From Christopher Lee to Nicolas Cage, a number of actors have taken on the position of Count Dracula through the years.
Although the well-known vampire is fictional, it’s broadly believed that he’s based mostly on an actual Romanian prince often called Vlad the Impaler.
Now a research has revealed a bloody connection between the Romanian Prince and Count Dracula.
Experts from the University of Catania say Vlad the Impaler suffered from a uncommon situation that left him crying tears of blood.
Professor Vincenzo Cunsolo, who led the research, mentioned: “He probably suffered, at least in the last years of his life, from a pathological condition called hemolacria, that is, he could shed tears mixed with blood.”
Experts from the University of Catania say Vlad the Impaler suffered from a uncommon situation that left him crying tears of blood
From Christopher Lee (pictured) to Nicolas Cage, a number of actors have taken on the position of Count Dracula through the years
What is Hemolacria?
Hemolacria is the situation the place sufferers shed tears of blood.
The tears might have a crimson tint or seem as if they’re made totally of blood.
While the visible impression of hemolacria is highly effective and might be very scary, it isn’t at all times a trigger for concern.
It is a symptom of many ailments and will point out a tumor within the system that produces tears.
It will also be brought on by conjunctivitis, environmental injury or accidents.
There are recognized circumstances of hemolacria brought on by hormones in ladies.
Some researchers recommend that it’s associated to excessive stress or psychological misery.
Vlad, also called Vlad Dracula, was the three-time ruler of Wallachian between 1448 and his loss of life round 1477.
He was later the inspiration for Irish creator Bram Stoker’s well-known vampire depend in his 1897 novel Dracula.
Now, greater than 500 years after his loss of life, scientists have extracted “historical biomolecules” from letters written by the notorious warlord.
The crew extracted blood, sweat, fingerprints and saliva from a letter despatched in May this 12 months, precisely 125 years in the past that Stoker’s Dracula was revealed.
The letter is dated August 4, 1475 and was written to the residents of Sibiu by a person who describes himself within the textual content because the ‘prince of the Transalpine regions’.
He knowledgeable the inhabitants of the city that he would quickly be dwelling of their village.
At the underside he signed his dreaded identify: Vlad Dracula.
Analysis of proteins on the doc signifies that Vlad might have suffered from hemolacria – a uncommon situation wherein sufferers shed tears of blood.
The tears might have a crimson tint or seem as if they’re made totally of blood.
While the visible impression of hemolacria is highly effective and might be very scary, it isn’t at all times a trigger for concern.
Analysis of proteins on the doc signifies that Vlad might have suffered from a situation known as hemolacria
It is a symptom of many ailments and will point out a tumor within the system that produces tears.
It will also be brought on by conjunctivitis, environmental injury or accidents.
There are recognized circumstances of hemolacria brought on by hormones in grownup ladies.
Some researchers recommend that it’s associated to excessive stress or psychological misery.
Professor Cunsolo mentioned: ‘Our proteomic data, while not considered exhaustive in themselves, may indicate that, according to some accounts, he probably suffered, at least in the last years of his life, from a pathological condition called haemolacria , that is, he could shed tears with blood shed.
‘Moreover, he probably also suffered from inflammatory processes of the airways and/or of the skin.
“In our opinion, this is the first time such research has been conducted and has contributed to highlighting the health condition of Vlad Dracula the Impaler.
“There’s no denying that extra medieval individuals touched these paperwork, nevertheless it’s additionally believable that essentially the most distinguished historical proteins are associated to Prince Vlad the Impaler, who wrote and signed these letters.”
The research is revealed within the journal ACS Analytical Chemistry.