1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Aaron Manke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio and Grimm and Mild. Our world is full of 3 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, all 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 1: of these amazing tales are right there on display, just 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. 6 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: It's a word that many of us have probably heard, 7 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: but often don't know the meaning of Syncope is the 8 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: medical term for the temporary loss of consciousness that comes 9 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: from a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain. 10 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: So for layman, it's fainting, and most of the time 11 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: it's easily explainable and no cause for concern. Low blood 12 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: sugar or dehydration can often cause it. There are, of course, 13 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: times to worry. For instance, regular fainting spells could be 14 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: caused by heart troubles that need to be addressed by 15 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: a doctor. But what would be the best course of 16 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: action if hundreds of people experience syncope all at once. 17 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: It was a sunny morning in Nottinghamshire, England, in the 18 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,559 Speaker 1: hearts of robin Hood Country. It wasn't just any day, though, 19 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: Children from all over the area were headed to the 20 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: fairgrounds for the Hollinwall Show. This show was a gathering 21 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: of children's marching bands, and it was taken very seriously 22 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: by competitors. Attendants would be judged on their performance in 23 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: a street parade, and then they would move to the 24 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 1: field where they'd be judged on their playing as well 25 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,520 Speaker 1: as their marching formations. And the events started at nine 26 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: a m. And hundreds of children in their crisp uniforms 27 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: and polished buttons awaited the chance to wild the judges, 28 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: hoping to take home medals and bragging rights. But before 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: the competition could get underway, something strange began to occur. 30 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Participants all over the fairgrounds began to experience a cavalcade 31 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: of troubling symptoms. There were reports of sore throats, dizziness, nausea, 32 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 1: and burning eyes, with some others experiencing chest pains and 33 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: weakness in the limbs. But the most troubling symptom, and 34 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: the one that caused panic in attendees and organizers, was 35 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: the sudden onset of a mass fainting spell. Children began 36 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: to collapse left and right. Those who could leave on 37 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: foot did so, but many left in ambulances which arrived 38 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: in droves. Meanwhile, organizers themselves were in a state of 39 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: utter confusion, making conflicting announcements about the possible causes. Was 40 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: it the food, something in the water, Maybe it was 41 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: the pesticide sprayed on nearby fields. Participants were told to 42 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: stop eating the ice cream as many of the fainting 43 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: children had partaken. Local hospitals were overrun by the victims 44 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: of the incident, with a sudden rush of nearly three 45 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: hundred out of the five hundred present at the event 46 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: needing to be admitted for their symptoms. The Hollandwell Show 47 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: was a massive, traumatizing bust that followed. There was a 48 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: joint inquiry into the cause by the Ashfield District Council 49 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: and the Knots Police, which strangely ruled out environmental causes 50 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: or food poisoning, concluding that it was simply mass hysteria, or, 51 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 1: as the report officially called it, a mass psychogenic illness, 52 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: and that, so far as the authorities were concerned, was that. 53 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: But as you'd imagine, the families weren't so convinced, as 54 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: many of the children who fell ill did so hours 55 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: after leaving the fairgrounds, and believed that the Council's investigation 56 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: was not nearly as thorough as it could have been 57 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: before making their conclusions. Although other investigations of the incident 58 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: were made in subsequent years, many contradict each other and 59 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: those that came before them. The University of Nottingham's School 60 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: of Biomedical Sciences seconded the original report, declaring its mass 61 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: hysteria possibly triggered by the smell of apesticide used in 62 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: surrounding fields, which could have been kicked back up into 63 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: the air by the marching bands. Scientists at Nottingham Trent University, however, 64 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: believe that other chemicals may have been the culprits. According 65 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: to John Wright, of the university's forensic Science department, it 66 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: may have been a noxious combination of chemicals used to 67 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: clean the toilets. It turns out many of the people 68 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: affected by the event reported strong smells of both bleach 69 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 1: and ammonia coming from the portable toilets a mere twenty 70 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: yards from where the band members were standing. And for 71 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: those who don't know, those are two chemicals that probably 72 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: shouldn't be mixed together because when you do, ammonia and 73 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: bleach form chlorine gas, a dangerous chemical agent that in 74 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: small doses causes irritation of the eyes, nose, throats, and lungs, 75 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: and in higher doses causes death by exphyxiation. In fact, 76 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: the gas is so noxious that it was banned in 77 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty five by Geneva Protocol after its use in 78 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: the First World War in the year sense, the case 79 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: has come to be known as the Hollinwell incidents, or 80 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: more ominously, all fall Down. Nearly forty years later, it's 81 00:04:56,920 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: still a matter of heated debate. Numerous causes are pushed 82 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: by Internet sleuths to this day, which include both the 83 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: official lines and more creative theories ranging from radio waves 84 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: from nearby transmitters to alien activity. But as public officials 85 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,239 Speaker 1: consider the case closed, we may never know the true 86 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: cause of the chaos that rocked that music event on 87 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: that bright July morning, and that well, I think that's curious. 88 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: Kenneth Moore hurtled through the skies over Nazi occupied France. 89 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: It was the morning of June sixth, nineteen forty four, 90 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 1: just before dawn. He was a combat medic, one of 91 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 1: the first of many American troops that would soon be 92 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: invading the country. As the air whipped past his face, 93 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: and the ground rose up to meet him. Kenneth pulled 94 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,239 Speaker 1: the cord for his parachute, gliding quickly to the ground. 95 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: He landed with the in a grassy field outside a 96 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: nearby village. He looked around, anxious to spot to enemy troops. 97 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: He didn't see any Nazis, and he had a red 98 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 1: cross armband that was supposed to keep them from shooting 99 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: at him if any did show up. You see, Kenneth's 100 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: job was to find a nearby building to use as 101 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: a field hospital and then start treating the wounded once 102 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: the fighting started. Then he dug around in his pack 103 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 1: until he found a round, bumpy grenade that one of 104 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 1: his fellow soldiers had given him. He wasn't supposed to 105 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: carry any weapons as a medic, but he wasn't taking 106 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: any chances. There was a sudden rustling in the bushes 107 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: next to him. He jumped immediately, pulling the pin on 108 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: the grenade and getting ready to throw it. But then 109 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: he heard a growl and saw a bear emerge from 110 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: the forest, and then it turned right back the way 111 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: it came. His service was already off to a rough start. 112 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: He now had a live grenade in his hand. And 113 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 1: nothing to throw it at, and he didn't want to 114 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: just toss it and run the sound might attract the enemy. 115 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: Kenneth made his way toward the village, where he soon 116 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: spotted a stone well leading deep underground. It was as 117 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: good a place as any for the grenade, so he 118 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:09,679 Speaker 1: dropped it in and ran away, hoping the villagers didn't 119 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: notice the muffled boom from the ground shaking a few 120 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: seconds later. Soon enough, he came across a small, ancient 121 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: church with a short steeple and stained glass windows. To 122 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: his surprise, there was already a banner with a red 123 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: cross draped over the entrance. His fellow medic had arrived 124 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: ahead of him. Inside, Kenneth found his friend, Robert Wright, 125 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: already busy rearranging the pews and laying out supplies. They 126 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: didn't have much, just what they brought with them in 127 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: their packs. Their job was to make the most of it, 128 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: and soon enough troops were swarming the countryside, and there 129 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: was the constant sound of bombs and gunfire. The doors 130 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,679 Speaker 1: of the church flew open and wounded soldier after soldier 131 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: began limping in. They treated those they could with bandages, stitches, 132 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: or splints, those they couldn't, They set a prayer for 133 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: and moved on. They treated Americans and Germans alike. Whoever 134 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 1: came to their door was allowed to enter. Their only 135 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: rule was that no one could bring a weapon inside 136 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: the church. Outside. The fighting reached a fever pitch. The 137 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: bombs and bullets were flying over the top of the church, 138 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: and then suddenly the wooden beams overhead split open and 139 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 1: a large shell crashed into the stone floor between the patients. 140 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 1: Some of the splintered wood fell on Kenneth and left 141 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: him with a cut on his scalp. He was stunned, 142 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: and then he saw Robert look from him to the shell. 143 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: Before he could react, Robert ran toward the shell, picking 144 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: it up and flinging it out of the church. It 145 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: never detonated, though it was inert. They had been lucky. 146 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: As the fighting continued, control of the town changed from 147 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: the Allies to the Nazis. The fleeing Allies suggested that 148 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: Kenneth and Robert evacuate with them, but they refused. At 149 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: this point, they were treating dozens of American and German soldiers. 150 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: They just couldn't leave them. They continued their work until 151 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,839 Speaker 1: the Nazis rolled into the small village. Suddenly, the doors 152 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: were thrown open and an intimidating Zazi commander walked in 153 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: his eyes, darting between the two medics and their patients. 154 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: Kenneth watched him stroll down the aisle between the pews, 155 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: surveying each patient without a word. Then his gaze fell 156 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 1: on some of the German soldiers they were treating. He 157 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: nodded to them with approval. It was the only sign 158 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 1: they would get that they could continue to do their work. 159 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: Kenneth and Robert continued to treat patients for three whole 160 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: days without sleep. The church floor became absolutely soaked with blood, 161 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: but the Allies won the battle and soon pressed further 162 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: into France. Kenneth and Robert were assigned to new battlefields, 163 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: but this one would always remember them today. If a 164 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: curious tourist makes their way to Angoville o'plhan in Normandy, 165 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 1: they will find a small medieval church. But the stained 166 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: glass windows don't feature Christian iconography. No, they show a 167 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: paratrooper and an eagle, and the names Kenneth Moore and 168 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: Robert Wright. Appropriately, these two men were awarded silver stars 169 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: and purple hearts but curiously, without ever firing or receiving 170 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: a shot. But if anything, that made them even greater heroes. 171 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:12,560 Speaker 1: I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet 172 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn 173 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. 174 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: The show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership 175 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show 176 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, 177 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 1: and you can learn all about it over at the 178 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: Worldoflore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.