Porphyria - a scientifically based "vampirism"

Porphyria - a kind of genetic abnormalities of the liver in which the hemoglobin (red blood cells) is synthesized properly. In the biosynthesis of hemoglobin is present eight enzymatic steps and a problem with any of them can cause porphyria.

According to Dr. David Dolphin, the well-known expert on porphyry and other diseases of the liver, people who believe vampires and werewolves could suffer these rare disease.

Dolphin argues that negatively affects the patient even weak sunlight. Skin lesions can be so severe that his nose or fingers can be completely destroyed. The lips and gums can be significantly reduced by maintaining a normal-sized teeth - the result is a likeness of an animal jaw with fangs. Moreover, in patients with porphyria is enhanced hair growth. Dolphin says:

... try to imagine how in the Middle Ages perceived the one who went out into the street alone at night, and it looked like a kind of animal - increased hairiness, large teeth, disfigured face. It is assumed (and it is more than likely) that such people might well consider werewolves. Em>

Dolphin suggests that blood-sucking vampires, too, were victims of porphyria and "sought to ease the symptoms of his terrible disease." If you drink a lot of blood, then someone else will hemoglobin missing due to impaired biosynthesis of red blood cells and alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Although the effect of hemoglobin released into the bloodstream through the stomach wall is extremely small.

Today, patients with porphyria are often treated by injection of hemoglobin. In the Middle Ages shots it was impossible, so the consumption of large amounts of blood was the only way that a person could get additional hemoglobin. Patients with porphyria desperately want to get the blood because of the shortage of hemoglobin death occurs. It is not surprising that among these patients are common pathological personality changes and dementia.

Because this disease is hereditary, in medieval Europe could well be local centers of dissemination of porphyria. They travel in those days seldom and marriages within the family occurred frequently, especially in remote areas. This explains the widespread opinion among the people of the abode of vampires - an isolated mountainous Transylvania.

Source: Dr Stephen Juan, «The Odd Brain»

via factroom.ru