Star Trek: 10 Weirdest Medical Cases

Case: Massive Degradation of Organic Tissue via Subnucleonic Radiation

This case first came to the attention of Starfleet Medical when the then stranded starship USS Voyager's ship's logs were transmitted from the Delta Quadrant via a micro-wormhole in 2376. It remains undoubtedly one of the most out-of-the-ordinary, both in terms of pathology and in treatment plan as devised by Voyager's Chief Medical Officer.

The harmful impact of Mutara-class nebulae on starship operations has been known for well over a century now, but it was through the Voyager crew's attempt to traverse one in 2374 that we learnt of their potentially devastating effects on organic tissue. From just seconds to minutes of exposure to the nebula's subnucleonic radiation, symptoms included severe acute generalised pain, skin lesions, and second- to fourth-degree burns. EMH logs indicate that sickbay was "inundated" with patients, and one death was recorded. Symptoms abated once the ship exited the nebula.

With a 100% mortality rate, the only course of 'treatment' for the entire crew (except one) was suspended animation in specialised stasis units. Secondary complications included somnambulism, and synaptic relay degradation with changes in sensory node neurotransmitter levels, accompanied by auditory and visual hallucinations, as observed in another patient.