20 Horrifying Ancient Medical Treatments

Historical documents reveal to us that our ancestors had excellence intelligence about diseases and injuries. In this article, you will see the strangest medical treatments ever conducted to human being. Some of the treatment methods that they used were doubted until now. Reader discretion is advised.

1. Bloodletting

Our bodies, according to our past medical examiners, are divided into four primary subtantances: phlegm, black bile, yellow bile and blood. To get a healthy body, these four primary substances must be in a balance condition. Therefore, people who suffers from all sorts of ailments were often diagnosed as blood overflowing. The doctor will cut a vein and draining the blood out into a bowl. This bloodletting had been practiced since the 19^th century. Bloodletting practice is still conducted today, through leeches’ usage.

2. Skull Cures

The ancient Babylonia/Sumerian priests are also act as doctors. Their prescriptions were base on magic. To subdue and expel the spirit, the patient would have to lick, kiss, and sleep with a human skeleton for seven days.

3. Hemorrhoids Treatment

In 12^th century, hemorrhoid is considered as a disease because the person is not pious. Those who suffered from this disease will be sent to a monastery, where the monks would pushing a hot iron rod into their anus to cure them.

4. Mercury

Mercury is hazardous for our body. In the past, this material was considered as the most effective cure for any diseases. It was given to patients to drink or to apply on their body as an ointment.

5. Cannibalistic Medication

In the past, people thought that eating the corpse of a deceased person can increase vitality. The ancient Roman soldiers would grind up mummies they had looted from Egypt. This strange method continued well until 17^th century.

6. Poop Oinment

Dog, donkey and deer dungs were used by the ancient Egyptians to remove bad spirits from a person. An old Victorian medical describes a concoction of groundsel, goose and chicken dung to treat burns.

7. Bee Venom Treatment

 

This treatment is already conducted in centuries to cure herpes, rheumatism, and arthritis. Doctors would deliberately get honeybee to sting the patient near the nose and mouth. It’s still practiced until now, although there has been no scientific prove so far to support this medication.

8. Maggot Therapy

This maggot involving method has been used almost throughout human history. Usually used for surgical wounds that would not heal. The doctor will put living maggots onto open wounds to eat the dead tissues and facilitating healing process

9. Lobotomies

This treatment was very popular until the 1930s. Lobotomies are used to cure schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. This cure method is conducted by pushing a needle or a pick through the back of the eye socket. The cure was phased out since the 1950s. Over 70,000 people had conduct the practice.

10. Eating Live Fish

The Indian treatment involves slipping a small live fish, along with a ball of secret medication, down the patient’s throat. It’s believed to cure asthma for more than 150 years. Despite this treatment had no scientific credibility, but more than half a million people opt for this cure each year.

11. Turtle Therapy

This strange theraphy can be located in Cambodia. Turtle therapy is believed to cure rheumatic and other health problems. The Cambodians are believed that reptiles like turtle and snakes have the supernatural ability for medication.  Therefore, turtle is commonly used as the soup ingredients in Cambodia.

12. Sand bathing

The next strange medication is sand bathing. This ancient medication is commonly conducted by the Egyptians. They believe that this medication can help them to cure their health problems such as sexual dysfunction, skin problem and so on. The patient’s body will be buried on the heated sand for a moment. The heat of the sand is believed can cure the various kinds of health problems.

13. Hijamah

Hijamah or bekam is the next strange medication on the list. This medication can be found in Palestine. The skin surfaces of the patient will be opened with a knife and it will be covered with a pressured cover. This process will dispose the damaged or oxidized blood inside the patient’s body.

14. Snake Soup Therapy

In my opinion, most of the people will avoid to see snakes as they are known as the dangerous creatures (although not all of them). But, unlike the most people, the Chinese people aren’t afraid with these serpents. Snakes are believed to have special substances to keep our body to be healthy. Most of these serpents are cooked into a savory soup.

15. Drinking Baby Mice

This tiny creature is a common ingredient for making a traditional tonic in China and Korea. A newborn mouse will be soaked in a jar of rice wine. This therapy is believed to cure many kinds of diseases such as influenza and increase the male libido.

16. Leech Therapy

The next strange medication can be located in Sanjeevani, India. This ancient therapy is based on the concept of body balance using leeches to excrete the black and yellow bladder liquid. The leeches’ saliva is believed to have the anti coagulant property so it  can make the bloodstream is easier to flow.

17. Crocodile Fat Therapy

According from the National Geographic, the local tribes of Shibipo are still preserving their strong tribe and shaman identity although they are known to already have a contact with Peru and Europe. The Shibipo’s shaman will conduct a religious ritual in front of a caiman crocodile. And the shaman will take the fat inside the caiman’s body. The fat of this reptile is used for curing nasal problem like asthma.

18. Gauze Treatment

Gauze treatment is an ancient medication in India. This medication is believed to excreting the poison from the stomach. This therapy is conducted by swallowing a long gauze and then the gauze will be slowly pulled from the patient’s stomach.

19.Traditional Migraine Treatment

People who suffered from migraine especially in India don’t have to go to a doctor since they have their own medication. They will pour a herbal oil into the patient’s head. The herbal oil is not only used for migraine but also tinnitus disease.

20. Bounding and slit the vein

This method is still can be located in India. This therapy is conducted by bounding the patient’s leg until the veins are visible and it will be slit so the damaged blood cells are started to coming out.