Moonlight Syndrome and the Moon

Getsuyuu Syndrome & The Moon
Kanji	月幽病と月の関係 げつゆうびょう と つき の かんけい
Game	Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Author	Shoji Katagiri
Chapter	Phase III: Lost Day
Located at	Haibara Infirmary, Examining Room
Obtained	On the desk with Diagnosis Record of Takashi Aiba
Description	A description of the moon's effect on symptoms. It was compiled by Dr. Haibara's assistant.
Additional Description	Picked up a binder.
Related Notes	Patient Safety Precautions & Getsuyuu Syndrome Research Record

ENJA

Mild cases of Getsuyuu Syndrome typically present with symptoms such as memory loss and behaviors similar to sleepwalking.

These symptoms also fluctuate in a characteristic pattern which follows the phases of the moon.

When the moon is full, patients are more stable but tend to wander outside as if drawn to the moonlight. When the moon is dark or obscured, however, patients tend to destabilize and become prone to distress.

The resemblance to sleepwalking was the inspiration for old names for the disease, such as "moonwalking" or, even farther back, "ghostwalking".

In severe cases, even patients whose memory has almost completely faded away are drawn, as if beckoned by the moon itself, towards window sills and rooftops.

Once there, they continue to bask in the moonlight, as if for that one moment they are able to reclaim some of what was lost.

Every patient exhibiting memory loss is eventually drawn to the light of the moon.

While such a symptom could conceivably manifest in a single individual, we are at a loss to explain the ubiquity of this behavior amongst our patients.

The fact that Getsuyuu Syndrome is unique to the Rougetsu Archipelago leads me to suspect a connection to the culture and beliefs of its inhabitants...

軽度の月幽病においては、
記憶の断片的な欠落が見られ、
夢遊病のような行動を
とることがある。

特徴的なのは
月の満ち欠けによって
症状が変わることだ。


月が満ちた時は、容体は安定するが、
月の光を求めるように外を徘徊する
傾向にあり、月が欠けた時は
怯えるように不安定になる。

かつて月幽病のことを「月歩き」、
または「憑き歩き」と呼んでいたが、
このことに由来するらしい。


重度の月幽病においては、
記憶がほとんどなくなった患者でも、
月明かりに誘われるように、
窓べりや屋上へと向かう。

そして、まるで月の光が、
一瞬自分が失ったものを
取り戻してくれるかのように、
光を浴び続ける。


記憶が無くなった人間は、
決まって月をあおぐ。

このような症状は、個別には
あるのかもしれないが、
集団で同じような症状に
なるのは説明がつかない。


この朧月島群島の文化圏に
特有であることから、
島の信仰や風土と何か関係が
あるのかもしれない・・・

Translation Notes

In Japanese, (月歩き( つきあるき) tsukiaruki; "moonwalking") and (憑き歩き( つきあるき) tsukiaruki; "ghostwalking") are pronounced the same.