The Dark Side Of Medicine: 10 Outrageous And Horrific Treatments

By Suzy Cohen, R. Ph.

Today, I will explore the dark and disturbing history of medical treatments. While these methods may seem shocking and gruesome by today’s standards, they were once considered cutting-edge solutions.

As we delve into the past, it’s important to appreciate the progress we’ve made in medicine. Additionally, I’ll briefly speculate on current treatments we do today, that may be viewed as primitive in the future. It’s scary to think about it.

Tight now let’s explore 10 fascinating and bizarre historical remedies and reflect on medicine’s hall of shame:

Bloodletting: Bloodletting, a widespread medical treatment in ancient and medieval times, aimed to restore balance by draining blood to rectify an imbalance of the four “humors.” Despite its popularity, bloodletting often led to infection and death.

Trepanation: Trepanation involved drilling holes into the skull to release evil spirits or pressure, with the intent of treating conditions like headaches and epilepsy. This risky procedure persisted until the 18th century.

Mercury as a Cure-All: Mercury was once considered a universal remedy for various ailments, including syphilis and toothaches. However, its toxic nature caused severe side effects and contributed to neurological damage, as seen in hatters during the 19th century.

Tobacco Smoke Enemas: In the 18th century, tobacco smoke enemas were used to treat respiratory issues and even revive drowning victims. This practice, based on the belief that tobacco smoke could warm the body and stimulate respiration, proved ineffective and dangerous.

Lobotomies: Lobotomy, a procedure that severed connections in the brain’s prefrontal cortex, gained popularity in the 20th century as a treatment for severe mental illnesses. Despite its initial promise, it often resulted in severe side effects and has since fallen out of favor.

Animal-Dung Ointments: In ancient Egypt, animal dung was believed to possess healing properties and was used to treat various ailments. However, this unsanitary practice introduced harmful bacteria and worsened infections!

Mummy Powder: Powdered mummies were used as a medical treatment in the belief that they possessed curative properties. This practice, which persisted for centuries, was not only ineffective but also contributed to the destruction of historical artifacts.

Hemiglossectomy for Stuttering: During the 18th and 19th centuries, doctors believed that stuttering resulted from an unusually thick or long tongue. Hemiglossectomy, the removal of a portion of the tongue, was thought to cure the condition but often led to severe complications.

Strychnine as a Stimulant: In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, strychnine, a highly toxic alkaloid, was used as a stimulant and performance-enhancing substance. However, its poisonous effects posed significant risks to health.

Cocaine as a Miracle Cure: Cocaine was once hailed as a miracle cure for various ailments and was widely used in medicine and everyday products. However, its addictive and dangerous nature eventually led to its decline and regulation. While we can’t predict the future, some current medical practices might be considered primitive in years to come. Chemotherapy’s non-selective nature, electroconvulsive therapy’s side effects, organ transplantation’s risks, and the necessity of amputations may one day be replaced by more targeted and advanced alternatives. We can only hope!

Reflecting on the past, it’s evident that our understanding of health and medicine has come a long way. These historical treatments serve as a reminder of the progress we’ve made and the importance of evolving our therapies so that they are less invasive and more effective.

Pharmacist” and “Real Solutions.” For more information, visit www.SuzyCohen.com)

©2022 SUZY COHEN, RPH. DISTRIBUTED BY DEAR PHARMACIST, INC.

HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE UPDATED BIVALENT BOOSTER?

The virus that causes COVID-19 is much different now than it was when the first vaccines came out in late 2020. The booster helps you recover faster if you do get sick.

The orginal COVID-19 vaccines for all primary series and original boosters are monovalent, meaning it contained one strain of the virus.

The updated boosters are bivalent, meaning the vaccine contains two strains of the virus, addressing the original strain of the virus and the more contagious omicron variants!

For information on eligibility, additional clinic times and locations, visit our website!

Students

: Continued From Page 11 always goes above and beyond to assist students and staff at Regional Day School selflessly and with a smile on her face. She truly brightens everyone’s day. Congratulations Myrtle!

Sam Garcia represented Manchester Middle School and the Ocean County SBA presentation of “8th Grade Dialogue”- This student recognition program honors 8th grade students whose character, determination, school spirit, leadership, and community service inspire all of us and Sam was an excellent representative. Great job Sam!

We are extremely proud to have Michael Fink and Kassandra O’Neill represent MTMS as our Student Athletes for the Month of April. Michael and Kassandra are both a great representation of what it means to be a student athlete. Michael plays baseball during the Spring Season and Kassandra is on the Cross Country Team in the fall and she plays softball in the spring. They both work just as hard in the classroom as they do in the athletic arena and serve as an excellent example to our younger student athletes.

The Talon, Manchester Township High School’s student journalism news website (talonnews.org), would not exist without co-editors-in-chief, seniors Val Kohan and Samantha Verdi. Both are four-year journalism students who were inducted into the MTHS Chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists in November 2021.

Val and Sam helped bring the new website to life in September, complete with its own domain name, by helping to design its look and select its interactive features.

Congratulations to Manchester Township High School Athletes of the Month Junior Juliana Cackowski and Senior Joseph Sclama. Juliana is a duel athlete for the Hawks helping the fall gymnastics team to consecutive division titles and who also plays softball in the spring. Joseph came on to the Hawk’s baseball team to save the State Title s. Delran as a Sophomore. He currently plays 1st base, leads the team in multiple stat categories and is a Shore Sports Network Player of the Week Nominee. In addition, they are both excellent students and role models. Congratulations!

Manchester Recreation Farmers’ Market

MANCHESTER – Manchester Recreation will be hosting a Farmers’ Market and they are looking for farmers and vendors with food products that are homegrown or homemade. The market will be held at Manchester

Town Hall, 1 Colonial Drive, Thursdays through July 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

If interested, contact Manchester Recreation ay 732-657-8121 ext. 5102 or email recreation@manchestertwp.com.