Vampirism in Medicine and Culture

The aim of this chapter is multifold. Firstly, we want to show that the topic of vampirism is linked to a huge amount of misconceptions that have formed the idea of the vampire figure in Central and Western Europe for at least 100 years by analysing the role of the bat. Being a part of Southeast European vampire belief, this animal has no link to the vampire figure in Romania or Bulgaria. Secondly, the idea of vampirism in medicine and popular culture has to be explained. Finally, the link between vampirism, humoural pathology and magic medicine has to be enlightened.