All kinds of strange things happened during the early stages of mental illness treatment and this is just one of them.. ~Grim TREPANATION Ancient life was not without its hazards. Between wars, drunken duels, and the occasional run-in with an inadequately domesticated pig, it's no surprise that archaic skulls tend to have big holes in them. But not all holes are created with equal abandon. Through the years, archaeologists have uncovered skulls marked by a carefully cut circular gap, which shows signs of being made long before the owner of the head passed away. These fractures were no accident; they were the result one of the earliest forms of psychiatric treatment called trepanation [wiki]. The basic theory behind this "therapy" holds that insanity is caused by demons lurking inside the skull. Boring a hole in the patient's head creates a door through which the demons can escape, and - viola! - out goes the crazy. Despite the peculiarity of the theory and lack of major-league anesthetics, trepanation was by no means a limited phenomenon. From the Neolithic era to the early 20th century, cultures all over the world used it was way to cure patients of their ills. Doctors eventually phased out the practice as less, er, invasive procedures were developed. Average Joes, on the other hand, didn't follow suit. Trepanation patrons still exist. In fact, they even have their own organizations - and websites! Check out the International Trepanation Advocacy Group at www.trepan.com if you're still curious.
from Evils http://www.trepan.com/
from Evils http://www.trepan.com/
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