Bloodletting 18th Century

Slicing open skin, drinking blood of the dead along with cutting holes into skulls to get rid of a headaches are just some medical techniques executed on patients during the 12th century to 18th century. Physicians had little knowledge of the human anatomy. Doctors used unique techniques along with unsanitary medical devices to operate on patients. This caused more people to die rather than survive. While the use of medical techniques during the Medieval along with the Renaissance period were unique, the techniques was not effective. Doctors during the 12th century to 13th century performed risky medical techniques on patients to cure diseases. Bloodletting was used to get rid of illnesses that patients acquired. This technique was not effective, it required patients to lose blood to get healthier. Physicians would sliver open patient’s skin to extract the patient’s blood.

False information lead to false medical techniques which did not save any lives. Patients believed that consuming a dead person’s debris would be a good cure for sickness and diseases. “By consuming the remains of a deceased person, the patient also ingested part of their spirit, leading to increased vitality and wellbeing” (Andrews). This information is false, there are no magical properties in consuming blood from the dead. If anything the patient would gain a higher risk of getting infected from the blood which would lead to death. Blood was not the only remains used from dead people, other parts of the body was used that was believed to restore patient’s health. “Human fat was supposed to alleviate rheumatism and arthritis, while a paste made from corpses was believed to help against contusions” (Bethge). It was thought that the dead would help cure sickness the living had but it did not save many lives. The living would get sicker which lead to death. Consuming humans was not an effective technique to cure