Other examples of human-sourced pharmaceuticals surely causing more
distress than they relieved include strips of cadaver skin tied around the
calves to prevent cramping, “old
liquified placenta” to “quieten a patient whose hair stands up without cause”
(I’m quoting Li Shih-chen on this one and the next), “clear liquid feces” for
worms (“the smell will induce insects to crawl out of any of the body orifices
and relieve irritation”), fresh blood injected into the face for eczema
(popular in France at the time Thompson was writing), gallstone for hiccoughs,
tartar of human teeth for wasp bite, tincture of human navel for sore throat,
and the spittle of a woman applied to the eyes for ophthalmia.
(from Stiff by May Roach)
9½*/10.
The complete review is here.
.
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