The History of Medicine: Surprising Facts About Medical Advancements

Did you know ancient Egyptians used moldy bread to treat infections?

Long before antibiotics, they unknowingly harnessed the power of penicillin-like substances.

Meanwhile, trepanation—drilling holes in skulls—was a common practice to treat headaches and mental illness.

Shockingly, many patients survived!

These early medical practices paved the way for modern treatments, even if they seem bizarre today.

In the 19th century, surgery was a nightmare—no anesthesia, no sterilization.

Surgeons operated in bloodstained coats, and infections were rampant.

Then came Joseph Lister, who introduced antiseptics, drastically reducing deaths.

His ideas were mocked at first, but today, we owe modern surgical safety to his discoveries.

Imagine surgery without anesthesia—terrifying, right?

Bloodletting was once the go-to treatment for almost everything—fevers, infections, even headaches.

Doctors believed draining 'bad blood' would restore health.

Leeches were commonly used, and some still are today for microsurgery!

It took centuries to realize that bloodletting often did more harm than good.

Imagine going to the doctor and being told you need to lose a pint of blood!

X-rays were discovered by accident in 1895 by Wilhelm Roentgen.

Early doctors were amazed—they could see inside the human body without surgery!

But they didn’t realize prolonged exposure was dangerous.

Some even used X-ray machines in shoe stores to check foot sizes!

Today, we know better, but this accidental discovery revolutionized medicine forever.