# CAN SOMEONE DIE FROM A CURSE? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605 "2000-01-25T21:32:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/1 "2000-01-25T21:32:00Z")
I just read an old story by Somerset Maughm, entitled “P&O” (ca 1930). In it, he relates how his native common-law wife curses an Irish rubber planter (in what is now Malaysia). The man decided to sell everything and return to his native Ireland, leaving his native wife. She had cursed him, and told him."”Before you see land again, you will die…"” As the ship leaves Singapore, he begins to waste away-nothing the ship’s doctor can do can help him. His friend even has a native Malay shaman on the ship, perform and exorcism (which involves sacrificing a rooster). Finally, the captain decides to put in to Aden, to bring the man to hospital-all in vain-he dies just as land is sighted. This got me to thinking-there are many well-documented cases of people form mostly non-western cultures, dying as the result of a curse. However, have any Europeans ever been victims? I just read an old story by Somerset Maughm, entitled “P&O” ()ca 1930). In it, he relates how his native common-law wife curses an Irish rubber planter (in what is now Malaysia). The man decided to sell everything and return to his native Ireland, leaving his native wife. She had cursed him, and told hime…"”before you see land again, you will die…"” As the ship leaves Singapore, he begins to waste away-nothing the ship’s doctor can do can help him. His friend even has a native malay shaman on the ship, perform and excorcism (which involves sacrificing a rooster). Finally, the captain decides to put in to Aden, to bring the man to hospital-all in vain-he dies just as land is sighted. This got me to thinking-there are many well-documented cases of people from mostly non-western cultures, dying as the result of a curse. However, have any europeans ever been victims? Understand that Maughm was primarily a storyteller-but he spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, so he might well have heard of such an incident? Can someone die because of a curse? ---
**Author:** ![Vestal\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5e9695/32.png) [@Vestal\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vestal_Blue)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/2 "2000-01-25T21:39:00Z")
I’ve heard of people dying of curses, but in the cases I’m aware of, both the curser and cursee were of the same culture. This leads me to speculate about the belief component; to wit: if you have a deep subconcious belief in curses, you kill yourself through the power of suggestion, logically in the manner you were cursed. If you like reading about that stuff, read Stephen Kings’ Thinner. * * * VB Remember, you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/3 "2000-01-25T21:40:00Z")
I don’t know about that, but the double-paste curse I put on you seems to be working… ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/4 "2000-01-25T21:51:00Z")
> [@](#): > > This got me to thinking-there are many well-documented cases of people form mostly non-western cultures, dying as the result of a curse. Really? Show me just one well-documented case of this. ---
**Author:** ![frolix8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@frolix8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frolix8)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/5 "2000-01-25T22:03:00Z")
I think curses worked better in the past, if you go back 100 years the curses worked, all the cursed people are dead. Proof that psychic powers are on the decline. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/6 "2000-01-25T22:25:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by UncleBeer: > \*\* Really? Show me just one well-documented case of this.\*\* Snoopy: “Curse you, Red Baron!” Richthofen, Manfred, Freiherr von: d. April 21, 1918, Vaux-sur-Somme, Fr. Q.E.D. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/7 "2000-01-25T23:03:00Z")
Very funny, Mr. Kilocher. Now stop that. ---
**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/8 "2000-01-26T00:34:00Z")
May you become itchy in a naughty place. (I’ll see if that works first.) ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/9 "2000-01-26T01:26:00Z")
Stop using all caps in your topics, dude. ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/10 "2000-01-26T03:04:00Z")
VB makes a good point. Belief. People who have psychosomatic illnesses have physical symptoms. The mind is powerful. A person who has no doubt about the effectiveness of curses could very likely suffer ill effects. ---
**Author:** ![neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ab097/32.png) [@neuro-trash\_grrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neuro-trash_grrrl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/11 "2000-01-26T04:12:00Z")
Can you die from a curse? Well, I’m sure that somewhere, sometime, some grouchy old man must have seen some children on his lawn, gone outside, yelled “Get off my lawn, you goddamn-”, then suffered a sudden heart attack and expired. Does this answer your question? * * * An infinite number of rednecks in an infinite number of pickup trucks shooting an infinite number of shotguns at an infinite number of road signs will eventually produce all the world’s great works of literature in Braille. ---
**Author:** ![RobRoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ba0ec/32.png) [@RobRoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobRoy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/12 "2000-01-26T04:20:00Z")
I happens in Haiti all the time. It came up in the news lately in regards to some Haitian refugees to Miami. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/13 "2000-01-26T04:30:00Z")
C’mon people. I’m asking for evidence. All I see is, “It happens,” and nebulous references. Give me some meat. Again, I ask for evidence. Vague anecdotes don’t cut it. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/14 "2000-01-26T07:52:00Z")
UncleBeer: Be careful of what you ask for… You might just get it. 😉 * * * I am therefor I be ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/15 "2000-01-26T08:47:00Z")
The Curse of the Alchemist has just transmuted Beer into. . .voilà!. . .: [http://www.tsoft.net/~raych/meat.jpg](http://www.tsoft.net/~raych/meat.jpg) Ray (cheaper by the twelve-pack) ---
**Author:** ![NanoByte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecc23a/32.png) [@NanoByte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NanoByte)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/16 "2000-01-26T09:35:00Z")
Roadkill: [http://www.imotorhead.com/gallery/r101.htm](http://www.imotorhead.com/gallery/r101.htm) Ray (attempting to become more _cursive_. . .Ah!. . .\RAYMOND\) ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/17 "2000-01-26T17:05:00Z")
According to witch trial records from 16th and 17th century England, the answer is definitely yes. Some examples: > [@](#): > > In 1596 in Essex, the wife of Maurice Jones was sent for by one Robgent’s wife to treat her with medicine for colic. But on her arrival, she "fell down on her knees and after many curses and evil speeches prayed that Robgent’s wife might never be cured, but might abide the extremest torments that ever was abidden. Ever after, “Robgent’s wife hath lain and yet doth lie in the extremest torments that ever was abidden.” At Mainstone, in the diocese of Hereford … one of Lodowick Muggleton’s victims was struck dumb, fell sick, and died ten days after the curse had been pronounced… > > The eldest son of the Earl of Rutland was thought in 1619 to have died because his glove had been malevolently buried and allowed to rot in the earth Source: Keith Thomas, _Religion and the Decline of Magic_ * * * _Observe the snow. It fornicates._ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/18 "2000-01-26T17:24:00Z")
But seriously, folks, what would be acceptable “proof” of a curse working? Let’s say I curse X, and X breaks her leg. How can you prove cause and effect? I can’t think of a historical case that can prove the effectiveness of curses. What you would need is a repeatable, measurable experiment. e.g. Take a person adept at curses, have them curse N people chosen from a random sample, and see what happens to the N people (of course the control group should be unaware that they’ve been cursed.) ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2000, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/19 "2000-01-27T01:26:00Z")
\>\>\>I can’t think of a historical case that can prove the effectiveness of curses. What you would need is a repeatable, measurable experiment. e.g. Take a person adept at curses, have them curse N people chosen from a random sample, and see what happens to the N people (of course the control group should be unaware that they’ve been cursed.)\<\<\< Uh … am I the only one who has a moral problem with this? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2000, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605/20 "2000-01-27T07:02:00Z")
You know, if DavidB saw this thread, he’d tear his hair out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-someone-die-from-a-curse/6605.md?page=2)