The Mad Gasser of Mattoon
For two weeks in 1944, people in a small Illinois town reported a prowler spraying a sweet-smelling gas into their homes.
What was reported
In early September 1944, a woman in Mattoon reported a sweet smell in her bedroom, followed by nausea and a feeling of numbness in her legs. Over the next two weeks, dozens more reports came in of a 'mad gasser' spraying gas through windows, and some people said they glimpsed a tall figure in dark clothes.
Residents armed themselves and formed patrols, but no gasser was ever caught.
Explanations offered
Police and many researchers concluded it was mass hysteria, fed by sensational newspaper coverage and wartime fears: symptoms faded quickly, doctors found no lasting effects, and no gas or culprit was found. Others have suggested a real prowler, or fumes from local factories.
- When
- September 1944
- Where
- Mattoon, Illinois, USA
- Witnesses
- Dozens of residents, and the local press
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.