4 unbelievably bizarre medical practices from the past

From the ancient Greeks to the time of Abraham Lincoln, medical practices from the past probably did more harm than good. Real physicians practicing real medicine, as well as scientists and dreamers often had twisted thinking and performed gut-wrenching procedures; here are some crazy historical medical practices you were never taught about in school:

Benjamin Rush – Benjamin Rush was America’s best known and most trusted doctor. However, in his practice Dr. Rush doused his patients with cold water in the winter, gave them “artificial diarrhea” and even twirled patients from ropes suspended from the ceiling. He also invented the “tranquilizer chair”, which was later used all over the world. This invention restrained a patient’s hands and feet and covered their head with a wooden box. He believed that pain and suffering was able to cure illnesses and disease. So, he starved, beat and poured acid on his patients.

John Hunter – England’s greatest surgeon never have up his career as a grave robber, and he demanded he have 7’8” giant, Charles O’Brien’s bones when he died. Unfortunately Charles refused and made plans to be buried at sea in a lead basket. When Charles finally dropped dead, Hunter’s henchmen bribed the undertaker, grabbed the body and threw It into a big pot. Today, Charles O’Brien’s bones are displayed proudly at the Hunterian Museum.

King Charles II – When King Charles woke up feeling sick on 2 February 1685, a number of bizarre and downright crazy medical practices were performed. His physician immediately withdrew sixteen ounces of blood and Charles was then made to swallow a toxic metal and given a series of enemas. To drive the bad humours downward his head was shaven and blistering agents were applied to his scalp. For days Charles was tormented by physicians until finally he lapsed into a coma and died on February 6, 1685.

Dr. Walter Freeman – In the 1950’s Dr. Walter Freeman became the world’s best known brain surgeon. Freeman was not trained in surgery and didn’t believe in wearing gloves and working in a germ-free environment. He practiced at home with an ice pick and a grapefruit and soon unveiled the trans-orbital lobotomy. Three of Freeman’s patients died, although he still did lobotomies at nearby hospitals and send his patients postcards.

These real medical practices through the ages are just a brief history of what your teacher never taught you at school!

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19 Strange Ancient Medical Treatments You Won't Believe Existed

Historical documents show us that our ancestors had fairly good knowledge about injuries and illnesses. However, some of the treatment methods that they used were questionable to say the least. Take a look at a few strange, unbelievable, and unconventional medical treatments used by people of yore, some of which you won't believe are followed even today.

Bloodletting
According to ancient medical practitioners, the body was made of four primary substances―yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood―and maintaining a balance between the four was the key to the body's health. Therefore, people suffering from all sorts of ailments were often diagnosed as having too much blood. To cure the problem, the doctor would simply cut a vein and drain some blood out into a bowl. Although such a treatment could easily lead to death with a little carelessness, the practice of bloodletting continued well into the 19th century, with even barbers offering such services along with shaves and haircuts. The treatment was stopped when it was finally proved that it was doing more harm than good. However, in rare cases, controlled bloodletting is still practiced today through the use of leeches.

Mercury
Today, most of us know that mercury is highly toxic for our body. However, this element was once considered one of the most effective medications for a wide range of health issues. Mercury was given to patients to drink or to apply on their bodies as an ointment, by the ancient Persians and Greeks. The Chinese used mercury compounds in the belief that it would provide increased vitality and a long life. Till the end of the 19th century, the metal was also used to cure STDs. Unsurprisingly, many patients died from kidney and liver damage caused by mercury poisoning.

Cannibalistic Medication
In ancient times, consumption of the remains of a dead person was thought to increase vitality. People suffering from headaches, boils, cramps, etc., were often prescribed potions containing human blood, bones, or flesh. The ancient Romans would grind up mummies that they had looted from Egypt, and add their powder to various medications. This gruesome practice continued well into the 17th century, where the British King Charles II was rumored to drink a brew made of alcohol and powdered human skulls.

Bee Venom Treatment
A practice that continues till today, bee venom has been used for hundreds of years to cure issues such as herpes, arthritis, and rheumatism. Doctors would deliberately get honey bees to sting the patient near the nose and mouth, to cure them of many diseases. However, there has been no scientific evidence so far to support this cure.

Maggot Therapy
Usually used for surgical wounds which would not heal, maggot therapy has been used almost throughout human history. The method of treatment involved placing live maggots onto open wounds, which would go on to eat the dead tissue, facilitating healing. The surprising thing is that this treatment is gradually regaining popularity amongst modern doctors.

Lobotomies
One of the most controversial medical practices in human history, this treatment method even won its inventor a Nobel Prize. Used for curing problems such as schizophrenia or even anxiety and depression, this treatment was very popular until the 1930s. The treatment method consisted of pushing a needle or a pick through the back of the eye socket, and moving it around to get to the right part of the brain, occasionally resulting in brain damage. By the time the cure was phased out in the 1950s, over 70,000 people had undergone the procedure. A similar procedure called lobectomy is practiced nowadays to treat cases of epilepsy.

Eating Live Fish
In India, a family has been administering live fish to patients suffering from asthma, for more than 150 years. The treatment involves, slipping a small, live fish along with a ball of secret medication down the patient's throat. This has to be followed by a strict diet for the following 45 days. Despite there being no scientific credibility to this treatment, more than half a million people opt for this cure each year.

Cures for Disobedient Children
During the 19th century, people were probably too tired of handling bratty disobedient children. Which is why a number of 'soothing syrups and lozenges' were created to calm the troublesome children. The only problem with the products, however, was that they contained a large amount of narcotics including morphine, chloroform, codeine, heroin, opium, and cannabis. With all these ingredients, the medicine was sure to work, as long as one didn't mind their children being completely doped, or dead from an overdose.

As we can see, doctors of the past prescribed their patients some very dubious treatments, which we now know to be completely ineffective and in some cases fatally dangerous. Let us hope and pray that none of us have to face any of the above treatments as long as we live!

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