LATAH.
A FEW words upon this mysterious and unexplained mental anomaly, so common amongst the inhabitants of the Straits Settlements and of the Malay Peninsula, will not, I hope, be thought out of place in the pages of this Journal.
I must premise that I write without any of that special knowledge which would be valuable as bearing upon the pathological side of the subject, and also with a Malayan experience strictly limited by my acquaintance with the inhabitants of the Peninsula from Kĕdah southward to Singapore. I am encouraged, however, to put upon paper the result of my own observations with regard to latah by the fact that none of what I may call "the stock" writers upon Malayan subjects seems to have noticed this very noticeable form of disease in any detail; and I am further influenced by the hope, that those better qualified than myself, both by width of experience and by scientific knowledge, will now be led towards the elucidation of phenomena, interesting to most and experienced by all of the residents in this part of the world.
In the few remarks which I have to offer upon the peculiarities of this disease (so I must call it for want of a better term), I purpose to limit myself to those facts which have fallen under my own personal notice and I shall also restrict myself to an account of its exhibition amongst Malays proper.[2]
- ↑ It has not escaped me that the word latah has been used all through this paper in defiance of all rules of grammar. But I have thought it best not to confuse those who may not be acquainted with the Malay language, and have accordingly used the word latah throughout as both adjective and substantive.
- ↑ By this term I would include all branches of the Malay race with which I am acquainted.
