Strange MedicineA Shocking History of Real Medical Practices Through the Ages
By Nathan Belofsky (Author)
Paperback (224 pages)
Published: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Imprint: Perigee Trade
ISBN: 9780399159954
Book Description:
In Ancient Greece,
doctors applied electric eels to patients with migraines. In medieval times
dentists burned candles into patient's mouths to kill off those
pesky invisible worms gnawing at their teeth. Even in the modern era, one of
the world's best-known brain surgeons, Dr. Walter Freeman, drove ice
picks into patient's eyes to practice lobotomies.
In STRANGE MEDICINE: A Shocking History of Real Medical Practices Through
The Ages, Nathan Belofsky takes readers on a wild
ride through history, describing the bizarre treatments, hubris-driven blunders
and stomach-turning cures civilized society has been subjected to over the
centuries. This book is sure to intrigue anyone interested in human history,
medicine or the bodies they live in.
An illuminating
panorama of medical history, STRANGE MEDICINE
presents hundreds of strange, yet true facts
including:
- For a toothache, doctors suggested rubbing your mouth with a hippopotamus' left tooth and eating the ashes of a wolf's head.
- Medical astrologers, required by law to carry horoscopes in their medical bags, said they could predict with near-perfect accuracy the exact time when a patient should be treated for a migraine!
- To heal wounds, it was suggested to use spider webs as stitches.
- And much, much more!
Idgie Says:
Tired of pulling out the same of trivia in front of guests? Well this will definitely give you something new to talk about. Really, as I read it, I was astonished that there are even any humans left on the planet. I literally shuddered as I read about some of these more interesting and sadistic things that were done to people to "help them heal". Most died from the treatments and I applauded the ones that lived through it.
I will say I found it interesting that even in the 1400's, men thought most woman just needed a good *$&# to get their spirits and minds back in order. ;)
Oh, and if someone tries to shove a dead mouse down my throat because it's sore.............