The Most Insane Medical Practices in History

3. They used snake venom and poisonous herbs.

Before antibiotics, people tried to fight infections with remedies based on plant poisons and viper venoms. Modern scientists came to the conclusion that the reasons for their antibacterial actions were small proteins called disintegrins. In ancient Egypt, they used cannabis, opium, and henbane. In the middle ages, doctors added dried snakes and scorpions to their potions.