Let’s take a nostalgic journey into the peculiarities of medical history. In times not so long ago, medicine embraced some rather intriguing ideas and practices that, while considered sensible at the time, now seem utterly bizarre. Join me as we delve into the past:

Doctor's Preference: Camel Cigarettes

Imagine a world where, just half a century ago, smoking wasn’t widely believed to cause cancer—even by doctors themselves. Astonishingly, there was even an advertising campaign endorsing Camel cigarettes in the Journal of the American Medical Association. If you're old enough, you might recall seeing your doctor puffing away in their office.

Lobotomy

A few decades ago, the procedure known as lobotomy was used as a misguided attempt to help patients with mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. One technique involved drilling holes into the temples and severing a nerve to disconnect parts of the brain. As if that wasn’t complex enough, a more expedient method emerged—the ice pick lobotomy.

In an ice pick lobotomy, an actual ice pick was hammered into the skull above each eye, and then moved around to scramble the brain. Shockingly, this procedure was performed under local anesthesia, leaving the unfortunate patients awake and aware. One notable doctor of that era, trained at Yale, even established “assembly lines,” attempting to break records by performing as many procedures as possible in a given timeframe.

(As a historical aside, it’s worth mentioning that Joe Kennedy, father of John F. Kennedy, had his daughter Rosemary lobotomized at age 23 without informing his wife. Following the procedure, Rosemary experienced severe motor and speech impairments, spending the next 60 years of her life in a Wisconsin facility without ever being visited by her father.)

Mercury as a Medicinal Substance

For over a thousand years, mercury was used as a panacea for a wide range of ailments. Comedian Chris Rock humorously highlights how his mother used Robitussin for everything—similar to how mercury was once thought to cure nearly everything. Have a cough? Take some Tussin. Scrape your knee? Rub some Tussin on it. Break a bone? Apply Tussin. Mercury, likewise, served as the “Tussin” of its day.

These are just a few glimpses into the strange world of historical medical advice. Now, let’s explore some additional treatments that will leave you dumbfounded:

"Soothing Syrups" for Disobedient Children

Essentially bottles of morphine and other narcotics, these syrups were once commonly used to calm children. Carrying one of these today would likely result in a lengthy prison sentence.

Sugar for Weight Loss

As recently as the 1960s, advertisers promoted sugar as a healthy, low-calorie alternative to fruit. Oh, how times have changed!

Heroin as a Cough Suppressant

Thanks to Bayer Pharmaceuticals, heroin was once recommended as a remedy for coughs. Ironically, the widespread use—and subsequent addiction—to OxyContin is considered one of the main drivers behind the rise in heroin usage today.

Amphetamines for Women's Weight Loss

It's no wonder some mothers could effortlessly raise a dozen children while keeping their homes immaculate—amphetamines were once prescribed to help with weight loss.

Bloodletting

Suffering from high blood pressure, headaches, or an infection? In the past, your "four humors" were likely considered out of balance. The remedy? Simply drain a pint or two of your blood, and you’d be good as new.

Researching this article was an enjoyable endeavor, and I hope you found it both fascinating and informative. If you found this piece intriguing, be sure to show your appreciation by liking and sharing it.