7 Most Outrageous Medical Treatment in History

Overview

The history of medicine is littered with tales of weird tonics, bizarre medicines, and unusual "cures."However, certain ancient medicinal methods are still in use today. These earlier medicinal procedures may appear medieval or "barbaric" in the twenty-first century, yet research has demonstrated that they are effective and have a genuine medical function.

• Snakebite to treat genital ulcers- Animal bile was historically utilized to cure a variety of diseases in China. Python bile was "used topically to cure ulcers of the external female genitalia," according to the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

• Leeches to treat venous congestion- Leeches are primitive worms (Hirudo medicinalis) with suckers on their front and rear ends that allow them to feed on blood and teeth that can produce a swift, clean-cut, according to Sherman.

These characteristics make leaches suitable for "bloodletting," a medical technique that involves the removal of blood from the body.

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The FDA has approved the use of medical leeches in the twenty-first century for a disease known as venous congestion, in which blood pools in a specific location of the body and the veins are unable to pump it back to the heart.

Venous congestion can develop after procedures to reconnect a limb, such as a finger or an ear, or after other significant surgical reconstructions, such as a hip replacement.

• Crocodile dung as pessaries- Crocodile dung was the preferred method of contraception in ancient Egypt. Dried dung was put into the vagina with the intention of softening when it reached body temperature and forming an impenetrable barrier.

Tree sap, cotton, wool, sea sponges, and elephant dung were also employed as contraceptive "pessaries" back in the day.

• Elephant bile for bad breath- When you have a bottle of elephant bile on hand, who needs breath mints? Elephant bile, diluted with water, was thought by ancient Chinese physicians and pharmacists to be effective in treating halitosis(bad breath).

• Bee venom for knee pain- According to the American Apitherapy Society, bee venom therapy, which involves being willingly stung by a live honeybee or being injected with bee venom, dates back to ancient Greece, when Hippocrates allegedly believed in the medicinal value of bee venom to relieve arthritis and other joint problems.

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As per research studies, bee venom contains melittin, a molecule known to have anti-inflammatory effects.

Although bee sting therapy is marketed for treating arthritic pain and swelling as well as avoiding relapses, exhaustion, and impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis, there is a paucity of research on the same.

• Maggot for wound healing- The therapy involves the application of live "baby flies," or fly larvae, to a wound. When injured troops who stayed on the battlefield were discovered to recover faster if flies were permitted to lay eggs in their wounds, military physicians first noticed maggots to be advantageous.

Maggot treatment involves placing the bugs on the surface of a wound and covering it with a dressing for approximately two days.

The hungry organisms emit digestive enzymes that break down or debride dead and contaminated tissue in the wound.

As recommended by health trip experts, this has again come into medical practice in the 21st century to overcome antibiotic resistance.

• Cocaine to alleviate depression- For his contributions to psychology, Sigmund Freud is revered. He's not as well-liked for constantly giving cocaine to his patients. However, he was not alone in this. A number of nineteenth-century doctors advocated the use of cocaine to cure a variety of diseases, from migraines to toothaches to mental illness.