5 mysterious diseases of the past that scientists still can't figure out

1. Detonating teeth

In 1817, a certain priest was terribly tormented by pain in his canine that lasted five months in a row. One day in his mouth resoundedT. Morris. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine a sound like a pistol shot, and the tooth shattered into fragments with a crack, as if exploding from the inside.

After that, the priest whispered to his wife: “My pain is completely gone!” and went to bed for two days. He soon recovered completely.

It's not the only one like itincidentFrom the archive: The mysterious case of ‘exploding teeth’ / British Dental Journal. In the 19th century in America and Britain in serious medical journals there werefixedT. Morris. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine at least six cases of exploding teeth.

Not everyone was as lucky as the aforementioned padre.

For example, in 1871, a young woman's tooth blew so badly that the unfortunate earnedT. Morris. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine concussion.

Why the teeth of 19th century Europeans turned into ticking time bombs dentists to this day they can't decide. Most believable explanationFrom the archive: The mysterious case of ‘exploding teeth’ / British Dental Journal sounds like this: the then seals were made from two different metals, which turned into a galvanic battery in the mouth. And in the cavities of the teeth, which were poorly cared for, hydrogen accumulated. An accidental spark, and boom!

It sounds, of course, very stretched, but a better version has not yet been found.

2. English sweat

In the period from 1485 to 1551 in England, and then in continental Europe, people began to die suddenly for some reason. Disease beganThe English sweating sickness of 1551: an epidemic anatomized / PMC with a strong chill head and heart pain, drowsiness and very heavy sweating.

After about three hours, a person either gave his soul to God, or began to get better. But immunity to disease not developedWere the English Sweating Sickness and the Picardy Sweat Caused by Hantaviruses? /PMC, and the bearer might not survive the next attack. In addition, the British somehow did not think of isolating the sick, as they did with the plague, so that patients could freely spread the infection.

English sweat sentT. E. Bridget. Life and Writings of Blessed Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England and Martyr Under Henry VIII to the next world, not only commoners, but also very respectable people. His victims were Prince Arthur of Wales and his wife Catherine of Aragon, fifteen-year-old Duke of Suffolk Henry Brandon and his younger brother Charles, Lord Chancellor of Ireland Hugh Inge, wife and two daughters of Thomas Cromville, and even famous Ann Bolein (although she recovered).

To this day, it is not known what pathogen caused the English sweat. It was assumed that it was a strange form of relapsing fever, or hantavirusWere the English Sweating Sickness and the Picardy Sweat Caused by Hantaviruses? /PMC, or even anthrax. But there is still no answer, because during their lifetime, patients did not take tests, and now you can’t force them even more so.

3. Retractable genitals

In 1967 in Singapore in one day to the doctors turnedThe Great Singapore PenisS. D. Mendelson. Panic and the Future of American Mass Hysteria over a hundred men. They claimed that due to some disease, their genitals shrank and pulled inside the body, completely dissolved.

The patients were all as one very frightened and believed that the missing penises were undoubtedly a harbinger of an imminent and terrible death. The poor fellows were sure that their limbs were gone because they ate the meat of boars who had been vaccinated against swine. influenza.

True, during the examination it turned out that all the applicants had genitals in order.

But the panic among the patients was completely sincere. Many even hurt themselves by trying to fix their genitals in a fixed position with ropes or metal clips to keep them from disappearing.

Later it turned out that not only men, but also women can suffer from this strange mental disorder. Were fixedA critical review of Chinese Koro / SpringerLink cases where Southeast Asian women, believing that their breasts and labia were about to disappear, stuck pins into them.

The disease was called "koro" - in Malay, this word refers to the action of a turtle in which it pulls its head into its shell. And this mental illness has a long history.

In Medieval Europe, for example, believedthat witches steal penises at night to hang them on a tree. It is not surprising that witches sought to be burned at the stake. Why is there the Middle Ages - in 2003 in West Africa, an angry mob killed 36 random people, blaming6 ‘Penis Panics’ Around the World / Mental Floss them in stealing their genitals.

Until now, science cannot figure out why people have such the same painful fantasies. However, in itself not dangerousKoro—A Culture-bound Depersonalization Syndrome / The British Journal of Psychiatry - unless, of course, the patient will poke himself with pins. After a couple of days, delusional sensations disappear by themselves.

4. Glazing

In the history of mankind, there have been more original mass psychoses than disappearing penises. For example, in late Europe Middle Ages and early modern times (from the 15th to the 17th centuries) many people sufferedAn odd kind of melancholy: reflections on the glass delusion in Europe / History of Psychiatry from a strange mental disorder that made them think that their bodies were made of glass.

The poor fellows believed that if you were not careful, you could break off a piece from your own body. Or completely broken into pieces.

The disease was called "glass delirium". The most famous patient who suffered such a condition, wasR. C. Famiglietti. Royal Intrigue: Crisis at the Court of Charles VI King of France Charles VI. This gentleman was so afraid of being hurt that he constantly wore either armor or a corset of iron rods under his clothes.

He did not allow himself to be touched, and during a special aggravation in 1405, he refused to wash, eat, cut his hair and shave for five months at all. A dozen strong lackeys were force-fed and washed by His Majesty.

Servants, by the way, also wore armor, but not because they were afraid to break, but to protect themselves from the resisting king. That one, although it was made of glass, fought like iron.

Except the king, break into pieces were afraidThe Delusion That Made Nobles Think Their Bodies Were Made of Glass / History many people are of lower rank. For example, the Dutch theologian Caspar Barleus, Princess Alexandra of Bavaria (thought she had glass in her stomach) or Nicole du Plessis, a relative of the French Cardinal Richelieu.

Last demandedAn odd kind of melancholy: reflections on the glass delusion in Europe / History of Psychiatryso that her maids carry pillows with them at all times. Nicole was sure that her ass was made of glass and would crack if she wanted to sit down.

What is the reason for such a mass psychosis, scientists are still racking their brains. The physician Robert Burton in 1621 put forward assumptionThe Delusion That Made Nobles Think Their Bodies Were Made of Glass / Historythat the nobles, being people with a limited social circle, did not know how to establish social contacts. Therefore, surrounded by strangers, they felt fragile and insecure.

But whether this theory is true, we are unlikely to find out: it will no longer be possible to interview those who suffered from “glass delirium”.

5. Lethargy

Between 1917 and 1930, an epidemic of a strange disease swept through the world, which calledEncephalitis lethargica: 100 years after the epidemic / Oxford Academic lethargic encephalitis (or Cruchet's disease).

People for no reason froze in place, like statues, ceasing to speak and eat. Then the patients fell into a deep sleep, which could lastThe origin of "Awakenings" / The BMJ several days. At this time, many victims died without regaining consciousness.

He was young and healthy, suddenly lay down, fell asleep for several days and died. That's the whole history.

The victims of lethargic encephalitis were become1918 Influenza, Engalitis Lethargica, Parkinsonism / ScienceDirect over a million people, of which half have died. The rest survived, but subsequently suffered from various neurological and psychiatric disorders similar to Parkinson's disease.

Since then, no outbreak of this disease has been recorded. Scientists believeThe origin of "Awakenings" / The BMJthat lethargic encephalitis was a kind of viral disease that affected the substantia nigra of the brain. Other versions say that hitherto unknown strains caused lethargy. influenza, enterovirus or poliomyelitis. But the causative agent was never identified.