19 Incredibly Bizarre And Terrifying Medical Instruments From The Past

At first glance, some of these instruments remind me of Clock Work Orange and American Horror Story. Some of these freaky devices date back the to the Civil War and have sinister images to go along with them. What is it about these instruments them that make them terrifying, perhaps all of the horror movies of evil doctors performing lobotomies…

1. Scarificator

It was used for bloodletting, and the blades were spring loaded to cut into the patients skin.

2. Electric Bath

Do you care to take a guess as to what this was used for? It’s the ancestor to the modern sun-bed.

3. Pre-PET Headgear

Built in 1961 by Brookhaven National Laboratories Instrumentation Division, this device was used to study the working brain and identify small brain tumors.

4. Bergonic Chair

Used to administer electroconvulsive therapy for shell shocked soldiers.

5. Artificial Kidney Machine

Used to treat patients with end-stage renal disease.

6. Spermatorrhea Ring

This was used to discourage pleasure for men. If the band were to flex metal spikes would come out…. just picture that for a moment.

7. Electro-Retinogram

Used to measure the electric potential of the retina.

8. Cervical Dilator

It was used to dilate the cervix, but became less popular because it would often tear the cervix.

9. Trepine

Hand powered drill that would bore a hole in the human skull during surgery.

10. Hernia Tool

This device would be used near the affected area of a hernia to produce scar tissue to help seal off the hernia.

11. Electronic belt

Developed to cure the fictitious disease of Neurasthenia… a medical condition characterized by fatigue, headache, and irritability.

12. Tonsil Guillotine

Used to remove the patients tonsil by cutting it out.

13. Hermorrhoid Forceps

Tightly grasping an external hemorrhoid and restricting blood supply to it.

14. Fake Leech

Used to draw blood…. yeah look at that.

15. Hysterotome

Used to remove the cervix from a woman.

16. Skull Saw

Used to cut open the patients head during surgery.

18. Smoke Enema

Was used for people who fell into icy waters. When tobacco smoke was inserted in the patients rectum it was thought to help them warm up better.

19. Civil War Dental Screw Forceps

It grabbed the tooth while the screw tapped the dental roots… without anesthesia. Make sure to give these freaky devices a share on Facebook. (via ebaumsworld)