New York, NY -- Some rare diseases are as strange as the names that doctors give them.

For instance, there's "Maple Syrup Urine Disease," a metabolic disorder which causes the sweat and urine to smell extremely sweet. It may not sound so bad, but it can be fatal.

Maple Syrup Urine Disease is just one of several odd-sounding afflictions profiled in the new book, "The Strange Case of the Walking Corpse: A Chronicle of Medical Mysteries, Curious Remedies and Bizarre but True Healing Folklore" (Avery).

Others include...

-- "Jumping Frenchmen of Maine Disorder," in which sufferers have extreme reactions to being startled, such as jumping, flailing their arms and hitting people or things.

-- "Kabuki Makeup Syndrome" causes strange patterns to form on the face that resemble the makeup of Kabuki actors.

-- And, finally, "Vibration White Finger" is a hand-numbing condition caused by operating vibrating machines like chainsaws for long periods.

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