A Sophisticated Version of Voodoo Death

A case is presented in which severe and eventually fatal asthma developed in a previously healthy adult male following his mother's prophecy of “dire results” if he went counter to her wishes. An indirect connection is suggested between the mother's death wish and the outcome. It is postulated that fatal psychosomatic conditions can be modifications of the more primitive and direct “voodoo death.” A brief discussion is given of the psychogenic factors involved.