A family moves into an old house. What seems like a bargain slowly turns into a nightmare. Servants and family report seeing ghostly apparitions. The occupants hear strange noises. The children grow paler and paler. One of them begins to act oddly…

“Some nights after I have been in bed for a while, I have felt as if the bed clothes were jerked off me, and I have also felt as if I had been struck on the shoulder. One night I woke up and saw sitting on the foot of my bed a man and a woman. The woman was young, dark and slight, and wore a large picture hat. The man was older, smooth shaven and a little bald. I was paralyzed and could not move, when suddenly I felt a tap on my shoulder and I was able to sit up, and the man and the woman faded away. Sometimes, after I have gone to bed, the noises from the storeroom are tremendous. It does not happen every night; perhaps a week or ten days will pass, and then again it may be several nights in succession. Sometimes it sounds as if furniture was being piled against the door, as if china was being moved about, and occasionally a long and fearful sigh or wail.”

Sound familiar?

This was reported in a 1921 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology by W.H. Wilmer. Yes, that’s right, it was reported in a medical journal. For an account check out this site or hear the story on This American Life.

The twist? Comes at the end of course.

Happy Hallowe’en!

Health Sciences Library
Dollar-A-Book Sale

• Sale begins at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 27th and runs through Monday, November 2nd
• First Floor, Health Sciences Library
• Books in nearly all Health and Biomedical Sciences areas.
• A selection of books from natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities are also available.
• Proceeds from this sale will help fund future purchases for the Health Sciences Library collection.
• Buy early for the best selection!
• Please bring $1 bills since change may not be available.

It’s been awhile since I ate a school lunch, but my memories were not pleasant one. We used to drain the grease off the pizza slices we got and even when they put in a salad bar, it was a sad pitiful thing.

Apparently things haven’t gotten much better over the years, because the Institute of Medicine just released a report recommending changes to the School Lunch and Breakfast programs. You can read the brief requirements here.