There was a time when humans believed that cannibalism cured headaches. Thank science for modern medicine and treatment. From the 12th century, Europeans believed that mummified remains from Egypt could cure the plague or headaches. The product was known as mumia, and it was available to patients of all caste systems.
Ground-up mummy dust was used as a treatment for infections. However, some doctors believed in fresh meat and blood instead. King Charles III took medication from human skulls after a seizure. By the 19th century, the Victorians were using mummies for entertainment. Mummies weren’t the only bizarre treatments that humans historically used.
Strange historical medical treatment options
1. Rabies treatment with raw veal
Rabies is a viral infection spread from the infected saliva of animals. The virus moves through the central nervous system, resulting in the inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. In ancient Rome, Pliny the Elder, a famous naturalist believed that anyone bitten by a mad dog should have their wound opened and covered with raw veal. After that, the patient should eat lime and hog fat. Eventually, the patient then takes a mixture of wine with boiled badger poop. In modern times, rabies is preventable with a vaccine. However, it’s rarely cured.
2. Asthma treatment with boiled carrots
In the 1740s, a British preacher recommended eating boiled carrots only for two weeks to treat asthma. In the late 19th century, doctors also tried to treat asthma with cigarettes.
Read also: Health: 12 Natural Remedies For Chest Congestion And Asthma
3. Epilepsy treatment with hair powder
Ancient doctors recommended treating epilepsy by cooking a strong man’s hair with deer leg bone, turning it into a powder then eating it near the new moon. This is because some people believed that the moon led to an increase in seizures. However, there is no correlation between the moon and the frequency of epileptic seizures.
Read also: Health: Epilepsy – Causes, Risk Factors, Symptoms And Treatment
4. Treat syphilis with mercury
From the 16th to the 20th century, mercury was used to treat syphilis. Doctors recommended eating it or applying it to the body. Doctors also used it to treat constipation. In the 18th century, doctors were finally aware of mercury poisoning but they still continued to treat syphilis with it.
5. Treating swollen eyes with crab eyes
To treat swollen eyes, it was recommended to take a crab, cut out its eyes, throw it back in the water then apply the crabs to the affected person. Doctors also used fox teeth to heal swelling. Wrap a tooth in a fawn’s skin and place it on the swollen area.
6. Hangover treatment
In ancient Assyria, bird beaks were ground up, combined with myrrh and eaten to prevent excessive drunkenness. Ancient Mongolians also ate pickled sheep’s eyes for breakfast to beat hangovers. It’s also rumoured that in the American Wild West, hangovers were cured with rabbit poop tea or drinking owl eggs mixed with wine.
Read also: Lifestyle: Myths About Hangover Treatments
7. Sipping urine
Research states that in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, urine was a popular treatment. It was administered to babies and children with convulsions.
8. Tapeworms for weight loss
In the Victorian era, ladies who wanted to achieve the perfect body without worrying about what they were eating. They would eat tapeworm eggs, eat whatever they wanted and the idea was that the tapeworm would get rid of all the extra food they don’t need. Unfortunately, this is still advertised as a weight loss method today. This can lead to malnutrition, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, anaemia or fever.
What other bizarre foods do you know people used to take?
Read also: 7 Myths About Weight Loss You Should Ignore
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