A Comment on Voodoo Deaths

Clune, Francis J.

doi:10.1525/aa.1973.75.1.02a00270

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Does the Phenomenon Of Voodoo Death Exist?1

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1974

2009

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Cited by 6 publications

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“…It was possible that the person placing the curse on another furtively poisons the victim (or kills the victim using some other method), thereby proving to all in the community that the sorcerer has tremendous power. Clune (1973) noted that much of the pharmacopoeia available in indigenous peoples is poisonous. However, no published report has ever documented a sorcerer giving a poison to a hexed person in order to expedite the victim's death.…”

Section: Does the Phenomenon Of Voodoo Death Exist?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Voodoo Death

Lester

2009

Omega (Westport)

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Scholarly writing on voodoo death is reviewed. Criticisms that voodoo deaths in indigenous societies have never been well documented are refuted with cases medically documented in developed nations. The work of Cannon and Richter on sudden death in animals is reviewed and dismissed as irrelevant for understanding voodoo death. The role of starvation and dehydration is discussed, and it is suggested that the given-up/giving-up hypothesis best fits the phenomenon of voodoo death. Hypotheses for future research are suggested.

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Section: Does the Phenomenon Of Voodoo Death Exist?mentioning

confidence: 99%