Quote: Heads were preserved in Greece and supposed to have prophetic knowledge. A sneeze would naturally be traced to something inside the head, and be regarded as a spontaneous expression of that something, independent of the body and the conscious will. It was regarded as prophetic, a sign from a power with other knowledge. - Richard Broxton Onians, The Origins of European Thought about the Body, the Mind, the Soul, the World, Time, and Fate (pg. 103) 1988.

Quote: The Romans saluted the sneezer with salve, or wished him health. With the Hindus sneezing is connected with demoniacal Influence — a spirit entering or leaving the nose, or being expelled from it. With Muhammadans it is customary to wash the nose out with water because the devil visits it at night. In certain cases in Hindu belief sneezing is ominous; if one is beginning work and hears another sneeze, it is necessary to begin over again. Sneezing at a threshold is unlucky. In mediieval and later folk-custom in different parts of Europe sneezing was sometimes regarded as a momentary palsy. -Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (pg. 398) 1917.