Medicine of the past fundamentally different from modern methods of treatment. Methods for eliminating ailments were often quite strange and even frightening. In some cases, the medications that doctors used before not only did not help the patient, but also acted to his detriment. Our ancestors unconditionally believed the Aesculapians, using dangerous substances to maintain health.

Surgical set of instruments.

All small children know that if you break a mercury thermometer, you will not end up with problems, and the small beautiful balls that fall out of the thermometer are a potent poison. Unfortunately, our predecessors did not know this. They tried to overcome various problems of the body with toxic liquid metal. Once upon a time, a special ointment was made from mercury, used for disinfecting purposes. It was mainly prescribed to men and women suffering from sexually transmitted diseases. Doctors did not associate the negative consequences of frequent use of such a drug (hair loss, teeth loss, decomposition of internal organs, and sometimes death) with the side effects on the body of the miracle cream, but considered them signs of certain diseases.

Japanese enema 19th century.

An enema syringe used in Sri Lanka in the 17th century.

Therapy in the form of tobacco enemas was common in European countries in the 17th and 18th centuries. Healers assured that tobacco smoke could work miracles. Medicine of the past widely used this remedy. They tried to get rid of common colds, headaches and even typhoid fever with the help of nicotine. True, it is not entirely clear why it was administered using enemas...

Mentally ill patients were locked in special boxes for therapeutic purposes.

Psychiatric patients suffered the most from unclear treatment methods. What strange experiments were carried out on unfortunate people. In the 50s of the 19th century, more “humane” methods began to be used to combat illnesses of the human psyche. The use of therapeutic carousels has replaced bedridden and crate-confined patients. The mentally ill were spun around on a special chair that looked like a carousel, bringing them to the point of fainting. Doctors assumed that such an attraction mixed the brains, which had a beneficial effect on consciousness. Those who ended up in psychiatric clinics went through extreme baths and showers, insulin comas, laxatives, and frontal lobotomies.

To calm the mentally ill, they swaddled them with wet blankets.

What methods of pain relief were not used before the birth of anesthesia (mid-19th century): from bloodletting and squeezing blood vessels in the neck to constriction of the limbs and the introduction of various intoxicating drugs. But it should be noted that the first anesthesia was very different from modern anesthesia. As a rule, these were short-term and not completely pain-relieving measures. Just imagine the pain the patient had to go through during surgery.

Prosthetic arm, 1800.

At the beginning of the previous century, radiation, or more precisely radioactive water, was spoken of as a panacea for many diseases. Medicine of the past used similar water to heal the soul and prevent aging. The addition of thorium and radium to chocolates, toothpastes, contraceptives and anal suppositories was a fashionable novelty of the time. The most popular sanatoriums boasted radium baths, calling them hot springs.

Radioactive miracle water.

The first devices, which were previously used by doctors for diagnostics or for other purposes, also sometimes looked strange. In addition, there were cases when completely healthy people became patients, and they tried to save them from non-existent ailments.

Chair intended for women in labor (18th century).

The history of medicine is full of wild tales of strange treatments and medical procedures in which pain and suffering played an important role. Despite the noble and sincere desire of doctors to find humane ways to rid patients of their illnesses, sometimes some of the medical procedures were much more dangerous than the disease itself.

We present to you 25 examples from the list of the craziest treatments in the history of medicine. Let's just say we were lucky to live in our time...

(Total 25 photos)

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1. Clyster for a better quality of life.

People of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries called a clyster an ordinary enema. Of course, there is nothing wrong with an enema, as it is still widely used today, particularly to treat constipation. The problem here is different, namely, what ingredients were put into an enema before the 20th century: warm water mixed with salt, baking soda, soap, coffee, bran, chamomile or even honey (!). And for some strange reason, the upper class loved it. It is believed that Louis XIV was a big fan of enemas and was given them more than 2,000 times during his life.

2. Treatment of hemorrhoids with hot iron.

Thanks to modern medicine, there are many ways to deal with even the most serious cases of hemorrhoids, and without pain. Unfortunately, our ancestors did not have such opportunities. In the past, there were no painkillers or high-tech lasers to get rid of hemorrhoids. Therefore, doctors found their own method: hot iron, which was used to burn out swollen veins. Need I remind you that no one had heard of anesthesia at that time?

3. Moldy bread was considered an excellent medicine.

In ancient China and Greece, moldy bread was pressed against wounds to prevent infection. In Egypt, moldy wheat bread was also applied to purulent head wounds, and the “medicinal soil” was valued for its supposed healing qualities. Such practices were believed to pay respect to the spirits or gods responsible for illness and suffering. Allegedly, satisfied with this treatment, they left and left the patient alone.

4. Snail syrup for treating the throat and ears.

It may seem incredible today, given how many medically approved syrups are now on the market, but one of the best has been considered for centuries... snail syrup. Allegedly, he helped everyone who suffered from a sore throat and cough. Some doctors even picked poor snails out of their shells and inserted them into the ears of patients to relieve inflammation.

5. Dog poop for a sore throat.

In the book “The Popularization of Medicine” (1650-1850), written by the British historian Roy Porter, who paid special attention to the history of medicine, you can read that doctors once came up with the “wonderful” idea of ​​​​treating a sore throat with album graecum. And don’t let the beautiful Latin name fool you - it’s just dried dog droppings. Who said that modern medicine is terrible?

6. Scorpios for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Most of us would shudder at the thought of being in a room with a scorpion, but many villages in the Thai province of Lopburi, near Bangkok, use "scorpion wine" to treat problems such as impotence. According to local traditions, scorpions are believed to help in the treatment of many diseases related to the sexual sphere, and this type of medicine is especially popular among the male population. The worst thing is that even in 2014 there are people who still believe that this is really true.

7. Smoking supposedly cures asthma.

Want to hear something funny? Long before all these anti-smoking advertisements appeared, one could see just the opposite picture - a lot of advertisements encouraging smoking. It sounds absurd, but in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, inhaling the fumes from burning tobacco was considered one of the most effective ways to treat asthma - without success, of course. When scientists finally realized the catastrophic effects of nicotine on the human body, this treatment was ridiculed.

8. Mummy powder was the aspirin of the Arab world.

In the 12th century, the Arabs conquered much of North Africa, including Egypt, and it was then that they began grinding up mummies to use the powder for medicinal purposes. The method of application was both external and internal, and the frequency with which the “magic powder” was used is simply amazing. It has been used to treat almost everything from common headaches to more serious problems such as stomach ulcers and muscle pain.

9. Ecstasy for manic-depressive patients.

In the late 60s and early 70s, the motto “Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll” was so powerful in Western society that even the smart people of this world, whom we call scientists, succumbed to the new cultural trend. How else to explain the fact that some psychiatrists suggested using ecstasy - a drug that killed thousands of young people in the 90s - in psychotherapy?

10. Sheep liver was used in Mesopotamia for diagnostic purposes.

Who needs blood tests, scans, x-rays and other "nonsense" when a sheep's liver can tell you everything you need to know about a patient's condition? In Mesopotamia several thousand years ago, the liver was considered the only true source of life, and local "doctors" believed that the liver of a sacrificed sheep could show them what their patient was suffering from. Based on this assumption, they determined the “correct” method of treatment.

11. Crocodile droppings for birth control.

Another shocking medical breakthrough, again from Ancient Egypt. Dried crocodile dung was very expensive, and men who could afford it bought it for women. The droppings... ahem... were placed in a woman's vagina, in the belief that it would form a certain barrier when it reached the woman's body temperature. It was believed to be an effective method of contraception. In reality, women risked contracting a serious infection, which led to equally serious illnesses or even death.

12. Bloodletting “forced” the disease to leave the body along with the blood.

Ancient doctors of Greece, Egypt and other countries of the world believed that bleeding from a vein was an excellent way to get rid of various diseases. This treatment was especially recommended for indigestion and acne, but the only real benefits of this treatment were discovered many centuries later. It turned out that in some patients (in rare cases) it helped reduce high blood pressure. The strangest thing here is that this method of treatment began to be used in antiquity and was used until the 19th century.

13. Paraffin wax against aging.

If you thought that anti-aging treatments like Botox were modern inventions, then you are mistaken. Back in the 19th century, highly revered Western doctors used paraffin injections to smooth out wrinkles and make a person look “younger.” In addition, paraffin was also injected into the breasts of older women to make them appear more perky. However, after noticing painful consequences (also known as paraffinomas) after these procedures, doctors gradually stopped using this method.

14. Mercury is a universal medicine.

Believe it or not, dangerous mercury was once considered the most effective cure for almost everything from syphilis to tuberculosis, depression and migraines; In short, mercury was a medical hit in the 19th century. Even Abraham Lincoln took blue pills containing mercury during periods of depression, although he quit in 1861 when he noticed that they led to uncontrollable outbursts of rage. In 2010, those same blue pills from the President of the United States were exhibited in a museum and analyzed by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It turned out that they could cause insomnia, mood changes and worsen cognitive function.

15. Heroin syrup for cough and insomnia.

Friedrich Bayer, legendary entrepreneur and founder of Bayer AG (a giant German chemical and pharmaceutical company with annual revenues of 40 billion euros), began his professional medical career in 1898 by selling heroin syrup. Allegedly, this remedy cured coughs and other ailments such as insomnia and back pain. Needless to say, many patients are addicted to this medicine?

16. Dead mouse paste for toothache.

The ancient Egyptians are famous for their contribution to the development of civilization, but dental treatment is not one of them. Why? Well, in ancient Egypt, crushed dead mice mixed with other ingredients were used to relieve toothache. Naturally, this miracle paste had to be applied to the sore tooth. Needless to say, many patients eventually died from more serious illnesses caused by infection.

17. Goat testicles are a cure for male impotence.

John Brinkley, one of the greatest swindlers in 20th-century medical history, became one of America's richest men by promising to cure male impotence by implanting goat testicles into a man's scrotum. Of course, all this turned out to be a dangerously illiterate method and cost the lives of many poor people who dared to trust this clown.

18. Cannibalism is a cure for muscle cramps.

For patients who developed muscle cramps, constant headaches or stomach ulcers from hard physical labor, doctors in Ancient Rome and Egypt prescribed an elixir that contained human flesh, blood and bones. Seriously. This was the so-called cadaveric medicine, such medicines were used quite often, and many records have been preserved about them. The Romans, in particular, were probably the biggest fans of this treatment. They believed that the blood of fallen gladiators could cure epilepsy. This led to some merchants collecting and selling the blood of killed gladiators and making good money from it.

19. A “sugar coma” could cure you of schizophrenia.

There was a time (even in the 20th century) when people who suffered from severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia were treated worse than animals, and this is not an exaggeration. A patient with severe depression or schizophrenia has most likely had a lobotomy. But some lucky ones were prescribed more “human” treatments, such as an insulin coma. Despite the high risk (there were far more deaths than successful ones), insulin coma was rapidly gaining momentum throughout Europe, and many specialized departments were even built for this procedure. Needless to say, along with lobotomy and other inhumane treatments, the insulin coma was another unsuccessful idea that tarnished the name of psychiatry.

20. Malaria treating syphilis.

To begin with, it is worth saying that malaria can actually kill syphilis through fever: the temperature rises high enough to kill the bacteria that causes syphilis. This discovery was made by Dr. Julius Wagner-Jauregg, for which he received the Nobel Prize in 1927 for his “breakthrough.” But over time, scientists realized that saving a patient from one disease, only to have a second one finish him off, is not exactly an achievement.

21. Dolphin therapy.

In Peru and some other countries it is still believed that if a pregnant woman is touched by a dolphin, the neural development of the fetus will be much better. This "dolphin therapy" is widespread in Peru, and pregnant women from all over the world come here to stimulate their baby's brain development in the womb. Organizers of such events claim that the high-frequency sounds made by dolphins enhance and develop a child’s neural abilities. Sounds like a great script for a Christopher Nolan or John Carpenter film.

22. Lobotomy.

Of course, this barbaric, terrible and ineffective method of treatment could not help but make it onto our list. Lobotomy, which was practiced in many countries even into the 20th century, consisted of cutting out the prefrontal cortex - the front part of the brain's frontal lobes. As a result of the procedure, the patient turned into a vegetable. The worst thing is that the inventor of the prefrontal lobotomy, António Egas Moniz, received the Nobel Prize in Psychology or Medicine in 1949 “for the discovery of the therapeutic effects of leucotomy in certain mental diseases.”

23. “Compassion Powder.”

In Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, fencing was the most popular male activity, but, unfortunately, it was also the cause of many serious injuries and frequent deaths. However, thanks to Sir Kenelm Digby and his invention called "sympathy powder", this problem was about to be solved. How? Apparently, if a fencer applied this ointment to his rapier (and it consisted of worms, pig brains, rust and pieces of mummified corpses), then it helped his opponent’s wound heal faster. Digby himself called this healing process “merciful magic.” The strangest thing is that there were fools who bought this nonsense.

24. Resection of half the tongue is a cure for stuttering.

This brutal treatment is still used in modern medicine in extreme cases such as oral cancer, where part of the tongue is removed to save the patient's life. Of course, now such operations are performed under general anesthesia and with the participation of experienced doctors who know what they are doing. But if you had been a stutterer in the 18th century and were looking for a way to solve the problem, doctors would have advised you to remove half your tongue. And if the patient was lucky and did not die from painful shock and blood loss, then his problem would go away simply because he could no longer speak.

25. Craniotomy “saved” headaches.

Migraines, seizures, mental disorders, or head injuries could lead to pain or strange behavior. In ancient times, the only solution to this problem was to drill holes in the skull (do not forget that anesthesia did not exist then). Why not? After all, what's the best way to forget about pain? Cause the person even more pain!

There are methods of treatment that either have not yet been accepted by official medicine or have already been rejected by it. Most of them relate to traditional medicine.

Treatment by peeling the loin
Spanking on the buttocks, as established at the Novosibirsk Research Institute of Hygiene, is the most important remedy. Siberian scientists made such a sensational statement at the international conference “New methods of influence and rehabilitation in narcology.” The meaning of this, so to speak, “physiotherapy” is as follows - alcoholism, drug addiction, neuroses and an obsessive desire to commit suicide - these are all attempts to get away from problems, loss of interest in existence. The reason, according to researchers, is a decrease in the body’s production of so-called “happiness hormones” - endorphins. And if such a person is properly beaten, of course, without causing injury, then he will develop a taste for life. The teachings came to the healing effect of flogging therapy after familiarizing themselves with ancient treatises, when “all kinds of nonsense” was beaten out with a whip and rods - from illegal behavior and bad thoughts to psychosis and pneumonia. The discoverer of this method, S. Speransky, by self-flagellation, saved himself from depression, as well as from the consequences of two heart attacks.

When the urine hits your head
It is believed that what leaves the body as waste cannot be re-ingested, at least not immediately. Urine and feces are good fertilizers. Every agronomist will tell you this. But none of the summer residents will risk using them internally. Even our cosmonauts categorically refused a device that would process their urine into sterile drinking water on the space station. Disgust and disgust were the main reason for the refusal. Nevertheless, supporters of urine therapy believe that drinking your own urine cures malignant tumors, heart disease, allergies, diabetes, asthma and a dozen other diseases. In their conviction, they refer to the ancient medical treatise of India - the notorious Ayurveda...

But there is an even more extreme type of treatment - calotherapy, which, according to its supporters, helps against many diseases. The origins of this are also found in Indian manuscripts. In India, for example, it is still believed that a cow patty pressed onto a non-healing ulcer is the best medicine, since the cow is a sacred animal. They use the therapeutic properties of their own feces. For example, the following recommendation from modern calotherapists is touching: “Do not under any circumstances consume liquid stool, since the acid-base balance is disturbed in them, use exclusively your morning stool for oral consumption, which can be frozen in reserve, and heated in the microwave before eating.” ..."

Getting rid of diseases with fish and insects
Maggots are fly larvae that develop in rotting waste. These creatures evoke instinctive disgust in everyone, except fishermen, for whom maggots are the best bait. In addition, it is not the maggot itself that smells, but its habitat...

It has been known since ancient times that fly larvae are able to clean purulent wounds, as they eat dead tissue. This method was forgotten, but recently interest in maggot therapy has revived, since pathogenic bacteria have appeared that are resistant to antibiotics, which voracious maggots eat with pleasure. In addition, the method itself is simple and cheap. Since 2004, the treatment of infected wounds with fly larvae has been officially permitted in the United States and in a number of other countries, but for our country this is still exotic.

A fundamentally similar curation method is spa-fish. This is the name for the therapy of skin diseases with the help of small fish, like guppies, that eat dead tissue on the surface of human skin. The method has been used for centuries in Southeast Asia, and only in the last decade has it begun to spread throughout the world. A person comes to a special salon, puts his feet in a pond or completely immerses himself in it, and small garra rufa fish begin to gently bite his body. This procedure is pleasant and completely painless. In addition to the cosmetic effect, these fish help fight diseases such as psoriasis, eczema and athlete's foot. The fish do not have teeth, and they eat only the topmost, already keratinized, layer of skin, without touching healthy tissue.

Laughter therapy
This unusual method is gradually gaining more and more supporters. In India, for example, today there are several hundred special clubs where people come for the sole purpose of having fun from the heart. In our country, this role is played by various television shows, comedians’ performances, comedy films, etc.

Today it has been scientifically proven that any laughter, from a stupid giggle from tickling to laughter from some intellectual joke, prevents and neutralizes stress, improves the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, activates metabolism and, in general, prolongs life. During laughter, regardless of its reasons, a person produces endorphins, which improve mood and vitality. It has been proven that cheerful and cheerful people live longer and suffer less from infectious diseases. This was noted by Hippocrates, but modern medicine, more focused on taking various chemical drugs, has almost forgotten about it.

A classic example of the healing role of laughter is the medical story of the American Norman Cousins, who was diagnosed with spondyloarthritis in 1972. This disease in 100% of cases led to complete immobility due to dysfunction of the joints. However, Cousins ​​was optimistic. Having read somewhere that bad thoughts lead to illness, he began to strive with all his might to eliminate and prevent them from occurring in himself. All day long he watched comedies and humorous programs on TV. Gradually the pain stopped tormenting him, and his mood began to improve. Moreover, the inflammatory process in the body has subsided. Some more time passed, and he began to truly enjoy life, stopping the use of medications.

This is how a new discipline arose - gelotology (from the Greek “gelos” - laughter), and clowns began to appear in serious medical institutions. In 1998, in the USA, based on these events, which led to the creation of a new therapeutic technique, the film “Healer Adams” was created.

Heroin and mercury therapy
In the 19th century, syrup for children was widespread, eliminating cough and pain. The medicine turned out to be so effective that it almost replaced all other methods of treatment, until they noticed something was wrong - many children who were given this “syrup” for some reason died. When the contents of the drug were subjected to detailed testing, it turned out that it contained morphine, chloroform, codeine, heroin, opium and hashish. Naturally, the method was immediately banned...

Today everyone knows that mercury is poison. But in the old days, pure mercury was used to treat volvulus, syphilis, tuberculosis, rheumatism and a dozen other diseases. To do this, you had to drink about a glass of mercury. It is known that in the 4th millennium BC. e. Mercury was also used in China to treat leprosy. And Taoist monks used cinnabar (a mercury compound) in their elixir of longevity. At the same time, they understood the symptoms of mercury poisoning - such as a crawling sensation (paresthesia), trembling of the fingertips and sweating - as an indicator of the effectiveness of the drug. It is not surprising that many of the wards soon died. The problem, as they say, disappeared with the death of the patient.

Original ways to get rid of snoring
Everyone knows what snoring is and how it complicates the lives of all those who sleep with a snorer in the same or even in the next room. Here we will not touch upon the specific reasons why a particular person snores. Let us dwell only on the most unusual methods of getting rid of snoring. For example, it was noted that a person snores more often when sleeping on his back, and therefore it was proposed to attach a hard ball between his shoulder blades to avoid this position. Special suction cups were also proposed for the tongue so that it would not fall back and act like the reed of a clarinet, causing snoring with its vibration, etc. For the same purpose, they tried to use various, first electrical, and then electronic devices. One of the most interesting devices was a combination of a microphone and amplifier with headphones, placed on the snorer's head before going to bed. For this purpose, a hearing aid was used for the hard of hearing - the person woke up from his own snoring, the sounds of which, amplified many times over, were transmitted to his ears.

Frost treatment
Many people know about treatment with warming and heat. An example is the sauna and Russian bath, with the help of which they get rid, for example, of radiculitis. As for the healing properties of cold, many are hearing about it for the first time. And yet such a technique exists. It was first used in the Czech Republic, in the resort town of Teplice nad Bečvou, creating a special refrigerator for people, or cryochamber, with a temperature of minus 160 degrees. The patient is placed in this freezer stripped naked and for only 2-3 minutes. During this short time, he does not even get mild frostbite, but as a result of repeated stays in artificial frost, it is possible to relieve him of allergies, hypertension, skin diseases, neurosis, sinusitis, depression and a number of joint and muscle ailments. Similar “anti-sauna” treatment is available in some clinics in our country.

Arkady VYATKIN, doctor, specially for “Anomalous News”
“Anomalous News” No. 23 (548) 2011

The variety of diseases from which humanity has been suffering in recent decades has been growing in direct proportion to the number of treatment methods offered by both traditional medicine and all kinds of “traditional healers”, and, as a rule, ordinary charlatans. Alternative therapy that is worthy of attention and even dubious methods will be discussed below.

Animal-assisted treatment

The help of animals in the treatment of certain diseases has been known since ancient times. This alternative therapy has not lost popularity in our time. Most often, animals are used in a complex of restorative agents - horses, dolphins, bees and others. However, human imagination is limitless...

Phenomenon: Cats Can Relieve Pain

Treating wounds with maggots

The development and growth of many larvae occurs solely due to the fact that they feed on dead flesh and all kinds of carrion. Noticing this feature, even ancient healers began to use maggots of flies to cleanse rotten human wounds. Interest in such therapy has revived in our time because many new bacteria have appeared that are not afraid of antibiotics. But microorganisms are unable to withstand physical destruction by voracious maggots. In addition, fly larvae are not infectious.

A strange method: maggots are used to treat wounds. Thus, small white worms are planted on an infected wound and they, liquefying the flesh with special enzymes, begin to eat the rotten tissue. At the same time, they are not interested in healthy flesh. Creepy method? Definitely, however, since 2004 in the USA it has been officially approved and recognized as effective.

Treatment with leeches

The fairy-tale hero Duremar, it turns out, knew a lot about medicine when he preferred treatment with leeches to other methods. Hirudotherapy, like the previous method, is a very unpleasant procedure, however, many experts are in no hurry to write it off as ineffective. The point is to allow the leeches to “drink” your blood by attaching themselves to your body. Little “vampires” improve and restore blood flow, and also cleanse the blood in the human body.

Hirudotherapy is no longer exotic. There are many famous stars among fans of this method. They cleanse the blood and rejuvenate themselves at the same time, for example, Demi Moore and Natasha Koroleva.

Treatment of psoriasis with fish

In Turkey there is an interesting traditional method of treating the skin disease psoriasis. Here they prepare a special bath, which is filled with live fish of a special variety. After this, the patient is offered to plunge into the font. After some time, the fish will peel off and eat all the diseased skin.

Fish treatment goes from unusual to fashionable

Cruel treatments

Various cruel methods of treatment have definitely come to our time from the dark Middle Ages, when everything unknown, including illness, was automatically attributed to the machinations of Satan. This means it was destroyed in the most uncompromising ways. However, some modern doctors have gone even further than their predecessors...

Method of “treatment” of the ancient Britons

In ancient times, nursing seriously ill people was not an option. Therefore, as a rule, the suffering of the sick person was stopped by the only sure-fire remedy - ancient “euthanasia”. The patient was simply thrown off a cliff when other therapy failed.

Throwing off a cliff is also a method of treatment

Treatment of rabies among the Saxons

Contemporaries of the Britons, the Saxons also invented their own alternative methods of healing. Thus, a dangerous and practically incurable disease in ancient times, rabies, was treated with “physiotherapy.” The patient was tied to a pole and flogged with a whip, although not an ordinary one, but a special one, made from dolphin skin, which was believed to help drive out “demons” from a person. However, more often than not, the whip method helped to expel only the last spirit from the patient.

Dolphin skin whip - an unusual medical instrument

Treatment for stuttering

People with stuttering in ancient times also faced an unenviable fate. To restore speech, doctors burned the patients’ tongues with a hot iron.

Urine therapy, coprotherapy

This method of treatment may not be considered exclusively cruel, however, it cannot be called “soft” either. There is a category of alternative healers who perceive human waste products - urine and feces - as the best medicines. According to these “urinotherapists,” urine and feces can cure cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma and allergies.

Urine therapy is a popular but controversial method of treatment. Naturally, these “products” should be consumed orally. The effectiveness of these methods has not been officially proven, which does not prevent these therapies from existing for many millennia.

The most unusual therapy to date

It would seem that there is nothing to surprise modern doctors. However, completely new revolutionary ideas can shock even seasoned therapists. Recent developments by medical innovators include treatments such as new body transplants and head transplants. If, when transplanting a new body, the patient can consider only the brain “his”, then when transplanting a head, only the body will be new.

Transplantation is still an extraordinary treatment method. Facts are already known when scientists sewed on patients' heads, which were connected to the body only through the spinal cord. And in the 1950s, the Soviet surgeon Demikhov became famous for transplanting dog heads. At the same time, one of the experimental subjects lived with someone else’s head for a month! Now scientists are addressing the issue of regenerating nerve tissue and using this type of stem cells in the process of transplantation. But, according to uznayvse.ru, not all diseases listed as the most terrible are treated with crazy methods.

Modern medicine works wonders, but it’s a pity not everywhere and not always. Scientists are coming up with more and more new drugs and treatments for diseases, some of which do not seem to be diseases at all, for example: racism, bad memories, etc. Highly scientific treatments for unusual ailments.

Contraceptive drugs for men

Scientists from the Dana-Faber Cancer Institute in Boston (USA) managed to develop a drug that can make a real revolution in the field of non-hormonal contraception for men. Its active substance is JQ1, a chemical compound that selectively slows down the testis-specific bromodomain protein and blocks spermogenesis. However, the drug does not have a sedative or anxiolytic effect. JQ1 was tested on mice and showed to be highly effective. At the same time, the reproductive capacity of animals was quickly restored after the effect of the drug ended. Experts estimate that about ⅓ of couples in the world prefer to use condoms, avoiding birth control pills and other contraceptives for women. It is believed that most cases of unplanned pregnancy occur in such unions.
Cure for bad memories

Scientists from the University of Montreal (Canada) managed to find a drug that reduces a person’s need to access difficult memories. This is not yet “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” but it is already a noticeable step towards correcting the functioning of human memory. The drug called metyrapone has actually been around for quite some time: it was previously used to treat adrenal insufficiency. However, experts have found that the effect of metyrapone on stress levels may be much more beneficial. The drug reduces the production of cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in stressful situations. Research has shown that drug reduction of cortisol levels in such situations reduces the painfulness of memories and promotes a positive outlook on events.
During the tests, the experiment participants were told stories that contained neutral and negative plot elements. People who had previously taken metyrapone were able to remember the former in significantly more detail than the latter four days later, while study participants who received a placebo instead of the drug remembered both neutral and negative details perfectly.
Neurostimulator against migraines and cluster headaches

ATI specialists presented to the public a neurostimulator that helps relieve cluster headaches and migraines. An almond-sized device is placed through a small incision in the gum into the area of ​​the sphenopalatine ganglion, a limited collection of neurons located along one of the cranial nerves in the area of ​​the bridge of the nose. The neurostimulator is activated using an external remote control: if necessary, the patient simply brings it to his cheek. The device turns on, blocks the sphenopalatine ganglion, and the pain subsides or is reduced.
According to studies in Europe, 68% of patients responded well to therapy: their pain intensity or frequency decreased, and sometimes both. The use of the neurostimulator against cluster headaches has already begun in the EU. In the United States, the government Food and Drug Administration has so far allowed its use only for research purposes.
A cure for hypertension and racism

According to scientists from the University of Oxford (UK), a drug called propanolol, which doctors prescribe for coronary heart disease, hypertension and other diseases, can also reduce the level of racism. The study, conducted by specialists, involved 36 people. Half of them took propanolol and the other half took placebo tablets. Based on the results of a psychological test, which the scientists then conducted, it turned out that the first group demonstrated a significantly lower level of subconscious aggression towards representatives of other nations and races. The reason is that the active substances of propanolol reduce the activity of neurons and, as a side effect, affect the intensity of subconscious fears, including those associated with foreigners.
One of the study's co-authors, Julian Savulescu, a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, said: “Such studies confirm that our unconscious attitude towards something can be modeled using pills. Such possibilities require careful ethical consideration. Biological research aimed at making people better people has a dark history. And propanolol is not an anti-racism pill. But given the fact that a huge number of patients are already taking drugs that have “moral” side effects, we at least need to understand what they are.”
Chromosome therapy

Scientists from the University of Massachusetts (USA) managed to “turn off” an extra copy of chromosome 21, which is responsible for the development of Down syndrome in humans. Despite the fact that the experiments were carried out in vitro, this research is of great practical importance. In the future, it will help develop chromosome therapy for unborn children with trisomy (Down syndrome, Patau syndrome, Edwards syndrome) or even symptomatic treatment for those who have already been born.
As part of the study, experts used stem cells obtained from the skin tissue of a patient with Down syndrome. They introduced a genetic “switch” - the XIST gene - into the additional copy of the 21st chromosome. This gene is found in all female mammals and is responsible for the inactivation of one of the two X chromosomes. When XIST is expressed, an RNA molecule is synthesized that covers the surface of the chromosome like a blanket and blocks the expression of all its genes. Scientists managed to regulate the functioning of XIST using the antibiotic doxycycline. As a result, the problematic copy of chromosome 21 stopped working, and the diseased stem cell turned into a healthy one.
New cure for hangover and alcoholism

Researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles (USA) managed to isolate a substance that can reduce the negative effects of intoxication, prevent hangovers and reduce cravings for drinking. It turned out to be dihydromyricetin or DHM, which is obtained from the fruit of the Chinese subspecies of the candy tree (Hovenia dulcis). In Chinese medicine, extracts from them have been used against hangovers for about five centuries.
During the study, scientists injected experimental rats with a dose of alcohol equivalent to 20 cans of beer drunk by an adult man. Then the “intoxicated” rodents were turned over on their backs so that they lost orientation in space. Rats that did not receive dihydromyricetin could not restore coordination of movements for about 70 minutes, while the animals that were injected with an “antidote” along with alcohol were able to recover within five minutes. Scientists also noted that DHM significantly reduced cravings for alcohol in animals: rats that received it, even after three months of regular drinking, chose sweetened water instead of alcohol. Skeptics, however, doubt that dihydromyricetin will really help people suffering from alcoholism. After all, if the medicine saves you from a hangover, dizziness and nausea, the temptation is great to drink more, not less.
Determination of blood sugar levels, tests and injections without needles

Recently developed by the American company Echo Therapeutics, the Prelude SkinPrep System and Symphony CGM System devices allow you to give injections, take tests, and monitor the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients without injections. The devices painlessly remove the stratum corneum of the skin (its thickness is about 0.01 mm) and increase its permeability to fluids and electrical conductivity. As a result, you can gain access to tissue fluids without compromising the integrity of the skin.
The device for determining blood sugar levels is equipped with a wireless transmitter and is attached to the patient's skin like a patch. Every minute, the machine sends data to a monitor, which records changes in the patient's blood sugar levels and sends a visual and audible alarm if the readings become too low or too high. The device is designed primarily for hospitals.
"Targeted" drug for multiple sclerosis

Scientists from Northwestern University (USA) were able to find a way to treat multiple sclerosis without drugs that suppress the immune system as a whole. This discovery was preceded by about 30 years of work. Experts managed to “teach” the body of patients with atherosclerosis to specifically suppress autoreactive T-lymphocytes that attack myelin, a substance that forms the electrically insulating membrane of neurons in the optic nerve, spinal cord and brain. To do this, doctors injected patients with their own white blood cells, into which billions of myelin antigens were added using genetic engineering. As a result, the level of activity of the immune system in relation to the membrane of neurons decreased by 50-75%, which did not in any way affect its work as a whole. The scientists admit that their first experimental group was too small to draw definitive conclusions. But they hope that they will soon receive funds for new, larger-scale research.
3D mammography for early cancer detection

Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore (USA) began using the Hologic device, which, along with the usual 2D images, allows you to do 3D mammography of the mammary glands. In one session, the device takes 15 images at an angle of 15 degrees, and then displays images of 1 mm thick slices. This allows doctors to see distortions in breast tissue in much more detail than with conventional 2D mammography and diagnose breast cancer much earlier. “If this disease can be quickly detected and treated before metastasis occurs, the survival rate over the next five years is more than 98%,” said Susan K. Harvey, director of breast radiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. “In addition, at an early stage, less surgery is required and chemotherapy is often not needed.” However, the researchers note that 3D mammography runs the risk of missing calcification. Pre-invasive cancer tumors (the so-called “cancer in situ”, when the tumor does not grow into the underlying tissue, and its cells die at the same rate as they divide), represented by calcifications, are better diagnosed using 2D studies.
Revolutionary drug for the treatment of prostate cancer

In the UK in 2011, a drug appeared, the development of which experts called a real revolution in oncology. A drug called abiraterone in 80% of cases reduces the size of the tumor or stabilizes it even at the final stage of cancer, when metastases occur, and also significantly relieves pain.
Abiraterone blocks androgen synthesis by inhibiting the CYP17 enzyme. This leads to a significant decrease in testosterone levels, which is the main “fuel” for the development of prostate cancer. The medicine, unfortunately, is not universal: it cannot help patients with an aggressive form of cancer. However, it is able to increase the life expectancy of such patients at least twice and improve its quality.