Bone Pointing Syndrome

The Bone Pointing Syndrome is also known as voodoo death, hex death, psychogenic death and psychosomatic death. It is a phenomenon of sudden death as brought about by a strong emotional shock, such as fear. The syndrome is not specific to any culture or death.

The anomaly is recognized as psychosomatic in that death is caused by a strong emotional response — often fear — to some suggested outside force. The Bone Pointing Syndrome is particularly noted in native societies but its cause and effect may also be apparent in concentration or prisoner of war camps.

Used in rituals, the expectation that death would result from having a bone pointed at a victim is not without foundation. Other similar rituals that cause death have been recorded around the world[1]. Victims become listless and apathetic, usually refusing food or water with death often occurring within days of being ‘cursed’. the phenomenon best fits a hypothesis of given-up/giving-up[2].

[1] Meador: Hex death: voodoo magic or persuasion? in Southern Medical Journal - 1009
[2] Lester: Voodoo death in Journal of death and dying - 2009