đź’¨ Blowing Smoke Up Your Arse: A Cautionary Tale of Medical Optimism
Back in the 1700s, resuscitation was less defibrillator drama, more chimney sweep improv. Doctors—ever the optimists—decided one possible cure for apparent death was to insert a tube into the unfortunate’s rectum… and blow tobacco smoke straight up it. Yes. That actually happened. They believed the nicotine hit might stimulate the lungs or jolt the heart. […]