Hematidrosis (also called
hematohidrosis) is a very rare condition in which a human being sweats
blood, though it has not been confirmed scientifically. It may occur
when a person is suffering extreme levels of stress, for example, facing
his or her own death. Several historical references have been
described; notably by Leonardo da Vinci: describing a soldier who
sweated blood before battle, men unexpectedly given a death sentence, as
well as descriptions in the Bible, that Jesus experienced hematidrosis
when he was praying in the garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:44).
According to Dr. Frederick Zugibe
(former Chief Medical Examiner of Rockland County, New York) it is
well-known, and there have been many cases of it. The clinical term is
hematohidrosis. "Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood
vessels in a net-like form. Under the pressure of great stress the
vessels constrict. Then as the anxiety passes the blood vessels dilate
to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands. As the
sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the
surface - coming out as droplets of blood mixed with sweat."
In a lecture, Dr. Zugibe stated:
"The severe mental anxiety...activated the sympathetic nervous system
to invoke the stress-fight or flight reaction to such a degree causing
hemorrhage of the vessels supplying the sweat glands into the ducts of
the sweat glands and extruding out onto the skin. While hematidrosis has
been reported to occur from other rare medical entities, the presence
of profound fear accounted for a significant number of reported cases
including six cases in men condemned to execution, a case occurring
during the London blitz, a case involving a fear of being raped, a fear
of a storm while sailing, etc. The effects on the body is that of
weakness and mild to moderate dehydration from the severe anxiety and
both the blood and sweat loss."
Another effect is that the skin
become extremely tender and fragile, so that any pressure or damage to
the skin is more than ordinarily painful.
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