27 Vintage Photos That Show The Terrifying Medical Procedures and Devices From the Past

1.

Masks worn by doctors during the Plague. The beaks held scented substances to mask the scent of death and dying.

2.

"Dissection room at a medical school in Bordeaux, France." Circa 1890

3.

Children in an iron lung before the advent of the polio vaccination. Many children lived for months in these machines, though not all survived. c. 1937

4.

Corset damage to a ribcage. 19th century London

5.

Dr. Kilmer's Female Remedy

6.

Tanning babies at the Chicago Orphan Asylum, 1925, to offset winter rickets

7.

Selection of some items used to disguise facial injuries. Early plastic surgery.

8.

Woman with an artificial leg, too embarrassed to show her face c. 1890-1900

9.

Wooden prosthetic hand, c. 1800

10.

Blood transfusion bottle, England 1978

11.

Dr. Clark's Spinal Apparatus advertisement, 1878

12.

Neurological exam with electrical device, c. 1884

13.

Antique prosthetic leg

14.

"Walter Reed physiotherapy store" 1920's

15.

US Civil War surgeon's kit

16.

Boy in rolling "invalid cart" c. 1915

17.

Radioactive yummies

18.

Claude Becks early defibulator

19.

Antique birthing chair used until the 1800s

20.

Knives for surgery, China, 1801-1920.

21.

Anatomical Model. Doctors were not allowed to touch the women's bodies, so they would point to describe pain locations

22.

Radiology nurse technician, WWI France 1918

23.

1855-1860. One of first surgical procedures using ether as an anesthetic

24.

Rush Medical College lecture auditorium, 1900, Chicago

25.

Lewis Sayre's scoliosis treatment

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