Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Ancient & Not-So Medicine

 

George Washington and you and I have something in common……..we've both had a bout of strep throat (or our kiddos have) but we're blessed that thanks to modern medicine, we shall not die.




Did you know that George Washington died from quinsy, a bacterial throat infection now known as strep throat??

When I went to ER with a hurting throat, blessedly the ER doctor did not perform any blood-letting, nor “blister” my arms, nor bring in the leeches. He gave me a bottle of pills and I was all better soon. Aren't you really, truly glad that you live today and not then as far as medicine goes? 

 

Been enjoying a YouTube channel titled Weird History. One recent watch was “What surgery was like in ancient Egypt.” People in ancient Egypt had a life expectancy (the narration said) of 34 years. The doctors of the day were really good with treating what they could see (ie, skin, broken bones) but not good with internal doctoring (infection). The show showed a mummy with a prosthetic toe!!

Also watched one about “what World War II soldiers died from.”  They were routinely sprayed with the new wonder drug, DDT, to ward off fungal and insect bite infections. Just think what that did long-term.

Again, aren’t you glad that you live NOW?

 

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