𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 – 𝐒𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐬’ 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

Featured in a Sherlock Holmes novel – St Vitus’ dance is an autoimmune disease caused by streptococcus infection.

Symptoms include involuntary and random movements of the face, hands and feet.

No one knows why it never affects the eye muscles, or why movements cease during sleep.

St Vitus is the patron saint of dancers, tortured and killed by the Romans in 303AD. The picture shows his coat of arms. In Latvia, his saint’s day was celebrated by manic dancing in front of his statue.

Nowadays, the disease is more commonly known as Sydenham’s chorea.

Double points to anyone who can name the Sherlock Holmes story that mentions the disease?

#bemorefrank