Illnesses in Middle-Earth

[Ruoutorin]

Many of the Noldor of Fingolfin's host perished while crossing the Helcaraxe. Although details of their deaths are not provided, one might assume that the treacherous crossing caused some Elves to die from sickness related to being exposed to severe weather conditions.
For myself I have always assumed that the Elves are not subject to sickness because it is told in the Sil that "the Elves die not until the world dies, unless they are slain or waste in grief (and to both these seeming deaths they are subject), neither does age subdue their strength, unless one grow weary of ten thousand centuries. and dying they are gathered to the halls of Mandos in Valinor, whence they may in time return.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Interesting speculation. We do have the author's word that hobbits are subject to illness. See this passage from the Grey Havens chapter where Tolkien describes the wonderful period of peace and prosperity that followed the War of the Ring. The italics are mine...

Altogether 1420 in the Shire was a marvellous year. Not only was there wonderful sunshine and delicious rain, in due times and perfect measure, but there seemed something more: an air of richness and growth, and a gleam of a beauty beyond that of mortal summers that flicker and pass upon this Middle-earth. All the children born or begotten in that year, and there were many, were fair to see and strong, and most of them had a rich golden hair that had before been rare among hobbits. The fruit was so plentiful that young hobbits very nearly bathed in strawberries and cream; and later they sat on the lawns under the plum-trees and ate, until they had made piles of stones like small pyramids or the heaped skulls of a conqueror, and then they moved on. And no one was ill, and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.

If Tolkien thought it was important to mention there was no illness in this era, we can assume that there must normally have been illness. It's true that hobbits lived extraordinarily long lives. We see no explicit mention, for example, of infant death. Yet the Brandybuck geneology does list two names with no descendents and no dates of birth of death given. And there are a number of names in the Samwise tree that show a birthdate but no descendents and no death date. Some of these are Sam's children but some appear much earlier in the family tree so they wouldn't have been alive when the Red Book was written. Did all of these folk marry and live long lives? We can't be sure since Tolkien gives us information on only a few of these individuals. It's possible that some fell prey to illness. And, even within the chronology, some did die at a "younger" age....witness Bungo Baggins who expired at 80 leaving Bilbo an "orphan" when he was 36. Illness could have played a part in such deaths but simply isn't mentioned.

[Mithalwen]

This ties in to questions that have occured to me over the time. I can accept that elves may be a lot tougher than men and will recover from wounds that would be fatal to men, partly because of the different balance between their souls and bodies, but maybe they could say bleed to death but would be immune from infection? However, it seems clear that since elves were lost both in the Helcaraxe and in the ice bay of Forochel, they must be able to drown (cf Amroth also) or die of exposure in extreme conditions. However if I remember correctly, Maedhros, expected to be on Thangorodrim forever ... so can you starve an elf to death (don't try that at home children )?

More generally, the one case I can think of of a woman dying in childbirth, is Theoden's wife Elfhild. Given the high maternal mortality rates in the west until the 1930s and existant in the developing world, this seems surprising. Of course because things are not mentioned, it does not mean they did not happen and so this may be in the category of " things that are not documented because they could have reasonably assumed to have happened". Or thsi was an aspect of Middle Earth that was different to out own world and Elfhild was peculiarly unlucky. As was her sister-in law Theodwyn who died of a sickness, which nevertheless spared her children.

It is possible that these deaths are plot devices rather than representative examples of the health of the populations of Middle Earth, but I can't help noticing that it is the women of the "middle men", who die from mundane causes while the dunedain women are too noble to do anything so vulgar and have to die of grief in Eldar fashion.

[A_Brandybuck]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

However if I remember correctly, Maedhros, expected to be on Thangorodrim forever ... so can you starve an elf to death (don't try that at home children )?

Oh yes, this is possible. Also an Elf can starve to death. Voronwë mentioned this while talking to Tuor. But he said also, that they need a long time without food, before they would die.

Originally Posted by Unfinished Tales, Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin

But Voronwë would answer nothing clearly concerning the road. "You know the strength of Men," he said. "As for me, I am of the Noldor, and long must be the hunger and cold the winter that shall slay the kin of those who passed the Grinding Ice. Yet how think you that we could labour countless days in the salt wastes of the sea? Or have you not heard of the way-bread of the Elves? And I keep still that which all mariners hold until the last." Then he showed beneath his cloak a sealed wallet clasped upon his belt. "No water nor weather will harm it while it is sealed. But we must husband it until great need; and doubtless an outlaw and hunter may find other food ere the year worsens.

Voronwë's words let also imply, that Elves could freeze to death and that both happened in the voyage over the Helcaraxe.
btw. Does there are a mention how Turgon's wife lost her life in the Grinding Ice? Or a hint?

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by A_Brandybuck

Oh yes, this is possible. Also an Elf can starve to death. Voronwë mentioned this while talking to Tuor. But he said also, that they need a long time without food, before they would die.



Voronwë's words let also imply, that Elves could freeze to death and that both happened in the voyage over the Helcaraxe.
btw. Does there are a mention how Turgon's wife lost her life in the Grinding Ice? Or a hint?

Oh, thank you, I was looking at UT tody .. but not that bit