When looking for names for the diseases that humans suffer, usually the doctor or scientist who discovered it is used as is the case, for example, of the Hurler's syndrome , but in others the ones of mythological beings are adopted, fictional as the case Othello syndrome or from places like Jerusalem syndrome , that in some way are related to that evil. On this occasion we want to tell you about a legend that has given name to a terrible disease. It's about the Alsatian legend of Ondina and its relation with the Syndrome of Ondina.
The Alsatian legend of Ondina and the Ondina Syndrome
The undines they are nature spirits that live in water courses such as rivers, springs or lakes. The ancient Greeks called them " naiads And they were part of the minor deities known as nymphs . They are similar to humans, but they inhabit their own worlds and are usually female because water was considered as an element as well.
The Alndina legend of Ondina When he was born, all the fairies of the kingdom gathered around the cradle and gave him many gifts as a gift. Her fairy godmother, who was also her grandmother, offered her exceptional beauty and the ability to love humans, which was the condition for acquiring an immortal soul, but on the condition that if they cheated on her with another woman, she would die. One day, over the years, a young gentleman was captivated by the beauty of the girl, kidnapped her and got her to love him. They left to live together, but soon the man got tired of her and cheated on her with another one. The curse was fulfilled. The young man lost the ability to breathe automatically and when falling asleep, during the dream , died. Other versions of the legend say that the young woman, in love, forgot to visit her sick mother and that her grandmother / fairy godmother punished her with the curse: if the gentleman deceived her, she would die because she could not breathe automatically. The Ondina syndrome It is a respiratory syndrome that took its name from this legend.
The central hypoventilation syndrome It is a serious respiratory disorder that causes breathing to stop during sleep. Although it has treatment it is deadly if it is not treated. Its origin can be congenital, affecting the autonomic control of breathing, or acquired throughout life due to injuries or severe trauma to the brain or brain stem. It is also known as Ondina Syndrome or Curse of Ondina due to the Alsatian legend that we have told you.
Did you know the Alsatian legend of Ondina and its relationship with the Ondina syndrome? Do you remember other legends or mythological characters that have given name to diseases or syndromes? Share it with us! If you have been interested in this article, you may want to know more about curious syndromes by reading the post: 5 super rare syndromes that you can suffer .