A hundred and 33 people in one small town where only 300 people lived a d when they started falling sort of inexplicably asleep. They didn't have spiritual beliefs to sort of rely on to explain this. So they they believed what made most sense within their environment, and that was that there was a uranium mine near by. But like all these psychostematic conditions, the problem is that it made no biological sense.
Michael Shermer speaks with award-winning Irish neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan about her work exploring the complexity of psychogenic illness affecting people all around the world. Her book The Sleeping Beauties, documents her investigation of psychosomatic disorders as she traveled the world visiting communities suffering from these so-called mystery illnesses. O’Sullivan records the remarkable stories of syndromes related to her by people from all walks of life. Riveting and often distressing, these case studies — both fascinating and of serious concern — are recounted with compassion and humanity as these syndromes continue to proliferate around the globe.