History of Science 2220 Midterm: The history of surgery
28 Dec 2018
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The history of surgery: procedures of our ancestors. Unlike our anesthetized operations of today, surgery throughout much of human history was horrifically painful, dangerous and terrifyingly deadly. Because of these reasons it was usually performed as a last resort. It all began in the new stone age the neolithic period, 4500 bc when our ancestors drilled holes into their skulls. Ancient surgeries such as these relied on turpentine and vinegar for infection control; unfortunately for the patient, there was no anesthesia to ease the slicing of the scalp and bone. By 3000 bc ancient egyptians developed their knowledge of human anatomy by removing organs in the mummification process. They treated wounds and abscesses with clamps, sutures and cauterization and used tools like saws, forceps, scalpels and scissors. They also knew that honey helped ward off infection. Indians too paved the way in the world of early surgery.
