As most Americans know, healthcare is an issue that’s currently being hotly debated. Regardless of where you may sit on the issue of healthcare politically-speaking, though, there is definitely no arguing that medicine and medical technology are advancing at an impressive rate. Modern doctors are able to do more for the human body now than at any other point in history, as today’s infographic from medexsupply.com shows us.
Medical procedures that seem commonplace and routine to us today could have been potentially terrifying or even fatal as recently as 150 years ago. Between treatments that include things such as leeches, a bone chipper and devices called “scarificators” and “carbolic smoke balls” (I can’t personally decide which one sounds worse), it might have been safer just to wait out your particular ailment back in the day rather than go to your local “Sawbones” (a.k.a doctor).
Treatments today are not only more effective but in many cases far more humane, particularly in the realm of mental health. Electroshock treatments are still used today, but in such a way that will not cause permanent damage or even possibly break vertebrae, unlike electroshock therapy in the past.
For more information on the progress of modern medicine please refer to the infographic below. [Via]
P.S. Today is dailyinfographic.com’s 600th post! Thanks to everyone for reading and the continued support!