# Marilyn Monroe M\*A\*S\*H Miracle **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 21, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088 "2001-01-21T02:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/1 "2001-01-21T02:59:25Z")
On an old episoe of M_A_S\*H there was soldier who was wounded so badly they didn’t think he would pull through, but who then underwent a dramatic recovery. He later explained that at one pont, barely conscious, he overheard a rumour that Marilyn Monroe was coming to visit. Apparently the idea was that such a powerful sexual icon could have a strong impact on the psyche that would in turn trigger a physiological response that would kick the body’s healing processes into overdrive. Now certainly this could be something purely fictional cooked up for a sitcom, but I’m wondering if it wasn’t, in fact, based on true anecdotes. (Another episode dealt with a drug that they knew couldn’t be used on black troops, but which was producing side-effects on personnel of “Mediterranean descent” as well. A blurb at the end revealed that it was based on real events.) Has anyone heared of any phenomena along these lines? And while we’re on the subject of M_A_S\*H, there’s another episode I’ve often wondered about. A patient with a rare blood type needed a transfusion, but the only person with a match was a very drunk bomb disposal expert. They went ahead, and afterward, when BJ asked the kid, "How do you feel?, he replied, “I feel…” and trailed off. I’ve often suspected that the script originally had the kid reply, “I feel…_drunk_”, but they cut that out. Perhaps their consultants informed them that a trasfusion from a drunk guy wouldn’t be enough to make you feel drunk. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/2 "2001-01-21T03:54:27Z")
You may find [this](http://www.esthersternberg.com/balanceWithin.htm) of interest. I first heard of Dr. Sternberg on an NPR interview about this book. When they said she was with The National Institutes of Health, it made me accept it better. > [@](#): > > Ultimately, she answers our pressing, relevant questions: Will stress make us sick? Will believing make us well? Why do we feel sick when we get sick? How does our health affect our moods? Until now there has been a lot of speculation about these questions, especially from the New Age shamans, but no serious, informed answers. THE BALANCE WITHIN provides these answers and explains clearly and engagingly how it happens. from a review of the book. ---
**Author:** ![diamud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@diamud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diamud)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/3 "2001-01-21T15:06:31Z")
Samclem, I guess I am not following you. I looked at the link you supplied, it does not seem to answer the poster’s questions. Could you explain your answer and how it relates to the post? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/4 "2001-01-21T16:34:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Apparently the idea was that such a powerful sexual icon could have a strong impact on the psyche that would in turn trigger a physiological response that would kick the body’s healing processes into overdrive. And, from my link and quote–_Will believing make us well?_ While I haven’t read the book, I wouldn’t be surprised if it gave an explanation, backed up scientifically, as to whether the soldier could have recovered **just because he believed in something that made him want to live**. I thought the book might have something more than anecdotal evidence. As opposed to posters telling how a relative recovered from near death because they…\ (Who had that wonderful tag line–The plural of _anecdote_ is NOT _data_. ?) ---
**Author:** ![home\_schooled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@home\_schooled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/home_schooled)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/5 "2001-01-21T16:48:11Z")
The “will to live” is also seen in hospitals, when people get excited about reaching a birthday and stick it out until then. I believe two of the early presidents, from rival parties were both dying and just wanted to outlast each other for the July 4 celebration. Both died on July 4, but one (Jefferson?) had last words ruing that “Adams lives”, although he had died earlier in the day. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/6 "2001-01-21T17:43:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Both died on July 4, but one (Jefferson?) had last words ruing that “Adams lives”, although he had died earlier in the day. I think the legend is the otherwayaround. Jefferson died early in the day, Adams later that day. Adams supposedly said “Jefferson still lives” or somesuch. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/7 "2001-01-21T18:53:30Z")
July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Quite a coincidence. Higgledy-piggledy President Jefferson Gave up the ghost On the Fourth of July. So did John Adams, Which proves that such patriots Propagandistically Know how to die. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/8 "2001-01-21T19:06:53Z")
[hijack] Been a while since I saw a higgeldy-piggeldy. I always likely: Higgeldy piggeldy Benjamin Harrison Twenty-third president Was and as such Served between Clevelands And save for this trivial Idiosyncracy Didn’t do much [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marilyn-monroe-m-a-s-h-miracle/51088/9 "2001-01-21T20:07:25Z")
Could be fun, **Doc P** , but we should probably take it to MPSIMS. I can only remember a couple more myself. Rule: Six syllable proper name in second line, six syllable single word in seventh line; both must be double-dactyls. Maybe a couple other rules I’ve forgotten.