It is estimated that 250,000 weight-loss operations take place each year in the United States.
Banded Bellies: Exploring Bariatric Surgery
Posted by in Modern Author: Nastassia Foose
Hello there! I have always loved learning about people from the past and discovering stories that connect us to them. Please join me as I explore peculiar medical stories from long ago!
Posted by in Modern The Ilizarov Method: Limb-Lengthening Surgery
Posted by in Modern, Object Focus The bone is stretched a small amount each day until the desired height is reached, then the bone is allowed to fuse back together.
The Cries of the Unheard: Forced Nazi Sterilization
Posted by in Horror, Individuals, Modern The Nazi Party subscribed itself to pseudoscientific ideas regarding genetics in order to push their racial ideologies to the brink of extremism.
Electric Hair Brushes and Magnetic Cure-Alls
Posted by in Individuals, Object Focus, Quackery George Scott was an English businessman who had no formal medical training whatsoever, yet he made a killing off of several “medical” devices he had invented for home use.
A “Healthy” Glow- A Brief History of Sunless Tanning
Posted by in Modern Some people are simply set on achieving that perfect tan-but at what cost?
Becoming Blue: The Effects of an Overexposure to Silver
Posted by in Individuals, Modern Although argyria is not thought to be fatal, it does have severe cosmetic impacts that can affect a person emotionally and socially.
The Faces of the Dead: Crafting Death Masks
Posted by in Horror, Modern, Object Focus, Victorians Death masks have the ability to ease death-related anxieties because the people who have already crossed into the eternal unknown look as though they are blissfully slumbering.
Dolphin Sonar and Baby Brain Development
Posted by in Quackery The sonar of the dolphin is thought to reach the baby in utero and stimulate enhanced brain activity
Angel of the Battlefield: Clara Barton
Posted by in Individuals, Victorians Clara Barton’s story shows that the impact of a compassionate woman can not only change lives, but save them.
Gladiator Blood: A Tonic of Life
The Romans believed that the blood of the young men slain violently in the gladiatorial games had the ability to cure diseases such as epilepsy.
The Putrefied Whale Cure
This since abandoned “cure” involved taking a long soak, but their experience was nothing like a trip to the spa. In fact, I imagine the whole ordeal was rather hot, foul-smelling, and gut-churning.
Chainsaw Babies and symphysiotomies
Posted by in Horror, Object Focus During the late 18th century, the chainsaw was utilized by doctors during complicated childbirths.
Waiting to Die on the Island of Ghosts: Poveglia
Posted by in Uncategorized Currently, the island of Poveglia remains lost to time. It sits there housing what remains of the thousands of people who never returned from its shores.
Deadly Nightshade and Doe-Eyed Beauties
Posted by in Horror, Quackery, Victorians Victorian ladies found themselves using eye drops containing a rather poisonous ingredient.
The Anomaly Known as Spontaneous Human Combustion (SHC)
Posted by in Uncategorized Is it possible to be here one moment and gone the next in a blazing flame without the help of any external factors? Let’s explore
The Infamous Dead Body Roadside Attraction
An unidentified man was found dead in a ditch in Sabina, Ohio in the early 1900s. His body would go on to be embalmed and laid out on public display for 40 years in the hopes of uncovering his true identity.
A Crimson Gift: The Rise of Blood Transfusions
After the guns ceased and the dust settled, one of the only triumphs that remained was the expansion of the medical field’s abity to treat the sick and wounded. The knowledge hat was gained in those years of hardship would continue to influence how people are treated today.
The Unlucky Pustule: Small Pox Inoculations and Syphillis
Posted by in Horror, Quackery, Victorians Despite some unexpected side-effects, the overall success of vaccinations throught the war led to more widespread acceptance of inoculation by the general public in the following years.
Lili’s Right to Life: The Birth of Lili Elbe
Posted by in Individuals, Mental Health, Modern Lili Elbe, born as Einar Wegener, became one of the first people to undergo experimental gender reassignment surgery
The Thomas Splint
Posted by in Modern, Object Focus The Thomas splint revolutionized emergency medicine during World War I. This device diminished the mortality rate of femoral fractures from 80% to 20%.
Antiquated Antidotes 