Monthly Archives: April 2014
314.WHEN WAS SURGERY FIRST USED?
With our modern hospitals and with surgeons who are able to perform almost any kind of operation on the body, we might imagine that surgery is a product of modern times. Actually, surgery has been carried on since very ancient times.
Ancient peoples all over the world used flints as surgical instruments. One of the most difficult and dangerous operations of all, opening the skull, was performed in ancient times with flints! And this goes back to prehistoric times.
313.WHEN WAS ETHER FIRST USED FOR OPERATIONS?
While it still takes plenty of courage to go through with an operation today, just imagine what it would be if there were no anesthetics and you had to suffer every bit of pain! The fact is, before the use of modern anesthetics, every operation brought agony to the patient and frequently death from pain and shock.
Since ancient times, various herbs, gases, oils, and drugs were used in attempts to control pain, but none were completely successful. There is a good deal of controversy about who discovered anesthesia, and the credit is divided.
312.WHEN DID PEOPLE START USING BATHTUBS?
We feel very proud in this country about our national cleanliness. Doesn’t every home have a bathtub? Well, did you know that at one time there were mole homes with radios in this country than with bath tubs.
In spite of all our pride concerning cleanliness, we have never made as big a fuss about bathing and baths as have certain peoples of ancient times! Why right in the heart of Rome, taking up about a square mile, there were the baths of Caracalla that were probably the most luxurious baths man has ever known. There were swimming pools, warm baths, steam baths, and hot-air baths—even libraries, restaurants, and theaters to amuse the people who came to take the baths!
