These medical procedures and beliefs (whether ancient or not so) appear funny, even wild, in the eyes of modern man. The ancient Egyptians, for example, sincerely believed that the brain was cooling the blood, and for the intellect and thoughts the heart was responsible. Even Hippocrates himself has put mildly strange diagnoses, such as a wandering uterus. Here are some examples of strange healing procedures for our ancestors.

Mercury treatment

According to the beliefs, the first emperor of China is laid in a tomb, surrounded by rivers of liquid mercury, with the help of which he hoped for eternal immortality. Ironically, however, mercury most probably caused his death, who was under 40 years of age. Mercury has for centuries been used as an antiseptic, for the treatment of skin diseases, and for the addition of salt solutions and cosmetics. Ultimately, however, the ultimate effect of mercury treatment is slow and painful death.

Tobacco smoke

In the 17th-18th century an obligatory tool in the bag of the self-respecting healer was the smoking enema device. Innovation for your time: a rubber tube with a pair of pumps. Doctors at that time believed that tobacco smoke could warm up almost a dead body and restore breathing. Initially such enemas were used to resuscitate drowning, and then became a method of treating everything: cold, headache, typhus typhus and cholera. By 1811, scientists had established the toxic action of nicotine on the body and the practice was gradually phased out.

Swivel chair

In the 19th century, the rotating chair is considered the most humane method for treating mental illnesses. Chain restraint, dark room, ice shower, insulin coma, and frontal lobotomy were not particularly effective. Through this elegant method, the patients were placed in a chair and twisted until it lost consciousness. Doctors believed that such a carousel could shake the brain and relieve patients of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

Radioactive water

At the beginning of the 20th century, a huge popularity recruited radioactive water, treating mental illness and preventing aging. It is even used to treat diarrhea and malaria. Radius added not only to water but also to candy, contraceptives and toothpaste. Radiant resorts have been discovered for spa tourism lovers. Today, of course, we know that Radi is deadly and accumulates in bones, blood and tissues

Morphine without prescription and opiates

Once, morphine was a major drug in the home medicine cabinet. Today it is also used in medicine, but in the past it has been a popular anti-cold, insomnia and menstrual pain. A morphine-based syrup has been used to relieve tears in children. At the beginning of the 20th century it was possible to buy without prescription all sorts of drugs based on cocaine, heroin, morphine and opium.

Trepanation

Drilling a hole in the skull (without any anesthesia) from ancient times is considered a healing procedure. Trepanation, one of the oldest surgical procedures, has been known to mankind since Mesolitha. It has been used by medical pioneers such as Hippocrates in ancient Greece and Galen in ancient Rome. Ancient medicine relies heavily on the mystical and ritual nature of the operation, believing that this is the way the evil spirit guilty of the disease is given away. Today even if it sounds barbarian trepanation is still used as a remedy for cranial-brain injuries.

Cannibalism

Modern medicine often uses a body to support the life of another body (blood transfusion, organ transplantation). But with our ancestors, there was a whole strand of "corpse medicine" The head of the ancient Egyptians would have prescribed you mummy powder Muscles are hurt You rub the place with human mass Epilepsy Ancient Rome would recommend blood from a gladiator Human organs, fat, bones, blood and mummified remains have been used for treatment until the early 19th century.