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For as long as history has been recorded, ancient civilizations have been developing healing methods. While many of these practices laid the groundwork for today's advanced medical standards, others were bizarre, ineffective, and even dangerous. Fortunately, the following practices are no longer in use.
10. Cutting Teeth - France
The phrase 'cutting teeth' isn’t just a metaphor for gaining foundational skills in a new field; it was once an actual medical procedure. Teething, the process of a baby’s teeth emerging through the gums, originates from a 16th-century French practice. Doctors would use a scalpel to cut open the gum tissue to help the teeth break through. This method, which started in France, later spread across Europe and reached the United States.
The procedure originated with French physician Ambrose Pare, who in 1575 autopsied a child’s body. 'Upon thoroughly investigating the cause of death, we concluded it was due to the unusually tough gums... When we sliced the gums with a blade, all the teeth were visible... Had this been done while the child was alive, he likely would have survived.' Sadly, this method persisted until the early 1900s, despite being a highly controversial medical practice. The exact number of child fatalities from teething is unknown, but the use of unsterilized instruments and the physical trauma often led to tragic outcomes.
9. Mouse Paste - Egypt
In ancient Egypt, individuals suffering from common issues like toothaches or earaches often turned to mice for relief. Toothaches were particularly widespread due to the high amount of sand in their diet, which infiltrated nearly all food. The abrasive nature of sand wore down tooth enamel, exposing sensitive nerves and blood vessels.
For reasons unclear, Egyptians believed that decaying and often putrid mice could alleviate these ailments. The mice were ground into a paste and applied to the affected area. In severe cases, an entire dead mouse was placed directly on the tooth. While this remedy likely failed to cure toothaches, it almost certainly exacerbated the issue. Introducing decomposing tissue to exposed nerves and blood vessels was a surefire way to transform a minor ache into a severe infection.
8. Clay Consumption - Greece
In ancient Greece, people often consumed a specific type of clay known as terra sigillata, sourced from the island of Lemnos. This clay was shaped into disks, exported, and marketed as a remedy for stomach ailments and diarrhea.
Although some individuals still consume clay today for various reasons, it is no longer widely regarded as a legitimate medical treatment. Interestingly, the clay from Lemnos contains kaolin and bentonite, which are used in modern medicine to treat diarrhea. Hippocrates, among others, documented the benefits of this clay, and modern science confirms its healing properties. Similarly, the bark of the willow tree, also noted by ancient physicians, is now used to produce aspirin. While clay consumption is rare today, its ancient application continues to benefit us, especially when dealing with ailments like Montezuma’s Revenge.
7. Retribution or Compensation - Mesopotamia
Around 1700 B.C. in Mesopotamia, King Hammurabi established a set of laws, including the well-known principle of 'an eye for an eye.' Notably, surgeons were compensated based on the patient’s social status for successful operations. However, if a surgery failed, especially on a high-ranking individual, the surgeon could face severe penalties, such as losing a hand.
Ancient Mesopotamia had various types of medical practitioners. The ashipu, or sorcerer, diagnosed illnesses by identifying the evil spirits afflicting the patient. They would then recommend spells or charms to drive out the spirits or refer the patient to an asu, a physician who treated ailments with herbal remedies and plaster casts for injuries.
The Code of Hammurabi mandated retribution or compensation for surgeons only if they performed procedures involving knives. This restriction discouraged surgical interventions, as surgeons feared severe consequences for unsuccessful operations. Consequently, the asu often opted for non-surgical, homeopathic treatments to avoid such risks.
6. Have Some Poo - Egypt
Today, treating an eye infection doesn’t involve applying animal dung, but ancient Egyptians thought otherwise. They frequently used animal excrement to treat wounds and infections, even ingesting mixtures of dung and other substances for various illnesses. Dung from pigs, donkeys, lizards, and even children was incorporated into medicinal remedies. Egyptian doctors aimed to produce pus, believing it had healing properties for infections. Modern medicine, however, recognizes pus as a sign of infection rather than a cure.
While we no longer use dung for eye or wound treatments, modern medicine has found value in feces for certain conditions. To treat Clostridium difficile, a dangerous infection causing severe diarrhea and fatalities, doctors transplant fecal matter to restore healthy gut bacteria. Advances in this field have led to the development of frozen fecal pills, eliminating the need for fresh donor samples during treatment.
5. Partial Tongue Removal - Europe
A hemiglossectomy is a surgical procedure involving the partial removal of the tongue, commonly used today to treat conditions like oral cancer. While effective in removing cancerous tissue, it often leaves the tongue visibly altered. Thankfully, modern plastic surgery and rehabilitation techniques help improve the quality of life for patients who undergo this procedure.
In 18th- and 19th-century Europe, however, this procedure was not used for cancer but rather to address speech issues like stuttering. Doctors believed that cutting off half the tongue could cure a stutter. Unsurprisingly, this method failed to correct speech impediments and often led to fatal complications such as infections and excessive bleeding. It’s baffling how many attempts were made before this practice was abandoned.
4. Tobacco - North America
In Native American cultures, tobacco was revered as a powerful remedy for various ailments, including chronic pain and tuberculosis. It was consumed by smoking, eating, or applying it directly to the skin. Unlike modern cigarettes, which are laden with harmful chemicals, the tobacco used by Native Americans was pure and natural.
However, even in its pure form, tobacco poses significant health risks, especially when used medicinally. In the 19th century, doctors believed it could treat conditions like ringworm, constipation, hernias, and infections, whether ingested, applied topically, or administered rectally.
Despite its historical uses, tobacco and nicotine are highly addictive and harmful. We strongly discourage their use for medicinal purposes. If you’re looking to quit smoking, explore smoking cessation programs and consult your healthcare provider for guidance.
3. Castration - Assyro-Babylonia
In ancient Assyria and Babylon, medicine was deeply intertwined with magic and spirituality. Castration was not a common practice outside of medical contexts and was typically performed by physicians, often to prepare men for roles as eunuchs in harems. Unlike Turkish harems, which required complete removal of genitalia, Assyrian and Babylonian practices only involved the removal of testicles. In some cases, testicles were crushed or damaged to render the seminal ducts nonfunctional. (The thought of such a procedure is enough to make anyone cringe.)
Castration was conducted by medical professionals as a last resort, primarily to create eunuchs. The Assyrians and Babylonians placed great importance on male genitalia, recognizing its role in human reproduction.
In Assyria, harming a man’s testicles was a serious crime. If a woman injured a man’s testicle during a fight, she would lose a finger. If both testicles were damaged, both of her nipples would be removed as punishment.
While castration is no longer used for medicinal purposes, it has been employed in the form of chemical castration as a punishment for certain sexual offenses.
2. Counter-Irritation - Worldwide
The concept of counter-irritation has some logical basis. For instance, scratching an itch creates a new irritant that distracts from the original discomfort. However, in ancient medicine, this practice was far more extreme. Injuries were often worsened by cutting into them further, and wounds were reopened daily to apply various substances, all in the hope that the new irritation would alleviate the original pain.
Modern medicine and homeopathy still employ forms of counter-irritation, such as acupuncture. Advocates suggest that acupuncture needles may trigger the release of natural painkillers, relax muscles, or block pain signals through counter-irritation.
Historically, counter-irritation included bizarre methods like placing inflamed limbs in anthills or creating blisters with hot irons or acids. Another technique involved making saw-shaped wounds, inserting dried peas or beans, and preventing the wound from healing for weeks or months. Leeches were also used for bloodletting, applied topically, orally, or vaginally, to reduce sexual excitement in women.
1. Grub Salves - Aboriginal Australia
Ancient Aboriginal Australians crushed grub worms from the witchetty moth (Endoxyla leucomochla) to create a salve for treating wounds and skin lesions. The paste, packed into cuts or abrasions, promoted healing by sealing out air and bacteria. A bandage was then applied to secure the treatment.
While grubs are no longer used medicinally, they remain a dietary staple for many Aboriginal communities. Modern Aborigines harvest and prepare the moths by cooking them in sand and hot ashes, removing wings, legs, and heads. The moths are either eaten directly or ground into a paste and formed into cakes. Considered a delicacy, grubs are often offered to visitors, and refusing them is seen as impolite. Be ready to try one if you visit!
