This is an IHeart podcast.

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Welcome to Aaron Menke's Cabinet of Curiosity's, A Production of IHeart Radio and Grim and Mild.

Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these

amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the

Cabinet of Curiosity's. It's a word that many of us have probably heard, but often don't know the meaning of.

Syncope is the medical term for the temporary loss of consciousness that comes from a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain.

So for layman, it's fainting, and most of the time

it's easily explainable, and no cause for concern. Low blood sugar or dehydration can often cause

it. There are, of course, times to worry. For instance, regular fainting spells could be caused

by heart troubles that need to be addressed by a doctor.

But what would be the best course of action if hundreds of people experience syncope all at once? It was a sunny morning in Nottinghamshire, England, in the heart of Robin Hood country.

It wasn't just any day, though. Children from all over the area were headed to the fairgrounds

for the Holland Wall Show. This show was a gathering of children's marching bands, and it was taken

very seriously by competitors. Attendance would be judged on their performance in a street

parade, and then they would move to the field where they'd be judged on their playing as well as

their marching formations. And the event started at 9 a.m.

And hundreds of children in their crisp uniforms and polished buttons awaited the chance

to wow the judges, hoping to take home medals and bragging rights.

But before the competition could get underway, something strange began to occur.

Participants all over the fairgrounds began to experience a cavalcade of troubling symptoms.

...