Real voodoo curse, or nocebo induced harm?

Many people believe in a theory where the body can be effected in both positive and negative ways depending on the mental thoughts of a person at that specific time. Although it's effects have been perceived before, it's not considered a real science and in some sceptic's eyes, there is no evidence proving otherwise. The version most people are familiar with is the practice of producing thoughts to bring about positive physical effects, known almost universally as the placebo. Many experiments have been undertaken and have followed the same pattern, with a group of people suffering from a particular ailment being split into two smaller groups, with one given a genuine medicine, proven to be effective in treating their affliction and the second with nothing other than sugar cubes injected with water masquerading as the very same thing. The first group were cured as expected, but in many cases the second also arrived at the same result, despite the absence of the same proven medicine being administered. Even though the water was essentially useless, it's the patients own unshakeable belief that it will cure them that brings about the positive change. That is a placebo.

With the positive side of this belief having only the ability to help the patient meant that it could be tested medically, safe in the knowledge that no harm would come to him. But the same cannot be said for its polar opposite which is the lesser known nocebo. As a result, information regarding it is scarce. A fine analogy of this reaction, however, would be the voodoo curses of various African tribes. The curse is purely fictional, but the victim's belief in it induces the body to act as though it's a reality, with real physical harm being the inevitable outcome. The best account of this curiosity is the alleged curse of Vance Vanders. Despite many attesting to the truth of the tale with four medical professionals being in attendance during the event itself, recorded details were either not taken or simply lost, leading many to the false conclusion that the event was purely a work of fiction.

Vance Vanders was an Alabama local who had the misfortune of getting involved in an unfortunate altercation with the resident witch doctor. He was a man with a firm belief in voodoo from the outset and so was understandably shaken when presented with an open bottle and told after inhaling it's contents, that he would suffer an untimely demise as a result of the alleged curse. With no doubt in his mind as to the reality of the situation, Vance quickly deteriorated and became bed stricken. Days later, he was taken to hospital, but to no avail, as doctors could not arrive at the source of his problems. After a belated admission from his wife pertaining to the curse, a certain Dr Drayton Doherty came up with an ingenious idea to turn the nocebo's effects on their head.

The Doctor deliberately lied to Vance's family, stating that he had confronted the man responsible and after physically choking him, made him confess to implanting lizard's eggs in his stomach, with both hatching and yet only one surviving. He told them that the only way to lift the curse was to extract the remaining lizard. Despite it being non existent, he gave Vance the impression of performing a real operation in which he administered an emetic to help him pass the creature in a natural manner. Incredibly, he shot up and proceeded to gag, culminating in physical sickness. The doctor, using the distraction to his advantage, bought out a lizard which had been obtained previous to the event and promptly displayed it as evidence of a successful operation. The trick, suffice to say, had the desired effect with Vance making a full and rapid recovery. Is it conclusive evidence of the influence the mind can obtain over the body? After all, how do you explain Mr Vanders sudden deterioration and his prompt recovery after two events manifested through fiction? The power of the mind may be more influential than you think.