A barbaric painful proceedure

The Medical Bone Saw: The very first chainsaw was pioneered in the late 18th Century by two Scottish doctors, John Aitken and James Jeffray, for symphysiotomy (removal of cartilage holding the pelvis together to assist in difficult childbirth) and excision of diseased bone. The chain hand saw used a fine serrated link chain to cut. It was first published in Aitken’s Principles of Midwifery or Puerperal Medicine (1785) and used by him in his dissecting room.

The proceedure was known as 'Symphysiotomy' a high-risk medical procedure that during childbirth, rips through one of the main pelvic joints, unhinging the pelvis.

There is a long article about its modern day usage in Ireland in the 1930's. Certainly worth reading to see just how cruel Doctors can be when religion comes into the equation.

This procedure is well known for having been applied well into the 20th century in Ireland. :-(

During the civil war. (If that’s not acceptable to talk abou here ) a broken leg was most likely treated with an amputation.

During the civil war. (If that’s not acceptable to talk abou here ) a broken leg was most likely treated with an amputation.

Still better than what they did to horses with a broken leg. 😜

Sounds pretty barbaric indeed.

During the civil war. (If that’s not acceptable to talk abou here ) a broken leg was most likely treated with an amputation.

Not true. They knew how to set broken bones very well in the civil war. If it was a simple break because someone fell or got run over by a wagon, they would set the bone and treat it similarly to modern physicians. Amputations for compound fractures or broken bones caused by gunshot/cannon/trauma because of the risk of infection from the open wound.