Vampires had porphyria
Editor - Regarding
last months article, Witch
Doctoring,1
another interesting theory is that vampirism may have been caused by
porphyria.
Not only do people with some types of porphyria have
photosensitivity and disfiguration of the face, they are also shown to
have exaggerated reactions to certain chemicals in garlic. In addition,
is it implausible that people with porphyria might go out in search of
blood to replace the blood that their body could not manufacture
properly?
Shehzad Rehman, intern, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, USA
studentBMJ 2002;10:171-214 June ISSN 0966-6494
- Chan C-L. Witch doctoring. studentBMJ 2002;10:160-1. (May.)
