7 Bizarre Beliefs About Health From History
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Just as bizarre is the biblical belief that illness was caused by demonic possession. It is incomprehensible that this belief still persists in some circles.
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Quid est Veritas?
In Memoriam to CS Lewis
A few comments.
The 'weird' medical prescriptions in the first paragraph are still done. Trepanning is still done in Cerebral Abcesses and with rapid rise in intra-cranial pressure. Bleeding for Haemosiderosis. Leeches to help reattach digits or limbs. Opioids in the form of Morphine, Fentanyl, Codeine etc. is still the stongest painkiller and is seen on many prescriptions, although we now use a purer form of the active ingredient than in Opium. Cocaine is still prescribed for certain nasal and ophthalmic procedures.
Number 1 is still believed by quite a few people. There are many who wear copper bands to prevent Nausea and we often see people with stress bands to prevent sport injuries while there is no evidence either works.
Number 2 is not really a belief about medicine, but a law code. Its no sillier than being able to sue your doctors at the drop of a hat in the modern world.
Number 3 is debatable, as we are not sure what Asbestinon referenced in Pliny actually is. He calls it a plant-deriviative, while our Asbestos is a mineral. For all intents and purposes this cure might have worked as we have no idea what he was actually saying should be applied.
Number 4: Water cures of the nature given to Darwin are still used in modern medicine for high fevers (especially in children), Thyroid Storm, Malignant Hyperthermia etc. Basically any hypermetabolic state. So it remains in use, although in far fewer cases will it be applied.
Number 5: Agreed, nonsense.
Number 6: Go post this in the Catholic threads and I am sure there will be outrage that people so underestimate the blood of the Saints.
Number 7: Why not? We ask people to pray all the time. No proof it doesn't work. This is more of a question of where you stand on the theist vs atheist divide.
There were far sillier beliefs in the old days, like that the touch of the reigning monarch can cure Scrofula (a form of TB) or that you needed to balance your humours according to your constitution. But we still have very silly ideas hanging around like homeopathy anyway, so who are we to judge?
The 'weird' medical prescriptions in the first paragraph are still done. Trepanning is still done in Cerebral Abcesses and with rapid rise in intra-cranial pressure. Bleeding for Haemosiderosis. Leeches to help reattach digits or limbs. Opioids in the form of Morphine, Fentanyl, Codeine etc. is still the stongest painkiller and is seen on many prescriptions, although we now use a purer form of the active ingredient than in Opium. Cocaine is still prescribed for certain nasal and ophthalmic procedures.
Number 1 is still believed by quite a few people. There are many who wear copper bands to prevent Nausea and we often see people with stress bands to prevent sport injuries while there is no evidence either works.
Number 2 is not really a belief about medicine, but a law code. Its no sillier than being able to sue your doctors at the drop of a hat in the modern world.
Number 3 is debatable, as we are not sure what Asbestinon referenced in Pliny actually is. He calls it a plant-deriviative, while our Asbestos is a mineral. For all intents and purposes this cure might have worked as we have no idea what he was actually saying should be applied.
Number 4: Water cures of the nature given to Darwin are still used in modern medicine for high fevers (especially in children), Thyroid Storm, Malignant Hyperthermia etc. Basically any hypermetabolic state. So it remains in use, although in far fewer cases will it be applied.
Number 5: Agreed, nonsense.
Number 6: Go post this in the Catholic threads and I am sure there will be outrage that people so underestimate the blood of the Saints.
Number 7: Why not? We ask people to pray all the time. No proof it doesn't work. This is more of a question of where you stand on the theist vs atheist divide.
There were far sillier beliefs in the old days, like that the touch of the reigning monarch can cure Scrofula (a form of TB) or that you needed to balance your humours according to your constitution. But we still have very silly ideas hanging around like homeopathy anyway, so who are we to judge?
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Demons are real and demon possession is completely real. But not all sicknesses are as a result of demonic possession.
A Haunting
Prayer also does work, I have been healed when I was sick. I couldn't be helped and God intervene and helped me.
A Haunting
Prayer also does work, I have been healed when I was sick. I couldn't be helped and God intervene and helped me.
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