Strange, Weird & Bizarre Medical Cases & Facts

Today, if you visit a fair or a carnival, you’re not likely to see “human wonders,” aka “sideshow freaks” like you did in the 20′s, 30′s, and 40′s.  For one, exploitation isn’t as cool as it used to be, and for two, now we have the Jim Rose Circus, so that pays better and you make cooler friends.

It’s fun to learn.  There was this guy, Martin Emmerling, who changed his name to Martin Laurello.  That’s not the interesting part.  He changed his name when he moved to the good old US of A in 1921.  He had a special talent in that he could turn his head a full 180 degrees.  What?!?!?  See for yourself:

That’s crazy!  How is that possible?  I can’t tell you for sure because the internet didn’t tell me, but it was likely some genetic predisposition that Laurello cultivated into an “act.”  He started performing in Europe, and then when he moved to the US he toured with Dreamland circus, Barnum & Bailey, and Ripley’s Odditorium.  He had this strange little pamphlet wherein he told people about what he could do.  He said that it took him three years to perfect his “act.”

It is funny that he is encouraging people to try to do what he does.  IF (and it’s a big if) someone was able to accomplish this, without Laurello’s funky spine situation, it would likely kill them, whether they did it before or after breakfast.  But, at least he wasn’t being stingy with the knowledge and stuff.

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It occurred to me, while writing about a legitimately disturbing disease, that I haven’t done a fun one for a while.  That’s a lie, because it was pretty fun finding zombie pictures for the Cotard’s post, but I started thinking about phobias, and how many different types of phobias there are out there.    There are some legitimate ones, like the fear of spiders, diseases, and death, and some legitimate yet watched-too-many-horror movies ones, like the ones we’ll feature today.

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

Wow.  Spellcheck didn’t even flag that one.  Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia (there goes the spellcheck!) is the fear of the number 666.  Six hundred sixty six is the Number of the Beast, Satan’s favorite lottery number, and the logo of many a death metal band.  Revelation 13:17-18 says, “And that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom.  Let him that hath understanding count the number of the best:  for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”  A lot of people think that the number relates to Nero, but yet a lot of other people are just plain old afraid of the number and when they are at a store and their purchase rings up to $6.66 they pay an extra penny.  Just sayin’.

Hadephobia

Related to the fear of the NUMBER of Satan, a lot of people are afraid of the HOME BASE of Satan, also known as Hell, Hades, the Underworld, Sheol, Diyu, The Inferno, et al.  Why WOULDN’T you be afraid of hell?  Really?  Flames, eternal torment, no chance of redemption, complete lack of oceanfront property?  Terrible!

Triskaidekaphobia

Again, with the no spellcheck.  This is the fear of Friday the 13th.  The DAY, not the movies or the guy portrayed in the movies – Jason Vorhees.  That’s why I didn’t put a picture of him in.  I didn’t want to confuse you.  Instead I put in a big yellow graphic with a calendar page on it.  Nice, huh?  The fear of Friday the 13th has some basis in numerology, but basically it’s all Chaucer’s fault.  Look it up.

Phasmophobia

This is, of course, the fear of ghosts.  Of course people are afraid of ghosts.  Look at that picture up there?  That’s scary!  Of course, what most people don’t understand is that ghosts are just “earthbound spirits” who have unfinished business here on earth, so they have to talk to Jennifer Love Hewitt about it, and she has to be wearing something old-fashioned, yet designed to showcase her bosoms, which are, like, her ghost divining bosoms or something.  All I know is this, and that is that Ray Parker, Jr. did NOT have phasmaphobia.

Coulrophobia

Coulrophobia sufferers make a distinction.  Their fear is not exclusive to EVIL clowns.  It’s ALL clowns.  Kramer was afraid of clowns.  We’re all a little afraid of Kramer, who was sort of like a clown.  Oh, the humanity!  Clowns are seriously freaky, though, you have to admit.  Unless you’re, like, a clown enthusiast.  If you are a clown enthusiast, please write a comment with 5 bullet points regarding why people SHOULDN’T be afraid of clowns.  I dare you.

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This is an unfortunate rare genetic illness that has a very grim prognosis, usually.  Most babies born with it do not survive.  This is because the condition itself causes very stiff skin, which can restrict the baby’s breathing and cause the baby unable to suckle.  Also, babies born with this illness often contract infections, because their skin can harbor a lot of bacteria.

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