MEDICINE

6 Medical Theories From 1900 That Didn't Pan Out

The early years of the 20th century were a crucial time in the history of medicine, as breakthroughs in surgical techniques, sanitation, and scientific rigor helped doctors become far more effective at saving and improving lives. Not every theory these pi

11 Unbelievable Moments from Cocaine’s Early Medical History

In 1900, cocaine wasn’t just a drug – it was the drug that could cure anything that ailed a patient. Here’s how it came to be Americans’ medicine of choice in the first decade of the 20th century.

9 Terrifying Medical Treatments from 1900 and Their Safer Modern Versions

Even as medicine was rapidly improving, these downright scary or dangerous treatments were still lingering.

Where Are They Now? Diseases That Killed You in Oregon Trail

You have died of dysentery.

11 Awesomely Decorated Casts Worth a Broken Bone

Casts in cool colors or covered in your friends' get well messages are great, but some people take things a step further and turn the pile of plaster and bandages into a wearable piece of art.

11 Weird (But Awesome) Things at the Mütter Museum

From the conjoined livers from a pair of Siamese twins to slides of Albert Einstein’s brain, Philadelphia's Mütter Museum houses dozens of strange artifacts from medical history.

Your best bet is to embrace the baldness.

12 of History’s Most Bizarre Baldness Cures

From herb and fat concoctions to various forms of animal poop potions, here are some historical hair loss remedies you probably don't want to slather on your head.

10 Things You Might Not Know About the Nobel Prize

It's an exciting time: Nobel Prizes are being announced this week for achievements in medicine, literature, and more. Here are a few surprising facts about this annual honor.

Happy Virus Appreciation Day!

5 Bizarre and Scary Historical Headache Cures

Since the late nineteenth century, analgesic drugs have been available to the masses to alleviate general pain, including that caused by headaches. While that might not always do the trick, it sounds a lot better than these alternative treatments from his

Music in the ER Cuts Down on Kids' Stress

Hearing the “Wheels on the Bus” a hundred times a day might cause parents a lot of pain, but when children hear that song (or any other) in the emergency room, it eases theirs. A new study finds that when kids listen to music in the ER it alleviates hurt

Can You Actually Cough Up A Lung?

Nope. Fortunately, your lungs are too large to fit through your trachea, so they’re not going to come flying out of your mouth. However, they don’t necessarily stay where they belong.

The Bizarre Art of Binding Books in Human Skin

The story of one Civil War-era doctor’s quest to honor the memory of his patients. Flowers are overrated, anyway.

Is There Actually a Doctor in the House?

There's usually a doctor around in the movies, and they save the day. But what about in real life?

10 Case Reports of Cotard’s Delusion

First reported in the 1700s, the mental disorder where people suffer the nihilistic delusion that they are dead or no longer exist, that's also called "Walking Corpse Syndrome" is still a mystery.

8 Historically Terrifying Viruses

We know you’re just itching to know all about some of history’s nastiest viruses and the horrifying diseases they cause in humans.

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The Historical Horror of Childbirth

Childbirth has never been a walk in the park. But thanks to modern medical improvements and societal standards, it's much better than it used to be.

To Great Lengths: 7 Historic Cures for Impotence

We may think of the inability to get or maintain an erection as a problem reserved for the ruggedly handsome 50-year-old millionaires joyously piloting their yachts in the background of Viagra commercials. But there has never been a time or place where me

Champa: The Bear Who Got Brain Surgery

While brain surgery has become a fairly common procedure with humans, it is still very rarely used on animal patients, who have drastically different anatomies than we do.

Meet 9 Recovering Boston Explosion Victims

7 Antiquated Illness Names and Their Meanings

Throughout the ages, people have hung some pretty weird names on what’s ailed them. Here are the monikers of a few of the more strangely-named illnesses, and how we know them today.

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Arthur Eichengrün, Inventor of Aspirin

In 1896, chemist Arthur Eichengrün brought forth a miracle—a pure acetylsalicylic acid with medical applications. This was a few years before Lizzie Magie invented the board game Monopoly, and if only the two knew each other, they might have had a lot to

11 Weird Old-School Plastic Surgery Techniques

Modern plastic surgery encompasses both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, and has a history that goes much further back than our modern movie stars and beauty obsessions.

Anatomy of 14th Century Bubonic Plague Hazmat Suits

The Bubonic Plauge, also known as the Black Death, killed at least 75 million people on three continents. Described as the most lethal epidemic in history, the plague began in China in the 1330s and made its way through Europe from 1346 to 1353. In those

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