Should she glow?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

There are no statistics on how many people were cured, but given the deplorable state of medicine in the Middle Ages and early modern times, the laying of hands was probably more efficacious than mercury-laced medicines and blood letting. At least one didn't die of the cure.

Well, blood-letting was even advocated as late as the early 20th Century for treating the 1918 flu pandemic, though that may have been as much out of desperation as of honest belief in efficacy.

As for the laying on of hands, there was probably a psychological aspect as well involved as far as the King was concerned, as having the King (as a semi-divine entity) actually touch one could feed the will to live. True healing power was obviously possessed by the kings though, at least demonstrably in Aragorn's case with his healing of unconscious persons.