeting closed, during which the preacher in charge seemed to exercise an unusual control of the religious feelings and sentiments of the neighborhood, the number of jerks continued to increase; as the former abated so did the latter.
It did not in all cases make its first attack in or at meeting, but some in one place and some in another.
Nearly, if not all of them are in the best families in the neighborhood; a majority of them strictly moral, a few are otherwise.
Many of them are unable to perform much manual labor, yet have a good appetite for food and do not lose flesh.
At some of the meetings, when the feelings of the people were highly wrought upon, it is said they felt a thrill pass through the congregation resembling a shock of electricity.
The committee conclude their report as follows:
Source
“The Jerks,” New-London [Connecticut] Daily Chronicle, February 5, 1862, [2].
