Shocking Medical Practices in the Roman Empire:
The ancient Roman empire boasted a unique and frequently brutal approach to medicine, with practices that may make modern stomachs churn. In an era devoid of formal regulations, Roman doctors relied on razor-sharp efficiency, daredevil surgeries, and the occasional wild guess.
On the HistoryExtra podcast, renowned historian Dr Patty Baker dished on some of the most jaw-dropping medical practices in Rome's heyday, including the bizarre "reversal" of circumcision and gruesome birth surgeries, all performed sans anesthesia.
Circumcision: The Roman Way
In cultures across ancient lands, circumcision was common practice. But Romans, particularly those in Jewish or Eastern regions, were often unfavorable to the procedure. For some, the desire to blend in with Roman society led to the unorthodox notion of "reversing" the operation.
Dr Baker enlightens us, "The idea is if you want to go to the Roman baths and look more like a Roman, you make [an] incision in the skin above the head of the penis, and then hang weights on that skin." By gradually pulling on the skin with weights, the hope was that the skin would stretch, effectively reversing the initial circumcision. A mournful process, indeed, but the price of fitting in proved worth the pain for many.
The Bloody Drama of Birth
Childbirth in the ancient world was a deadly dance with death, and Rome was no exception. As Dr Baker pointed out, sometimes a baby would die within the birth canal, leaving the mother in a precarious position with no other options. The Romans initiated a horrifying procedure referred to as "embryotomy."
This procedure involved the use of hooks to remove the baby from the mother's body, often breaking the infant's limbs in the process. The ultimate goal was to save the mother's life, yet, the brutality and tragedy of the procedure left a grim mark on history.
Surgery Without Laughter Gas
The Romans knew their way around taking out infected or injured limbs, but their toolkit didn't include the luxury of anesthesia. Patients had to bite the bullet—literally—during surgeries, with little more than herbal remedies to dull the pain. Though alcohol might have been the go-to relaxation method in the absence of anesthetics, the reality was that surgical practitioners had to work swiftly to avoid prolonging the patient's wretched suffering.
The Art of Being a Roman Physician
In Rome, anyone fancy themselves a doctor, no questions asked. Without medical licenses or proper oversight, quacks lurked among the skilled healers, ready to strike when the opportunity presented itself. As Dr Baker put it, "If something didn't go too well, they could sneak off in the middle of the night and who would know?"
Germs: A Slight Case of Misunderstanding
The Romans were meticulous about cleanliness, boasting impressive public baths, aqueducts, and sanitation systems. Yet, their understanding of germs remained incomplete. They understood the importance of a clean wound, recommending honey, wine, or vinegar for preservation, but the source of infections remained a mystery. Instead, the Romans attributed the spread of disease to the dreaded miasma, the harmful vapors from decomposing matter.
Though rudimentary by today's standards, Roman medicine pushed the boundaries of knowledge, eschewing the familiar paths to explore innovative and occasionally alarming strategies in the name of healing.
In the realm of health and wellness, the ancient Romans experimented with unconventional therapies and treatments, such as the questionable practice of "reversing" circumcision, where weights were hung on the skin above the penis with the intent of stretching it, mimicking the original procedure (HistoryExtra podcast with Dr Patty Baker). born out of a desire to assimilate into Roman society amid the grueling process.
With a substantial lack of medical-conditions understanding, the Romans developed a unique approach to childbirth that included the horrifying embryotomy procedure, which involved using hooks to remove an infant from a mother's body, a method marred by tragedy (Dr Patty Baker on the HistoryExtra podcast). This practice, initiated under life-threatening circumstances, left an indelible mark on history.
