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Hex death: voodoo magic or persuasion?
1Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn.
Southern Medical Journal
|March 1, 1992
Summary
Hex death, a ritualistic pronouncement of death, can be reversed by medical intervention. This phenomenon, involving powerful suggestion, raises questions about communication
Area of Science:
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Medical Anthropology
Background:
- Hex death involves a ritualized pronouncement of death by an authority figure.
- This phenomenon is not widely accepted by Western medical communities despite anecdotal evidence.
Observation:
- Two case histories illustrate the effects of hex death.
- A patient near death from a voodoo hex recovered after physician intervention.
- Another patient with a cancer diagnosis died from perceived widespread disease, with minimal autopsy findings.
Findings:
- The power of suggestion and communication can profoundly impact health outcomes.
- The placebo and nocebo effects may play a significant role in hex death.
- Misdiagnosis and the communication of grave prognoses can lead to adverse health events.
Implications:
- Investigates the potential for communication and belief systems to induce physiological changes.
- Explores the role of diagnostic labels and physician-patient communication in patient outcomes.
- Suggests that understanding these phenomena could improve patient care and communication strategies.