Death foretold

We briefly trace the history of a belief in the possibility that a person in apparent good health may accurately predict his or her own demise. The phenomenon is referred to as death foretold and we present presumed examples of it from the Bible, world literature, medical writings and newspaper reports without pretending to completeness. In two widely quoted scientific papers, death foretold is subsumed under the wider heading of decease due to psychic stress. We speculate on a possible link between the two, taking into consideration the fact that most people who prophesy their end are of an advanced age.