Bizarre Medical Devices That Were Used During Medieval Times (9 pics)
Trepanning: The procedure of drilling a hole into the skull to treat intracranial complications or any issues regarding the head. During the Medieval era, a sufferer of a mental disease was considered possessed by evil spirits and had to go through the procedure of trepanning. The procedure obviously extremely risky, and patients hardly ever survived. But there were some records of "successful" trepanning in which people lived with a new soft spot.
Metallic Catheters: A metallic tube was inserted painfully in the bladder to treat urine blockage or other urinary complications. The practice became popular in the 13th century. Inserting the catheter forcefully into the bladder through the urethra was not an easy, pleasant, or harmless task as many men were permanently injured.
Needles for cataract surgery: Cataract patients had to undergo a terrible procedure. A thick needle was used to remove a cataract from the eye. Medieval surgeons used either a sharp pointed knife or a thick needle to push the cornea to the back of the eye, which they thought helped somehow.
Hot iron to treat hemorrhoids: During Medieval times, physicians used the cautery irons to treat the hemorrhoids. St. Fiacre (an Irish monk in the 7th century) was believed to be the savior of hemorrhoid sufferers. Peasants had to pray him. If not, the victims of hemorrhoids would be sent to the monks who'd press their anuses with a red hot iron. The disease was often called "St. Fiacre's curse."
Stone Extractor: Surgeons inserted the screw tip of the extractor and widened up the path to the stone or shrapnel inside the body so it could be taken out.
Arrow-Remover: This scissor-like object was used to grasp and pull the arrow from the wounded soldier's body.
Dwale: An anesthetic potion from old England used during surgery. Surgery in the Medieval era was performed only when the patient was in life/death condition because even the anesthesia in surgeries often led to death. The potion was prepared from hemlock juice, opium, castrated boar gall, briny, vinegar etc.
Flem: The sharp pointed device used for bloodletting. Medieval physicians believed that any kind of illness was caused by the excess fluid in the body. They thought if excess blood is taken from the body, the internal mechanism would normalize and remove the illness.
Clyster Syringes: In Medieval times these were used to perform enemas. The long metal tube was filled with a medicinal liquid, which was injected into the rectum through the anus. The procedure was called "enema," and it was for the treatment of constipation or bowel cleansing. Thank goodness horrific procedures like this ended with the medieval era.
