The strangest methods of treating diseases of ancient times

Today, most common among peoplediseases are well studied and there are effective medicines against them. Doctors and many of us know exactly how drugs work and what side effects they may have. But before, science was developed very poorly, and medicine was simply not accessible to many people. As a result, ordinary people tried completely different methods of treating diseases and sometimes they were too strange and even disgusting. In this article we will list several popular methods of treating diseases, the existence of which is sometimes difficult to believe. Sometimes they led to the death of people.

Frame from the comedy series "Clinic"

Especially a lot of "folk remedies" came up withRussian peasants who did not have access to professional medicine until the beginning of the 19th century. Due to the lack of education, people believed that diseases arise from the acts of evil forces. Therefore, for any ailments, they turned to local healers - people who are supposedly familiar with magic and able to cure diseases with the help of potions and spells. This is where all the "fun" happened, because sick people were treated with ear wax, urine of infants and dead animals.

Content

• 1 fracture treatment
• 2 Help with a snakebite
• 3 Burn treatment
• 4 Treatment for fever

Fracture treatment

Today, if a person breaks his bones, he’s likeat least they are bandaged to ensure immobility. Then the pain is eliminated in the damaged area, the spread of possible infections is prevented and the bones are quietly fused. Thanks to modern technologies, even lost limbs can even be returned to patients - hand prostheses already have artificial intelligence, which makes the movements of the robotic limb as accurate as possible.

Bricks used to treat fractures

But what did they do with the fractures in the 1800s? People pulled a brick from the back wall of the furnace and crushed it to a state of powder. Hemp or linseed oil was added to this mixture - subsequently it was boiled. Then the resulting slurry was laid out on a fabric that was tied to a knot and applied to a damaged place. It was believed that the warmth and beneficial properties of oils healed any fractures and bruises. And the brick was used because the Russian stove was considered a sacred place, giving heat and food. How well the bunch of bricks and oils helped is unknown. Probably did not help in any way.

Once upon a time, many people walked with long beards, which clearly protected them from jaw fractures.

Help with a snakebite

A wreckage of bricks is still a flower. Since hundreds of years ago, many people lived near forests, they were often bitten by poisonous snakes. Today, with a snakebite, a person can be taken to a hospital where they will be given anti-snake serum. There are a lot of them and they are very effective - in 2016, the author of Hi-News.ru Sergey Gray spoke about an antidote that saves 18 species of poisonous creatures from bites.

Poison vipers are very common in Russia

But such serums were not available to peasants. When edema and other signs of a poisonous snake bite occur, the healers have smeared the affected area with human earwax. Disgusting, right? But this sulfur still needed to be collected - according to historical literature, the collection was conducted for all residents of the villages. Awful, nauseating and disgusting, but people believed that the more unpleasant the treatment is, the more effective it is.

This is interesting: How and why do snakes produce poison?

Burn treatment

Today, upon receipt of a severe burn, per personremoved clothing and jewelry that could touch the affected area of ​​the skin. The victim is given painkillers and dressings until the skin heals on its own. As a rule, even severe burns can be cured in about a month. In very severe cases, surgeons perform a skin transplant.

It turns out that urinotherapy has existed since ancient times

In ancient times, burns were treated with children's urine. However, this is not such a stupid treatment method as the above - urine contains ammonia, which has a disinfecting effect. In addition, scientists believe that in ancient times, urine was cleaner than water used by healers - the risk of infection was minimal. It is not known whether the folk method cured burns well.

Fever treatment

Today to reduce heatanti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic drugs are used. Body temperature decreases due to the fact that the substances that make up the drugs affect the area of ​​the brain that is responsible for regulating body temperature. This area is called the hypothalamus, and an increase in temperature is necessary for the body to combat pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Indeed, ancient therapies are disgusting

In ancient times, it was believed that diseases area hint of the presence of evil forces, some people tried to scare them off the stink. Therefore, healers used the most vile methods of treatment, from which even evil spirits would be vomited. A nauseating effect can cause a stink, and not anyhow what, but the bodies of dead animals. So, people suffering from fever were covered with fresh skins of sheep and cows - the stench was terrible, so the healers were sure that the evil spirits would not stand them and disappear, taking with them the symptoms of serious illnesses.

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As you can see, for several hundred years medicinestepped far forward. Of course, charlatans, who still heal people with strange methods, are still enough. There are even special medicines that, in essence, are completely useless, but work thanks to the placebo effect. Perhaps, once upon a time, alternative methods of treatment also worked due to the fact that people strongly believed in their healing effect. You can read more about why the placebo effect works in our material.