John Dewey owns the phrase that every major advance in science has contributed to the development of a daring imagination of new heights. It was this “impertinence of imagination” that led to the flight to the moon, put on a computer in every house and gave people antibiotics that fight deadly diseases. Modern medicine in recent years has made a real leap, and our understanding of pathologies has not yet been at such a high level. But as history shows, in search of scientific achievements, people often made breathtaking mistakes.
When it came to diseases, even the most revered thinkers could interpret them incorrectly. Of course, such interpretations led to complex and, most importantly, incorrect procedures, including lobotomy and bloodletting. The more we learn about the history of medicine, the more we begin to doubt medical dogmas. What else are we doing wrong? What else can you discover? Only time will tell.
1
Female hysteria
At one time, scientists used pseudoscience to combat female hysteria. According to the theory of the ancient Egyptians, the cause of this disease was in the wrong position of the uterus (the obsolete name for the disease is uterine rabies). The word "hysteria" itself comes from the Latin language and means "womb". Doctors of the ancient era applied odorous substances to the vagina to eliminate the problem of hysteria. The ancient Greek physician Areteus believed that the uterus could move away or be attracted to the smell. The aroma of the substance used was selected depending on the high or low location of the organ.
Over time, the concept of hysteria became more and more strange. According to the myths of ancient Greece, the priest Melampus personally delivered the virgins on Argo from strange behavior. The daughters of King Proetus went crazy, deciding that they were walking cows. Melampus healed the girls with the roots of hellebore and forced them to make love with mature men. This case gave the concept of a "melancholic uterus."
Famous philosophers Hippocrates and Plato believed that the female uterus could change the mood. It was assumed that the absence of sex makes the uterus sad and eventually, according to Hippocrates, contributes to the accumulation of harmful moods around it. These moods migrated throughout the body, causing illness. Similar assumptions “migrated” to Ancient Rome.
According to US researcher Rachel Maynes, the invention of the vibrator is directly related to hysteria. In the 19th century, doctors had to satisfy women with them until their normal state was restored. When they were tired of “working with their hands”, the doctors shifted the responsibility to midwives. It is worth noting that the Manes hypothesis is being questioned.
The invention of the electromechanical vibrator dates from the late 1800s. It was used to massage the muscles to speed up the process of achieving orgasm. The effect was achieved - now instead of an hour, the process took only 10 minutes.
2
Trepanation and evil spirits
Today, skull drilling for the treatment of mental illness is clearly not popular. However, this was not always the case, from the Neolithic era to the Ancient World, doctors of many civilizations used trepanation to combat mental illness.
In the Paleolithic times, primitive tribes used trepanation to drive evil spirits out of their bodies (apparently, they had to “escape” through a drilled hole in the skull). Of course, after such a “treatment” the patient was dying, and fragments of his skull were very popular as amulets. The shamans hung themselves with them in order to ward off the influence of the demon.
Warlike tribes in South America have somewhat improved the process. He used trepanation to treat head injuries. Modern surgeons use advanced trepanation to reduce intracranial pressure. Perhaps that is why the Indians were so crazy? Even now, some “craftsmen” use trepanation to affect the blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid in the head (you should not try this at home, unless you are a fan of “flying over the cuckoo's nest”).
In the 70s of the XX century, Amanda Feiling performed trepanation on her own to get rid of toxins, which, in her opinion, contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease. She twice put forward her candidacy in parliamentary elections, promoting the theory of the need for trepanation. You will be surprised, but the woman even got a few votes.
3
Elixir of Life
They say that two things are terrible in life: death and taxes. The wealthy inhabitants of ancient China apparently only worried about the first. Otherwise, how to explain their love for the alchemists and the "elixirs of eternal life"? The first emperor of China, Qin Shihuang, loved life so much that he ordered the invention of the potion of immortality. Alchemists puzzled for a long time and offered ... mercury. Epic fallacy! Today, every student knows about her mortal danger. As a result, taking the charge of "immortality", the emperor died at the age of 49 years. Nevertheless, alchemists continued to work, often dying as a result of working with mercury.
Before his death, Qin Shihuang ordered the creation of the world-famous Terracotta Army, which was supposed to protect his peace in the afterlife. Rumor has it that the tomb of the emperor is surrounded by a river of mercury.
Another "immortal" emperor of China was Xuanzong, who took an elixir from cinnabar (mercury sulfide). The elixir “awarded” him with all the known symptoms: itching, paranoia and muscle weakness. According to the alchemists, it was just the path to immortality. It is not surprising that the emperor did not last long.
Almost every ruler of ancient China "dabbled" in one or another elixir. As far as we know, no one received immortality.
4
Miasma theory
The theory of miasma was proposed as an explanation for the appearance of many diseases. Before people learned about germs, it was believed that diseases were caused by “bad” impurities in the atmosphere. The best illustration of medicine of that time is the “plague doctors”, wearing masks with beaks in which herbs were put in to prevent painful odors. In the Victorian era, Edwin Chadwick suggested that the cholera epidemic was caused by miasms, and Florence Nightingale blamed the construction of houses near the fetid drains, calling it the main cause of the disease, smallpox, measles and scarlet fever.
Pictured: John Snow, anesthetist
Anesthesiologist John Snow (no, not that one) refuted the miasma theory, arguing that the cause of cholera infection lies in dirty water, not air. At that time he was considered a fool. Snow noticed that some areas of London are less prone to outbreaks of cholera, noting that filtered water is being delivered to them. Since all the water was taken from the Thames with its wastewater and pollution from cesspools, it is not surprising that failure to clean it could lead to cholera. Regions with high cholera often received untreated water from the dirtiest parts of the Thames. And also Snow noticed the connection between the disease and the incorrect functioning of the sewage system. In one of the districts of the city there was a particularly strong outbreak of cholera.
At the same time, liquid from the cesspool contaminated the nearest water pump.
The fallacy of the miasma theory was proved by Louis Pasteur, who discovered the existence of microbes. Finally, the miasms that “covered up” from the time of Herodotus were sent to the dustbin of history.
5
Tooth Worms
Jokes are bad with caries, especially in Babylon, where doctors considered worms to be a toothache! After the Babylonians, many doctors believed that a tooth disease occurs because worms burrow inside the tooth. As soon as they get tired - the pain goes away. Some peoples even considered the worm to be the embodiment of a demon.
Fumigation and extraction were popular treatments for toothache. The doctor of the Roman emperor Claudius Scribonius Larg smoked patients' mouths with bleached seeds, suggesting that the smoke would scare away the pests. In the 17th century, many charlatans were allegedly extracted from the teeth of worm patients. In fact, they quietly pulled out pieces of a lute string.
Noteworthy is the treatment method of the Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder. He caught a frog in the moonlight, spit in her mouth, saying: "Frog, go and take my toothache with you."
Pierre Fauchard, considered the father of modern dentistry, exposed the theory of the toothworm. In his book, he advised patients to consume less sugar.
6
Sores and stress
Until recently, doctors believed that stomach ulcers were caused by stress and acidity. Those who were skeptical of this theory became objects of ridicule. The Australian gastroenterologist Barry Marshall undertook to refute erroneous judgments, who in 1984 expressed the opinion that the Helicobacter pylori bacteria were to blame. The scientist was so convinced of his theory that he began to experiment on himself. To do this, he drank a decoction with a high content of bacteria, and thundered to the hospital with a diagnosis of acute gastritis. Marshall cured himself by taking antibiotics, striking the first blow to the theory of stress ulcers.
In the photo: Barry Marshall
However, Marshall and his colleagues were faced with serious opposition from pharmaceutical companies, who feared that products that supposedly cured ulcers would become unnecessary. Since most studies of stomach ulcers were funded by manufacturers of H2 blockers (drugs to reduce acidity), ignoring Helicobacter is understandable. After lengthy debate, scientists were able to prove that bacteria can survive in an environment with high acidity. Now it is believed that 80% of stomach ulcers are caused by these bacteria. The award of Barry Marshall and his colleague Robin Warren was the Nobel Prize and worldwide recognition!
7
Cadaveric medicine
Cadaveric medicine involved the use of body parts of cadavers for the treatment of diseases. Parts of the body differed depending on the disease, for example, epilepsy and nosebleeds were treated with “treatment” with pieces of the skull. Shallow wounds healed with dressings soaked in cadaveric fat.
The rich and famous Europeans of the 16th – 17th centuries bought human bodies, and dishonest grave diggers chased after profit, revealing burial places. Egyptian tombs were plundered not so much because of jewelry, but because of mummies, which were supposed to help from bleeding and bruising. Even members of the royal family were implicated in this. The English king Charles II was not indifferent to drinking and human brains. He often went to his laboratory to retrieve the "potion."
And also the love of “cadaveric medicine” is attributed to the inhabitants of Denmark of the XIX century, who came to public executions with cups to collect more blood. Hans Christian Andersen described how a man watered his child with the blood of an executed criminal in order to cure epilepsy. Blood from virgins was required to get rid of leprosy. In the Middle Ages, such a medicine was called the "elixir of life." Needless to say, it helped no more than mercury?
This "medical vampirism" is rooted in Ancient Rome, where many peoples believed that human blood would kill the disease and give new strength. These theories forced the Romans to drink the blood of defeated gladiators.
8
Four temperaments
A qualitative leap in the development of anatomy belongs to the ancient Greeks. Autopsy and vivisection allowed me to learn a lot about the structure of the body and the causes of diseases. For example, it was found out that the brain gives “commands” through nerves, and also learned about the circulatory system. A number of philosophers have established a link between disease and the environment, focusing on biological causes rather than supernatural powers. Nevertheless, one mistake could not be avoided: the theory of four temperaments.
Hippocrates' theory of humoralism suggested that the human body is filled with four fluids: sputum, blood, black and yellow bile. Imbalance in these fluids can lead to illness. Also, fluids were associated with the psychological state of a person. If a person was dominated by black bile, he was a melancholy. So where did this judgment come from?
Most likely, the Greeks took blood samples in glass vessels, after which the coagulation process began. The result was four layers: white, red, yellow and black, from which philosophers' judgments about temperament went. You can also assume. That the Greeks based their theory on four elements: water, fire, earth and air. To restore balance, doctors suggested changing the diet, and also used bloodletting, eliminating excess bad fluid.
Bloodletting was also in demand in the Middle Ages. It was carried out by medical barbers to treat epilepsy and smallpox. The theory of "bad blood" has found supporters for millennia and, according to historians, has become one of the reasons for the early death of George Washington.
By the way, we recommend that you also look at the most-beauty.ru article about doctors who conducted terrible experiments on their patients.
9
Urinotherapy
In simple words, urinotherapy is the use of urine to treat various diseases. Adherents of this therapy praise the healing properties of urine, calling it the “elixir of life,” “the golden fountain,” and even “liquid gold.” Doctors describe the liquid not so poetically, calling it a waste product.
Urine has been used throughout the history of mankind. Some treated her open wounds, others offered to drink some of their own urine in the morning. Still others went even further, trying to cure the bubonic plague with urine. By making a corresponding request on the Internet, you will realize that this theory is still alive.
In China, today, thousands of people are treated with urine. Among the fans of urinotherapy are such famous athletes as boxer Juan Manuel Marquez and MMA fighter Luc Cammo.
Madonna admired David Letterman with admiration that urine is extremely beneficial for treating foot fungus. Some teenagers try to get rid of acne with urine, while others whiten her teeth. Despite the fact that the beneficial properties of urine are unknown, doctors are adamant - it can only do harm.
10
Sympathetic powder
Sir Kenelm Digby was a man of science and philosophy, but, like many of his contemporaries (we are talking about the XVII century), he had a passion for alchemy and astrology. He came up with a strange theory related to the fact that a means of treating wounds should have been applied to weapons that have been wounded. The drug was called a sympathetic powder.
Digby's theory was heard at the Doctors Forum in Montpellier, where evidence was approved by King James I. Digby’s confidence in his remedy was based on a miraculous event. His friend writer James Howell was injured in a duel, then Digby applied the powder to a blood-soaked bandage, stored separately from the patient. Somehow, the writer survived (luck and the placebo effect), and all the laurels went to the new facility.
According to Digby, he learned the secret of treatment from one of the monks, who said that the potion works on the basis of “sympathetic magic”. The essence of magic is that a weapon, having been in close proximity to a person, that is, injuring him, develops a magical connection. This powder became extremely popular and was sold throughout Europe in the 17th century.
In addition, Digby suggested the existence of a "biological rebirth." He hoped to resurrect the dead using the ashes of plants and animals. Such a zeal for resurrection, according to rumors, was the result of the accidental poisoning of the thinker's wife.They say she died through his fault, drinking "wine" from the venom of a viper.