In the 18th century a common practice in resuscitation was to blow tobacco smoke up the unconscious individual’s rear end.
Blowing Smoke: The Popularity of the Tobacco Enema
Posted by in Quackery Tag: Medical History
Posted by in Quackery Joseph Merrick: “The Elephant Man”
Posted by in Individuals In this post we will talk about what elephantiasis is and how it is treated today. We will also look at the life of Joseph Merrick, one of the most famous individuals who struggled with the disease in the 19th century.
From Hearse to Hospital: Funeral Homes and Emergency Transportation Services
Posted by in Modern Ambulances did not always look like the ones we see today, large rectangular vehicles with flashing sirens. As with most things, the ambulance changed little by little over the course of many years. Perhaps one of the strangest facts about the history of emergency transportation services was that funeral homes use to be the primary…Read more »
A Box of Blades: What is a Scarificator?
Posted by in Object Focus What is a Scarificator? Bloodletting remains to be one of the oldest and far-reaching medical practices of all time. Before the development of the spring-loaded scarificator, veins in a patient’s arms and neck were cut into. The procedure as a whole was extremely slow and painful (patients probably didn’t smile like paintings would lead you…Read more »
Let ‘er Rip: The Clockwork Saw
Posted by in Object Focus, Quackery The clockwork saw is a fascinating, yet little-known invention that never made it past the prototype phase. Developed by WHB Winchester (1816-1901), the clockwork saw was a hand-wound amputation device. The surgeon would crank the handle tight and then let go, causing the blade to spin rapidly. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the saw was not…Read more »
Antiquated Antidotes 