In the modern era, technological and scientific up-gradations have given new dimensions to Medical Treatments. But sadly, the scenario was different decades back. Back then Medical Treatments had more purpose than safety.
Here is a list of 10 Medical Treatments that have become outdated in the present world:
Blood-Letting is draining of blood from a person to cure a disease. In ancient times, it was believed that to maintain health, blood and other body fluids must remain in proper balance. But on the contrary, a huge amount of blood loss made the patients weak and undoubtedly the cuts made for blood-letting had high chances of getting infected. Until the late 19th century it was one of the most common medical practices.
Cocaine was an ultimate painkiller used to cure several ailments from depression to a headache much before people came to know the harm it causes to a person due to its addictive quality or possible overdose and eventually it became illegal.
3. Insulin Shock Therapy
Insulin Shock Therapy was a psychiatric treatment in the late 1920s till 1960s. Though the treatment did not have any standard guidelines, the patients were injected with large doses of insulin repeatedly to make them unconscious. It was mainly used for schizophrenic patients.
4. Maggot Therapy
The Maggot Therapy – a biotherapy was used to cure open wounds and blisters. In the treatment, disinfected maggots clean-up the dead cells of the skin surrounding the wound of a human or animal more precisely than a normal surgical operation. Though it sounds gross, it prevented any future infections from spreading.
Trepanation is the oldest surgical procedure. In ancient times, using a trephine instrument, holes were drilled in the skull of human beings to expose the grey-matter inside. The treatment was undertaken to cure the person of the abnormal behaviors by letting out what they believed to be evil spirits.
6. Treatments with Mercury
Mercury is now an essential component in thermometers. But in ancient times it was used to treat several ailments from chest pains to heart and liver problems and even STDs. Being highly toxic for humans, this treatment claimed many lives and drastically reduced life-span of the others who were treated.
7. Electroconvulsive Therapy
Electroconvulsive Therapy is a psychiatric treatment that electrically induced seizures in the patients to cure their mental disorder. Due to obvious reasons, this treatment sometimes paralyzed the patients totally or partially and even sent them in a coma.
8. Fire Cupping
Fire Cupping is one of the oldest medical treatments for congestion, arthritis, chest pains, muscle cramps, sprains. This method was believed to be an excellent stress-reliever but its efficiency has no documented proof. This treatment was shown in the movie ‘Karate Kid’.
9. Electric Impotence Technique
In the ancient world, Impotence in men was a major problem. Back in the 19th century, the idea of electrifying certain part of the body emerges in order to redeem that part’s activity. Electric Impotence Technique was a highly believed method to cure the disease of erectile dysfunction.
The ancient Egyptians used leeches to draw blood to cure organ inflammation. This was an alternative treatment for Blood-Letting. The barber-surgeons relied on this natural method of blood-letting for fixing ailments, as they thought it could drain all impurities. This medical treatment lasted until the late 19th century.
Thankfully, these medical treatments have now become outdated. Over the years, there has been a tremendous development in the field of medical science which has immensely contributed to increasing the average lifespan of human beings.