Mass hysteria blamed for mysterious outbreak at Tennessee school

(Undated-AP) -- After an exhaustive government investigation, researchers say they know what caused an emergency at a Tennessee high school.<br><br>The experts blame mass hysteria.<br><br>The incident

Wednesday, January 12th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Undated-AP) -- After an exhaustive government investigation, researchers say they know what caused an emergency at a Tennessee high school.

The experts blame mass hysteria.

The incident in McMinnville in 1998 started with a teacher noticing a strange smell in the kitchen and becoming nauseous.

Before it was over, 170 people sought emergency treatment and the school was closed for two weeks.

Government investigators looked for anything that could make so many people ill so quickly. They found nothing. They blame the incident on mass hysteria.

The researchers say mass hysteria may become more common with rising public worry over biological terrorism. But a Tennessee researcher says officials were right to close the school while things were sorted out.

The study is in The New England Journal of Medicine.