An intestinal… mouse?
As regular readers of this blog may be aware, early medical journals often carried tales of unlikely creatures found living […]
Mysterious illnesses, Unfortunate predicaments
February 2016
Horrifying operations, Remarkable recoveries
Mütter’s operation – plastic surgery, 19th-century style
In 1855 the editor of the Western Lancet, Dr T. Wood, published an article in his own journal on the
Prodigies and monsters
The boy who vomited his own twin
This delightful case was reported in the London Medical and Surgical Journal in 1835, having previously appeared in a Greek
Unfortunate predicaments
The man with a tooth in his ear
In 1847 a Dr Mervin Coates wrote to The Lancet to tell them a funny story, an unusual case which
Bewildering research
Leeches for everybody
Most people are aware that leeches used to play a major part in medicine: a convenient way of taking a
Remarkable recoveries, Unfortunate predicaments
Oshkosh, by gosh
Here’s a spectacular head injury (and recovery) reported in the Transactions of the Wisconsin State Medical Society in 1869. This
Mysterious illnesses
The mystery of the exploding teeth
Update: this story will be featured in my new book, The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the
Mysterious illnesses
The man who ate chalk
In November 1774 the following extraordinary case was presented to the French Academy of Surgery, and subsequently reported in Paul
Remarkable recoveries, Unfortunate predicaments
Trees do not grow in humans
In June 1879 the Chicago Telegraph made quite a splash with a story published under this headline: Probably the most
Notable deaths
Killed by shaving
Here’s a case which wouldn’t surprise a modern medic, but which caused considerable puzzlement when it occurred in the first