Madcap Disease

Madcap disease is suffered by individuals in the Haglands who have eaten contaminated mushrooms. They develop a degree of aggressive insanity.

Transmission & Vectors

The first affliction is found in those who have eaten certain mushrooms in the Haglands. Affected individuals can infect others through their saliva, such as a bite or spitting on an open wound or into their eyes.

Causes

Madcap disease is always found first in those who have eaten certain mushrooms. Even if these mushrooms are ordinarily safe, the experiments carried out by the hags - or sometimes simply for their own amusement - mean that mushrooms can change from nutritious to poisonous and back again. The caps of the mushrooms seem to be the area where the actual infectious changes take place.

Symptoms

Symptoms include raving insanity, hallucinations, aggression, and violence. The victim's temperature rises and they reject water violently. They may attempt to attack others, via punching or biting.

Treatment

Those affected by the mushrooms must be physically secured in a hut and served tisanes of teas which reduce the effect of the mushrooms. They will gradually leach out the poisons of the mushrooms, until the individual is free of the effects and can trust their own senses.
Victims must be given large quantities of the teas and clean, boiled water, to ensure their kidneys are not damaged as the poisons leave the body.

Prognosis

If too large a dose of the initial chemicals is consumed it may leave some permanent effects. These effects may not remain so severe as the initial exposure.
Otherwise, as the body flushes out the poisons the effects will reduce. If large enough quantities of fluids are given to flush out the body, it will avoid toxic side-effects in the kidneys.

Sequela

For large doses of the poisons, the effects can be irreversible thanks to chemical changes in the brain, although the symptoms may wane somewhat as the initial poisons are flushed out. Ordinary doses may leave the individual periodically believing they can hear or see faint noises or flashes of light, although these effects are only momentary and irregular.

Cultural Reception

The condition causes fear and horror in those who witness it, and many will be reluctant to assist the raving individual, for fear of being attacked and possibly poisoned in turn.

Type

Chemical Compound

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Uncommon