Oddities Week: Medical Oddities

Leukodermia: Health experts in China say Nong Youhui from Dahua in southern China, has developed a bizarre condition where he can see perfectly in near pitch black conditions, being dubbed "Cat-Boy" by UK tabloid, The Sun. Doctors who studied Nong Youhui's condition say that he could "read perfectly without any light and sees as clearly as most people do during the day." Nong was born with a condition known as luekodermia, leaving Nong Youhui's eyes with extremely high light sensitivity and less protective pigment meaning he is susceptible to heavy sunlight exposure and eye damage. Nong's eyes apparently glow in the dark, such is Cat-Boy's receptiveness to any small amount of light in his eyes. "They told me he would grow out of it and that his eyes would stop glowing and turn black like most Chinese people but they never did," Ling Youhui, Nong's father said.

Fetus In Fetu: A rare condition in which a fetus becomes enveloped by its twin in the womb. These "absorbed" twins are often a burden on the blood supply of the primary twin and must be removed, not being able to exist without the host.



Foreign Accent Syndrome: Occurs after a stroke--the person suddenly has a strange accent. This oddity is rare and is associated with brain damage. This is believed to be due to articulation difficulties.

 

Morgellons Disease:  Believed to be a delusional syndrome of thinking there are parsites in the skin with patients even producing strings from their skin which were later examined and found to be cotton fibers from clothing and bandages. The crawling sensations, picking at skin, and sores associated with this hysterical disease are frightening for the patient and family.

Proteus Syndrome:  Referred to as the Elephant Man Syndrome, this condition is an overgrowth of bones and tumors.