What did people do before anesthesia? – Sally Frampton

Trace the history of anesthesia from the 3rd century to today, and explore how doctors performed surgery before anesthetic drugs.

The quest for anesthetics that could induce unconsciousness and enable more meticulous surgeries began around the early 3rd century CE. Before anesthesia was widely used, patients had to consciously endure every moment of surgery. So, what methods did doctors use before modern medicine caught up? Sally Frampton traces the history of anesthetic drugs.

Lesson by Sally Frampton, directed by Alexander Hellebaut.