Tag: medical
How ether and nitrous oxide parties led to nitrous oxide being used by dentists
In the 1800s, ether and nitrous oxide parties were popular. They were parties where people would hang out, inhale ether and laughing gas, and act…
Insane asylums filled with sane people, mostly unwanted elderly
Unwanted wives were not the only people getting committed to the insane asylums of long ago. The asylums were also a dumping ground for unwanted…
Electric Belts for Weak Men – Electric Schlong Noose
Called the “greatest healing invention of the age,” the electric belt made for men was a popular devise in the late 1800s and early 1900s….
7 Grim Facts About the Evolution of the Ambulance
Ambulances evolved out of the need to get wounded soldiers off the battlefields and into the hands of surgeons and doctors. For civilians, doctors would…
Arsenic Complexion Wafers – Poison Pills for Beautiful Skin
Arsenic is a poisonous chemical element. It can be found in many medicines and treatments for various conditions. Arsenic poisoning occurs when someone is exposed…
Henbane: An Infamous Plant with a Dark History
Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) is a herbaceous annual plant that has been used for centuries in witchcraft and medicine. The plant is native to Europe but…
Human Skulls in Medicine
An Irish cure cure a toothache was to drink water from a human skull, but this use of the human skull as medicine is fairly…
Washington DC Morgue in 1906
The article below gives us a fascinating look at the morgue master in Washington DC in the early 1900s. The description of the “new” morgue…
They Drank Alcohol from the Specimen Jar
Have you ever watched one of those shows or a Youtube video where people eat something weird or gross? Here is a tidbit from the…
Early Anatomists
This 1905 article about early anatomists drops some very interesting names, such as Madonna Manzolina and Dr. John Shippen. Both are worth further study. Early…
