From Digging Hole In Your Skull To Using Python Bile: Craziest Medical Treatments From Past

Recently, astronauts grew brain cells on the International Space Station (ISS). Back on planet Earth, doctors performed surgeries using robots. But could you have imagined all even a century ago?

Modern medicine in the 21st century feels like something totally out of science fiction. But medicine and disease treatment wasn't always this sophisticated—or safe. In past, healthcare practitioners used both absurd and terrifying methods to treat diseases. This article lists a few of them.

1. Using Python Bile for Genital Ulcers

In ancient China, python bile was reportedly applied externally to treat ulcers on female genitalia, according to historical texts. The treatment might have been effective—or just as risky as catching the snake in the first place. Bile juice is a fluid that is made and released by the liver to aid digestion.

2. Elephant Bile for Bad Breath

Back in the day, bile juice from elephants was diluted in water to treat bad breath in China. While effective breath mints are readily available today, this unusual remedy surely left much to be desired in taste.

3. Cocaine for Depression

In the 19th century, cocaine was hailed as a wonder drug. Physicians, including Sigmund Freud, prescribed it to treat depression, migraines, and even toothaches—before its addictive properties became widely understood.

4. Bloodletting and Leeching

One of the oldest medical practices, bloodletting involved draining blood using leeches or spring-loaded lancets. Practised in ancient Greece, Egypt, and 19th-century Europe, it was abandoned after realizing it caused more harm than good.

5. Snail Slime for Warts

In medieval Europe, snails were enlisted to cure warts. The process involved letting a snail crawl over the wart, then stabbing it, usually with a thorn. As the snail decayed, the wart was believed to disappear.

6. Hot Irons for Hemorrhoids**

Forget modern creams—medieval surgeons tackled severe haemorrhoids by burning them off with a hot iron. Hemorrhoids refers to a conditions when you have swollen veins in the lower rectum.

7. Trepanning: Drilling Holes in the Skull

Perhaps the most painful treatment of all. Ancient doctors drilled holes into the skull—a practice called trepanning—to treat pressure in the head. Astonishingly, archaeological evidence shows many patients survived this invasive procedure.

8. Heroin as Cough Syrup for Kids

In the 1920s, Bayer marketed heroin as a cough suppressant for children, unaware of its highly addictive nature. The practice was eventually banned as the dangers of heroin became evident.

9. Malaria to Treat Syphilis

Austrian physician Julius Wagner-Jauregg treated syphilis by infecting patients with malaria, inducing fevers that killed the syphilis bacteria. While he won a Nobel Prize for this discovery, many patients died in the process, leading to its discontinuation.

10. Urine as Tooth Whitener

The ancient Romans believed that ammonia-rich urine could whiten teeth. While urine is free, modern toothpaste offers a much more palatable alternative.

11. Arsenic for Fevers and Headaches

For centuries, arsenic, a toxic found in earth's crust, was used to treat a variety of conditions, including fevers and headaches. Its toxic effects, however, ultimately made it an untenable option.