Deadlier Than Disease: Historical Health Practices Gone Wrong
By Jack Ripley | April 11, 2024
Trepanning: From Ancient Skull Surgery to Modern Medical Practices
Medical history is littered with unsettling practices, and this look into the curious and sometimes macabre world of remedies and treatments from bygone eras will make you thank your lucky stars that you're alive in the 21st century.
From the ancient belief in the transformative powers of cannibalism to the astonishingly misguided attempts at curing ailments with tobacco smoke enemas, we uncover a tapestry of practices that, in hindsight, were often more perilous than the illnesses they sought to treat.
Join us as we navigate through the shadows of medical history, shining a light on the strange and sometimes shocking interventions of the past.
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Trepanning, the ancient practice of boring holes into the skull, stands as one of humanity's earliest surgical interventions, dating back to the Neolithic period. Archaeological evidence reveals that this procedure was remarkably common, with 5-10% of Neolithic skulls displaying telltale trepanation marks. Despite its brutal nature, some patients miraculously survived, evidenced by signs of healing on their skulls. Intriguingly, trepanning transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, with examples found in Europe, Siberia, China, and the Americas. Remarkably, this practice persisted beyond the Stone Age, extending through the classical period and into the Renaissance.
Shock Treatments: The Dubious Pursuit of Male Potency
In the quest to address impotence, Victorian-era medical practitioners explored a myriad of treatments, often rooted in misconceptions and dubious practices. Samuel W. Gross, in his work on sexual disorders, attributed impotence to factors such as masturbation, gonorrhea, and sexual excesses. Enterprising doctors devised various remedies, including "galvanic baths" filled with electrodes and the insertion of electrified rods into the urethra, promising restoration of sexual desire and function. Additionally, the market became flooded with advertisements for "electropathic belts," which claimed to cure a range of ailments including kidney pains and nervous exhaustion, but primarily targeted men's sexual inadequacies. However, behind these ostensible solutions lay a landscape of quackery and exploitation, preying upon the insecurities of vulnerable individuals.
From Miracle Cure to Menace: The Rise and Fall of Cocaine in Medicine
Courtesy National Library of Medicine
In the late 19th century, cocaine, isolated from the coca leaf, captivated pharmaceutical companies with its rapid effects and affordability. Initially hailed as a breakthrough anesthetic by ophthalmologist Carl Koller in 1884, cocaine soon permeated various medical procedures, including eye and sinus surgeries. Marketed as a panacea for ailments from toothaches to depression, cocaine found its way into countless remedies, even appearing in Sears Roebuck catalogues and becoming a key ingredient in Coca-Cola. However, its adverse effects, including sleep disturbances and hallucinations, often exacerbated the very conditions it claimed to cure. Shockingly accessible without a prescription, by 1902, an estimated 200,000 Americans were addicted to cocaine. The tide turned with the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914, which banned its production and distribution, marking the end of an era of widespread cocaine use and abuse.
Snake Oil: Myth, Medicine, and Deception in American History
Snake oil, once a staple in historical health practices, holds a complex legacy. Derived from the oil of Chinese water snakes, it found its way to the United States in the 1800s, accompanying Chinese laborers on the Transcontinental Railroad. Its rich reservoir of omega-3 acids led to its application in reducing inflammation and alleviating conditions like arthritis and bursitis, particularly beneficial for weary railroad workers. However, the narrative took a dubious turn with the emergence of figures like Clark Stanley, dubbed "The Rattlesnake King." Formerly a cowboy, Stanley capitalized on the allure of snake oil, fabricating tales of its miraculous healing properties. His flamboyant demonstrations, including the theatrical act of slicing open live rattlesnakes, captivated audiences, despite subsequent revelations by the FDA confirming the absence of any genuine snake oil in his concoctions. Stanley's charade paved the way for a wave of fraudulent practitioners, tarnishing the reputation of legitimate medical applications and perpetuating the stereotype of the deceitful "snake oil salesman."
Urine: The Ancient Roman Teeth-Whitening Elixir
Image from the Philips Sonicare toothbrush advertisement.
In ancient times, urine wasn't merely waste; it was a valuable commodity with a plethora of practical applications. Roman society, in particular, placed a premium on urine, collecting it from public urinals and even imposing taxes on those who profited from its sale. Beyond its nonmedical uses in activities like gunpowder production and leather softening, urine found a rather unorthodox role as a tooth whitener. The ammonia it contains was believed to help eradicate stains, although the efficacy of such a method in combating morning breath remains dubious. Interestingly, allowing urine to ferment facilitated the conversion of urea into ammonia, a compound prized for its antibacterial and bleaching properties, commonly utilized in household cleaning products. While this teeth-whitening method transcended ancient Rome and persisted throughout history, its appeal waned with modern advancements, albeit with sporadic attempts by some to revive its use, despite medical advisories against such practices.
Prefrontal Lobotomies: A Dark Chapter in Medical History
https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2019/11/01/when-faces-made-case-lobotomy
Walter Freeman's quest to alleviate the suffering of the mentally and emotionally distressed resulted in one of history's most gruesome medical interventions: the prefrontal lobotomy. Inspired by earlier research, Freeman's method involved drilling holes or thrusting an ice pick-like instrument through patients' eye sockets to sever connections between the frontal lobes and the thalamus, aiming to address emotional turmoil. Teaming up with James Watts, Freeman performed thousands of lobotomies, often with disastrous consequences. Patients were left in vegetative states or experienced relapses, with mortality rates as high as 15 percent. Among the most infamous victims was Rosemary Kennedy, sister of future President John F. Kennedy, whose life was forever altered. Despite the risks and questionable efficacy, Freeman's showmanship and hospitals' willingness to comply allowed him to perform thousands of procedures, until a fatal error in 1967 finally halted his reckless practices.
Heroin: From Cure to Curse
In the late 19th century, amid the throes of a morphine epidemic, the pharmaceutical industry sought a purportedly safer alternative, leading to the creation of heroin. Originally synthesized by English researcher C.R. Alder Wright in the 1870s, heroin remained dormant until a chemist at Bayer pharmaceuticals stumbled upon Wright's findings in 1895. Marketed as diamorphine, it was hailed as five times more potent and less addictive than morphine. In a misguided effort to combat common ailments like sore throats and coughs, Bayer introduced heroin-laced aspirin in 1898, targeting children as its primary consumers. Despite initial optimism, mounting evidence of addiction and adverse effects prompted skepticism among physicians. Nevertheless, Bayer persisted in marketing its heroin-laced products until 1913. Subsequently, the FDA's prohibition of heroin in 1924 marked the end of its brief, misguided reign as a supposed panacea.
Tobacco Smoke Enema: A Curious Medical Fad of the 18th Century
In the long tale of medical history, the tobacco smoke enema stands out as a peculiar yet widely practiced remedy of the late 1700s. Introduced alongside the arrival of tobacco from the Americas to England, this unconventional treatment involved administering tobacco smoke rectally, purportedly to cure a spectrum of ailments. Initially utilized by the "pipe smoker London Medic" to revive near-drowned individuals rescued from the River Thames, the practice gained popularity as a supposed method to both warm the body and stimulate respiration. The Royal Humane Society even distributed resuscitation kits, complete with apparatus for tobacco enemas, along the riverbanks. Soon, enthusiasts touted its efficacy in treating various conditions, from headaches to cholera. However, with the increased use of tobacco enemas for serious illnesses came heightened risks for practitioners, including potential inhalation of harmful pathogens. Despite efforts to mitigate dangers with the introduction of bellows, the decline of the tobacco enema began in the early 1800s with emerging awareness of tobacco's adverse effects on the heart, marking the end of a curious chapter in medical experimentation.
Teething Troubles: A Dark Chapter in Pediatric Medicine
COLLECTION ABECASIS / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
In centuries past, infant mortality cast a dark shadow over households, often shrouded in mystery. As children succumbed to unknown causes between the ages of six months and two years, medical minds of the time turned to teething as a potential culprit. In England and Wales, thousands of deaths were attributed to teething in the 19th century, with the figure persisting into the early 20th century. In their efforts to combat this perceived menace, physicians resorted to a range of interventions, from bleeding and blistering to the application of leeches on tender gums. Gum lancing, introduced by French surgeon Ambroise Paré in the 16th century, emerged as a preferred method, albeit with potentially deadly consequences from ensuing infections. Remarkably, this practice persisted well into the 20th century, a grim reminder of the barbarity that can pervade medical history with unintended consequences.
Cannibalistic Cures
Examination of a Mummy by Paul Dominique Philippoteaux c 1891. (Photo: Public Domain/ArtMight)
Going back for a millennia, humanity has harbored peculiar beliefs about the transformative power of ingesting human flesh. In ancient Rome, the blood of gladiators was sought after for its purported strength-enhancing properties and as a remedy for epilepsy. This fascination persisted through the centuries, as evidenced by Englishman Edward Browne's 1668 observation of spectators collecting blood from execution victims. Perhaps most striking is the macabre prescription of a German physician in the early 1600s, advocating the consumption of a jerky-like concoction made from the corpses of 24-year-old redheads mixed with wine, myrrh, and aloe. However, with the recognition of bloodborne diseases, the dangers of such practices became evident. Yet, the concept of using human body parts for medical purposes found legitimacy in the development of organ donation and transplantation in the mid-20th century, marking a stark evolution from ancient rituals to modern medical practices.
