A history of hypochondria wonders why we worry (Becca Rothfeld, April 12, 2024, Washington Post)
In the late 14th century, a spate of patients scattered across Europe developed an unusual delusion: They came to believe that their bodies were made of glass. Those suffering from this bizarre affliction were terrified of shattering — at least one of them insisted on sleeping in heaps of straw so as to prevent any mishaps.
There’s nothing new about socially communicable mental disorders.